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Old September 29, 2012, 07:57 AM   #26
Hunter Customs
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Back when I was a younger man, with not much money and feeding a family I was primarily a meat hunter.
However if a nice buck came along first I would take him.

Then as things changed, the kids were grown and out on their own I started concentrating on hunting big bucks.
Doing so I shot a lot of nice bucks and have several nice sets of antlers.

Now as I've aged I'm reverting back to the way I hunted as a younger man, I'm more interested in meat hunting.
I don't have the desire to sit in a tree all day waiting for that big buck to come along.

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Old September 29, 2012, 08:39 AM   #27
shortwave
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Guess I'm either neither or both depending on how you think about it.
I'm gonna shoot my doe(s) for the freezer and hunt my chosen buck.

I've always scouted and picked the best buck I can find in the area to hunt. That's the buck I hunt as long as I spot him during scouting. Have (and currently) hunted the same buck for multiple seasons. This will be the fifth year (yes, fifth year Brian Pfleuger ) on the same buck. If I don't shoot that buck, my buck tag will go unfilled that year.
This means most years I don't score a buck.

About mid season after the weather cools down a bit, I shoot a doe or two for the freezer.

Here's the kicker...if someone told me that I had a choice that I could hunt 'Mr. big buck' and if I shot him I couldn't eat him or... I could shoot does only and eat them, I'd pick shooting the does every time.
Why? I'd rather eat venison then look at antlers.
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Old September 29, 2012, 09:09 AM   #28
cornbush
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I hunt for the meat and the enjoyment of the hunt.
That being said I have passed up a few little guys and waited for something bigger.
With elk I take the first legal animal I can.

Every animal I have ever taken is a trophy to me (does included), I rarely hunt alone, and the good times with friends and family while hunting can never be replaced.
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Old September 29, 2012, 09:25 AM   #29
LSnSC
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It depends on where Im hunting. Here in South Carolina I have property to hunt that has an over abundance of deer but "trophy" bucks are rare. Its also under our states Antlerless Deer Quota Program, so we shoot alot of does (40-50) a season, and only a few bucks.
I drew a Non Res Archery tag for Iowa. The property we hunt has some real B&C trophy potential, so I'll be alot more selective there.
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Old September 29, 2012, 10:05 AM   #30
RevGeo
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Meat, generally speaking. I shoot the first legal elk I see. No regular cow elk season here in N. Idaho this year (thank you wolves..) so I'm hoping for a spike. Of course if I see a rag or a big bull and can get a shot I'm taking it.
Our deer season is bucks only for the 1st couple of weeks and then open for does for a month. I'll hunt for a decent buck during buck season and if I don't get one I'll shoot the tastiest looking whitetail I see after does opens on Nov 1.
Last year my buddies and I all got young 3 or 4 point bucks and they were quite tender and tasty. One of my buddies got a really nice, big 5-point last year but it was pretty tough eating.
More than anything I just look forward to getting out and going hunting. Any deer or elk is a trophy to me.

George
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Old September 29, 2012, 10:22 AM   #31
Mayor Al
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We hunt for meat. Deer and hog so far, but considering an elk next year. No room for trophy heads etc, so we don't mess with them...but meat in the freezers are the prime goal.
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Old September 29, 2012, 10:58 AM   #32
buck460XVR
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I'm a true believer in the statement, "It ain't the size of the buck in the hunt, but the size of the hunt in the buck!". Some of my most exciting and challenging hunts produced small bucks while the biggest buck I ever shot was like shooting a fish in a barrel.

