Meat hunting vs. Trophy hunting

[Ilovethewest]

Horn Porn in Wisconsin is terrible. QDM and the Trophy Buck movement has destroyed hunting in this state, or at least hunting as it used to be. Now it is a huge contest on who can shoot the biggest buck and get the most bragging rights. Neighbor vs. neighbor. friend vs. friends. I have seen people ridicule kids who have shot their first deer b/c it wasn't a "shooter" buck and dont they know that they are destroying their future hunting......I know many people who have outright quit hunting. During the Earn-A Buck days, landowners and lease hunters would get together, and hunt public lands, do huge drives, and shoot every doe they could to "get their buck tags" and to "save the deer" on their land. Truck loads of deer would be hauled off public lands. Public lands were , not surprisingly, were wiped out of deer. Some populations are still recovering, while deer on some private areas are over-population. Fields will have hundred of deer in them at night, while public parcels will barely have even a track on them. Treestands being stolen that migh tbe "too close to my line"....................WI hunting is horrible for the "average joe" that doesn't own land. That being said, there are probably more big bucks shot now than in any time in history in Wisconsin. In fact, I see more big bucks than I do does most seasons.

You see the Buffalo County outfitter shows, and read all the publicity on WI, but the reality is dim. My dad and younger brother quit hunting all together. My bro hunted 4 years in WI and saw 1 deer.

Its bad. Your problems out west pale to the problems here. and we have wolves too!

 

[y02MDM]

If your not in it for the trophy then why bother. Tags and fees for nonresident hunters are too high to hunt for just the meat. Even when I hunt at home and its free I still covet my tag and try to harvest a trophy or go home empty handed. All you meat hunters could do the trophy hunters a big favor by limiting you hunting to Colorado's over the counter elk tags in nonmanaged units. Because by applying in the managed units you are taking away a opportunity for someone else. That is if you truly feel that meat hunting is the way to go.

 

[Old Hunter]

if your not in it for the trophy then why bother. Tags and fees for nonresident hunters are too high to hunt for just the meat. Even when i hunt at home and its free i still covet my tag and try to harvest a trophy or go home empty handed. All you meat hunters could do the trophy hunters a big favor by limiting you hunting to colorado's over the counter elk tags in nonmanaged units. Because by applying in the managed units you are taking away a opportunity for someone else. That is if you truly feel that meat hunting is the way to go.

lol.................

 

[Ilovethewest]

that guy would fit in well in Wisconsin Old Hunter.

 

[Fink]

If your not in it for the trophy then why bother. Tags and fees for nonresident hunters are too high to hunt for just the meat. Even when I hunt at home and its free I still covet my tag and try to harvest a trophy or go home empty handed. All you meat hunters could do the trophy hunters a big favor by limiting you hunting to Colorado's over the counter elk tags in nonmanaged units. Because by applying in the managed units you are taking away a opportunity for someone else. That is if you truly feel that meat hunting is the way to go.

I think you may have just talked OH out of burning his 21 points on a cow in unit 2.

 

[wapiti66]

If your not in it for the trophy then why bother? Who gets to define trophy? I'd say that's the choice of the tag holder.

 

[Old Hunter]

If your not in it for the trophy then why bother? Who gets to define trophy? I'd say that's the choice of the tag holder.

I'm not understanding? Why not bother with what?

 

[Musket Man]

I just dont think I like that guy. I also didnt know Oklahoma gave out free tags and where are all the OTC deer units in Colorado anyways? I cant seem to find them.

