Meat hunting vs. Trophy hunting

[Colorado Cowboy]

Just got thru reading all the posts and all I have to say is.....Holy Cow (not elk)!

I got back late last night from my family wilderness deer hunt in California....yep Colorado to California. I was raised to treasure all my moments in the outdoors, hunting and fishing. My parents and grandparents were experienced in not having a lot to eat in the great depression. Everything I shoot and catch is used at my table. That being said, given the choice of taking a nice 4x4 mule deer or a forkie both standing there looking at me, there really wouldn't be much choice.....but the important thing (at least to me) is whatever the choice, it would be treated a a prime steer and eaten as such. Thats my heritage, how I was taught. I have never shot a bear, probably never will. I have eaten meat from a couple and was not impressed. Shooting one just for a rug or mount is not my style. BUT, I am not going to get upset with someone who does. Thats their right and as long as we all respect each other for our views, thats whats important. We all love the outdoors and natures bounty, we are all partners and as such have our own way of doing things.

 

[bigmoose]

I'm with Old Hunter...it's all about the hunt. I'm a trophy hunter and eat everything I kill but I don't need to shoot something every time I go hunting. Shooting a young buck is not as hard as getting a old mature buck. Just being out there, hunting is the main thing. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to out smart an old buck. I don't need to fill the freezer every year with wild game but if I do , it is a bonus. Yes, it is all about the hunt.

Moose

 

[ivorytip]

we should print this thread out and bind it and eastmans can sell it as a book

 

[tttoadman]

I am back from my first out of state hunt in ID. This has been a monumental year for me in the amount of effort, preplanning, gear, cost outlay, conditioning, etc.... I solo hunted for elk in the River of No Return for 5 hard days and came back with a spindly little 5x5 bull. I covered 10 miles on the ground that day, and then 8 miles and 12 hrs to get him hacked and packed. My conditioning reminded me of 15 years ago when I was 30 which made me extremely pleased. I made some great stalks on some deer just to see how close I could get. I am currently in the shop cutting up meat to put in the freezer.

This bull would be passed on by many of the more experienced hunters, but this is definitely a "trophy" experience for me.

Let's stop with the labeling of meat hunter. As it has been noted, $100/lb for elk meat can hardly be considered effective "meat hunting". There is obviously more to it than that. If we didn't use such ridiculous labels for each other, these types of threads wouldn't become such a debate.

 

[Old Hunter]

I'm with Old Hunter...it's all about the hunt. I'm a trophy hunter and eat everything I kill but I don't need to shoot something every time I go hunting. Shooting a young buck is not as hard as getting a old mature buck. Just being out there, hunting is the main thing. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to out smart an old buck. I don't need to fill the freezer every year with wild game but if I do , it is a bonus. Yes, it is all about the hunt.

Moose

I agree that mature bucks are a real challenge. I hunt them more for the challenge (and meat), and hunt elk for meat only, because I think they're pretty dumb during the rut.

 

[Triple BB]

I didn't realize meat hunting was still a realistic concept in this day and age for elk and deer. Antelope is probably a different story if yer not going out of state. I've been out archery hunting and scouting elk 6 - 7 times this fall. My fuel bill alone is $600 - $700 and rifle season isn't even here yet. If I was after the meat, I would've been money ahead to buy a side of beef. I like deer and elk meat, but have given away every antelope I've shot in the past 10 years. If it came down to it, I'd take a 1" cut of medium rare prime rib over the best deer or elk steak any of you have ever claimed to have eaten...

 

[Old Hunter]

We all have different tastes, but elk meat to me beats any beef, and it has way less fat, and no drugs pumped into it.

As for costs? It cost me less than $100 for an elk and deer tags. Maybe 1/2 tank of gas for the whole hunt. That's my total expense. I spend way more scouting, but that's a different hobby of mine, because I love to be in the mountains. Maybe I should call it hiking, because I know where to hunt by now.

I don't think being a meat hunter makes much sense if you go out of state. Unless your state doesn't have animals you like to hunt. Although, I shouldn't even say that. You still have the excitement of the hunt, and get the meat too.

You want to talk about not being cost effective. Look at the trophy hunter. They spend a fortune to hunt out of state, and then another fortune to get the animal mounted. For what? Bragging? I wouldn't spend a dime on that.

Oops! There pops out my honesty again. Sorry.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

You want to talk about not being cost effective. Look at the trophy hunter. They spend a fortune to hunt out of state, and then another fortune to get the animal mounted. For what? Bragging? I wouldn't spend a dime on that.

Oops! There pops out my honesty again. Sorry.

I've seen pictures of your jeep, it's probably a lot nicer vehicle than you need, but you're proud of it. I guess trophy hunters are proud of the hard work it takes to tag a mature buck or bull. We're all a little vain, we just show it in different ways.