My family and I are big venison fans so we shoot meat animals if the rules and the population of deer in an area allows. We also hunt for horn, but where we are hunting and what point of the season determines the size of the horn we're after. Last year I shot a fat doe standing beside a nice 9 point because I was hunting my oldest son's land and I was hoping my youngest would get a chance at the same buck later in the season when he came home from college. Had I been hunting the large parcels of public land we hunt also, or had it been the last day, it would have been the other way around. As my grandpa used to tell me, if the biggest bass in the pond is two pounds than a pound and a halfer is a trophy. If the biggest bass is 8 pounds than that same pound and a halfer is a throwback.
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Old September 29, 2012, 12:23 PM   #33
huntinaz
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I consider myself both, with the caveat that a "trophy" is determined more by the circumstances of the hunt than by what the animal scores. I'm not hung up on scores, I'm hung up on hunting. Good luck to all this year.
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Old September 29, 2012, 01:52 PM   #34
Deja vu
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meat. i prefer the smaller deer.
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Old September 29, 2012, 04:58 PM   #35
Keg
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Trophy..but not interested in high fence..200 inch bucks.....
A trophy to me is a free range mature buck....
The meat is a bonus..besides I get doe permits.....
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Old September 29, 2012, 05:42 PM   #36
arch308
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I'm primarily a Trophy hunter as they are rare on my lease. I don't cook much and does are easy. On the few occasions I've gotten lucky I give the old buck meat to Hunters For The Hungry. About once every 2 years I get on the ground and still hunt for a good doe since taking one from my stand is just too easy. I turn the does into hamburger. Makes great Hamburger Helper!
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Old October 1, 2012, 02:02 PM   #37
publius
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I get my meat from the does I kill. I only shoot old bucks, ( not always huge trophys but deer over 5 yrs. old) They've grown the rack they are going to grow by then and are starting to get too old to brred.
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Old October 1, 2012, 07:46 PM   #38
Jack O'Conner
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I'll take a doe any time I can. I pass up spike horn bucks and small forkies. But I'm not a trophy hunter at all; just stating my personal ethics. Good venison is the specail treat of deer hunting!

Jack
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Old October 1, 2012, 08:37 PM   #39
Jo6pak
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Meat.
But that won't stop me from taking a trophy buck.....then eating him
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Old October 1, 2012, 10:41 PM   #40
allaroundhunter
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Meat.

But when I am hunting for hogs I will typically shoot the biggest first and then targets of opportunity after that....I guess you could call that trophy hunting (even though I don't get a taxidermist to mount any of the heads)?
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Old October 2, 2012, 04:44 AM   #41
plateshooter
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My Trophy is a 125lb or so doe. Easy to find, easy to drag out, and makes great BBQ.
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Old October 2, 2012, 04:56 AM   #42
Scrumbag
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I must admit I do a bit of both. Tend to go out as a meat hunter but if I see a trophy I will happily take it as you don't know when you'll see another one.
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Old October 2, 2012, 09:26 AM   #43
Saltydog235
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With liberal limits and a long season, I get to be both. I've seen a good many deer this year and have yet to drop the hammer on one. Being as the rut is kicking off, I'm trying to get a wall hanger buck but I'm not going to pass up a big fat doe if one gives me a shot. Funny thing is that this year I have seen more small bucks and button bucks than in the past 4 or 5 seasons combined.

Trophy vs Meat. How about the experience and a target of opportunity?
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Old October 2, 2012, 10:45 AM   #44
hooligan1
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I finally got my ten-point last year.. so it's probably meat huntin for me also.
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Old October 2, 2012, 11:25 AM   #45
PA Hunter37
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Meat. As has been said "You can't eat the antlers." Besides, squirrels, rabbits and turkeys don't have antlers.
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Old October 2, 2012, 12:10 PM   #46
doofus47
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Quote:
To me, any elk is a trophy
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. A week in the woods with buddies, a little bit of excitement, a whole lot of toting, and a year's worth of good memories while making stews and steaks for the family...
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Old October 4, 2012, 04:54 PM   #47
sc928porsche
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Both. If they are a bit small, I will let them pass and maybe get it next year or someone else for that matter. I eat what I take. But by far it is the hunt that I enjoy the most. Going through the forests and seeing some of the spectacular vistas. Watching the squirrels and birds as they go about their daily business. And of course evenings at camp playing "rotiserie" at the camp fire with a cup of hot coffee in hand and listening to the tales being told. Some true and some not so true. If I take one home, so much the better. If not then it is not a loss.
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Old October 4, 2012, 05:10 PM   #48
dayman
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Meat for me. Our decor doesn't really work with heads on the wall, so antlers just get hung up in the shed or used in projects.
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Old October 4, 2012, 05:56 PM   #49
Double Naught Spy
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Depredation hunter.
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Old October 4, 2012, 06:08 PM   #50
Old Grump
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Can't eat antlers, I'm strictly a meat hunter.
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