 

[xtreme]

First I just like hunting, second I am both a meat hunter and a trophy hunter. I only trophy hunt when there is some chance I can find a trophy. I have killed a bull that was 20 percent larger than 52 elk in the locker at Silt that year. That bull was estimated to weigh 1200lbs, his antlers were a 5x5 that would not score very high. I don't mind shooting a young cow for the freezer and here in Arkansas I usually shoot does. Does are better to eat than large bucks. I never trophy hunt for whitetail here, however if I am hunting in Nebraska, I may try for a good buck deer, whitetail or mule deer. I have four elk points and that is going to be trophy elk archery in 2014. I did get a good deer in unit 67 and I passed several in the 150 range. I also shot a buck that scored less than two I had seen before legal shooting. I could have spent more time looking for them but I decided to take a very nice deer and end the hunt.
Like most of us who have hunted a long time, when we see hunting shows and they leave game overnite to die, we know its going to spoil or in our case, the coyotes and bear have a feast.
Bottom line, I like to hunt and I have some very good memories from some high country solo hunts in some major winter storms, usually with very marginal gear.

 

[Musket Man]

When I turned 12 and was finally old enough to get a tag anything legal was a trophy! I cant even count all the spikes I tried for hours to put a crab claw on with cheap binos

 

[Howahunter]

All meat here. We don't enjoy eating antlers. We take pride in knowing where our food comes from other than the grocery store. Sure it might be nice to shoot lots of big trophy animals. I did shoot a trophy antelope here in Idaho but that was by incredible luck that he was closer than the does...

 

[wapiti66]

I'm not understanding? Why not bother with what?

I'm referring to the comment by y02MDM. I think he is saying that it is a waste of time to bother with hunting in general if you are not after the trophy. I don't agree, Im with you OH in the fact that it is about the hunt, not the kill.

 

[Montana]

I would consider myself a trophy hunter. Not just antlers but the right situation, right set up, right time of the year and amount of opportunity I've alreay had. Living where I live you really should be a trophy hunter if you truly enjoy hunting. Its about the time in the field. With that said I'm not against someone who drives out and shoots a doe from the truck for meat.

Number one reason I am a trophy hunter though is because of how it makes me feel when I lay eyes on such a creature, and even better yet when I'm successful, my own sense of accomplishment. And pictures... I live for them. I look at my own pictures and it takes me back instantly, even if it was 10 yrs ago. To me... trophy hunting IS the ethical thing to do. Harvest mature animals.

 

[TooFarEast]

I am a trophy hunter. However, I regard the meat and the experience as higher trophies than the horns. My trophy animal of choice are trophy whitetail does. I cant wait to make it out west one day to shoot a trophy raghorn elk.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I think a lot of us are in the same boat here. We meat hunt at home when we live in areas of low trophy quality. But when we go on an out-of-state hunt, we are more likely to hold out for something big. Last time I shot a trophy animal, I got a great velvet-covered rack and a pile of delicious meat. You can't eat antlers, but you can admire them on the wall for years after that meat has been eaten.

 

[Old Hunter]

I'm referring to the comment by y02MDM. I think he is saying that it is a waste of time to bother with hunting in general if you are not after the trophy. I don't agree, Im with you OH in the fact that it is about the hunt, not the kill.

That's what I figured you meant, but wasn't sure. He's possibly the most arrogant trophy hunter i've ever run across.

 

[Old Hunter]

To me... trophy hunting IS the ethical thing to do. Harvest mature animals.

You need to study up on game management. Killing all the mature animals is not the way to a healthy herd.

 

[y02MDM]

That's true Pete. Harvesting the fittest strongest and smartest mature animals does not bode well for your breeding program. A reverse on natural selection.

 

[Montana]

You need to study up on game management. Killing all the mature animals is not the way to a healthy herd.

Quite the opposite actually... if you do trophy hunt harvest is a rare opportunity. Therefore far from depleting the resource. If there were only trophy hunters every area would exceed its holding capacity.

So I think I'm good on game management.

 

[Old Hunter]

Quite the opposite actually... if you do trophy hunt harvest is a rare opportunity. Therefore far from depleting the resource. If there were only trophy hunters every area would exceed its holding capacity.

So I think I'm good on game management.

You think exceeding the holding capacity is a healthy herd? I don't think you're good on game management. Think about it.