 

[Musket Man]

I have 2 deer and 2 antelope mounted and it is not at all for bragging. I did it because I was proud of them and the hunts I went on to get them and I like looking at them mounted. None of them are giant or going to make the book but Im happy with them. If your going to pencil it out hunting for meat vs buying meat I dont think hunting would ever be cheaper other then hunting in your home state close to home and processing it yourself. That said I would rather go hunting any day

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have mounts of game and fish. I enjoy seeing them and they serve the same purpose in my home as pictures, art and other decorations. Not bragging at all, just like looking at them!

 

[Old Hunter]

I've seen pictures of your jeep, it's probably a lot nicer vehicle than you need, but you're proud of it. I guess trophy hunters are proud of the hard work it takes to tag a mature buck or bull. We're all a little vain, we just show it in different ways.

That might be true for some 4wheelers, but when I built it I was in a 4WD club, and we did impossible trails. Everything on the Jeep served a purpose. The pictures were taken, because the club demanded them to put in the news letter. Otherwise I never would have took them. I always feel funny showing them, but it's no accomplishment on my part. Anybody can build the same Jeep.


Watch me catch flak for what i'm going to say next. For those who can't stand the fact that you mount a dead animal to remind you of the hunt, and be proud of it. I'll ask you a simple question. Has anybody seen them besides you? Have you shown them to anybody who wouldn't otherwise have seen them? Have you ever posted them on a forum, or a picture of the kill before it was mounted? How do you describe the word bragging rights?

Webster describes it this way.

bragging rights noun
: a good reason to talk with pride about something you have done


This isn't a put down on my part. It's just what it is, and I was brought up to not do it. Simple as that.

 

[Musket Man]

Well put CC HO, I would say I have done most of those things. I would consider it proud or wanting to share it with others, not bragging rights. To me someone that does it just for bragging rights is someone that thinks they are better or a better hunter then others just because their horns are bigger and wants to rub it in to everyone or someone that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars just to kill a giant buck or bull. Im not saying Im necessarily against it but I dont consider them hunters. If you go out DIY and kill a nice animal you should be proud of it! Proud and bragging rights are very different to me.

 

[Old Hunter]

I agree that it's done in different degrees. The guys at the extreme end of it are pretty hard to take.

 

[Musket Man]

I think getting an extra doe tag is the most, maybe the only cost effective meat hunting out of state. Im already going with a buck tag and for about $35 and 1 bullet (assuming I dont miss like last year. Still trying to sort that 1 out in my head. Killed a buck mule deer and antelope clean 1 shot each and missed the first shot at a doe antelope...) I can come home with a doe for meat!

 

[Old Hunter]

Does are tasty.

 

[ivorytip]

hmmm, ive gotta say that the guy that shoots a big bull or buck every year is a hunter. they have to hunt harder and longer, stalk an animal for days sometimes. sleep out of what they have in thier pack. im sorry, but if im 5 miles or more away from a rd, i dont use horses mind you, i will not shoot an animal thats not heavy antlered. close the the rd i will. something bout packing those monster antlers out of the backlands with the meat just gives me total satisfaction and a since of a job well done. any joe can walk in a mile and shoot a meat buck or a cow, doe or what have ya. 9 times out of 10, you will not shoot or let alone see a monster animal unless you are "HUNTING" your @$$ off. and bragging rights???? dang straight!!!! im proud as heck when i acomplish such a feat as harvesting a trophy sized animal, and brag i will, vain? yeah. but who isnt in one way or another in certain aspects of thier lives. hunting and being in the outdoors is my passion, harvesting a trophy animal is a cherry on top.

 

[Old Hunter]

Imagine if the hunting your ass off was the trophy part of it for you instead of the kill.

I see your side of it. Do you see mine?

 

[Musket Man]

Im with ya Ivory. The farther in they are the bigger they have to be for me to pull the trigger!

 

[xtreme]

Them that can brag without lying, let them brag.

 

[Montana]

hmmm, ive gotta say that the guy that shoots a big bull or buck every year is a hunter. they have to hunt harder and longer, stalk an animal for days sometimes. sleep out of what they have in thier pack. im sorry, but if im 5 miles or more away from a rd, i dont use horses mind you, i will not shoot an animal thats not heavy antlered. close the the rd i will. something bout packing those monster antlers out of the backlands with the meat just gives me total satisfaction and a since of a job well done. any joe can walk in a mile and shoot a meat buck or a cow, doe or what have ya. 9 times out of 10, you will not shoot or let alone see a monster animal unless you are "HUNTING" your @$$ off. and bragging rights???? dang straight!!!! im proud as heck when i acomplish such a feat as harvesting a trophy sized animal, and brag i will, vain? yeah. but who isnt in one way or another in certain aspects of thier lives. hunting and being in the outdoors is my passion, harvesting a trophy animal is a cherry on top.

Where were you last week? I needed someone in my corner I was feeling a bit "out there" .