Meat hunting vs. Trophy hunting

[Timberstalker]

Them that can brag without lying, let them brag.

I agree! I love to see others succcess, photo's, antlers, and mounts. I especially like good taxidremy work. Any time I go to a house I've never been to before the first thing I do is look for antlers on the wall, it's a sickness of mine. When ever I drive in town if there is an open garage I look to see if there are any anlers or mounts hanging. When I go to the sporting goods store I always check out the pictures on the wall of the successful hunters and of course the mounts on the walls. I will stop at stores in small towns just to see whats on the walls. All these things motivate and inspire me, but mostly I just like to see big bucks, bulls, sheep, ect......

 

[ivorytip]

old hunter, i see your side of the story.... lets kick back with some wild turkey on the rocks when i start gettin gup there in age, then just being healthy enough to be in the mountains during the fall will in itself be a personal trophy.

 

[Grundy53]

Meat Hunter? Trophy Hunter? I think the key word in both of those descriptions is HUNTER! I hold traits from both but consider myself neither. I am a hunter.

sent from my typewriter

 

[bigsky2]

The main reasons why I hunt is because I like to be challenged and I like to spend time in the outdoors. To me, I don't see the challenge in going out and shooting a cow or doe. I realize I could still go hunting with others after I have filled my tag, but I don't think its quite the same as when you have a tag in your pocket. Going after a big mature buck or bull usually means I will spend many more days hunting than if I was to harvest an animal for meat and I feel that gives me the most out of my season.

However, I will never let meat go to waste. I will not hunt too far in that I wouldn't be able to get all of the meat out before it spoiled. When I have to pack an animal out, the head is always the last trip. I am also a single guy, and if I was to shoot a couple animals every year I could never eat all the meat. Being a trophy hunter, there are some years that I don't fill my tag. This means I don't have any problem getting everything eaten. I do sometimes give meat to friends and family, but I will only give it to people that I know are going to eat it. I know many people that get cow and doe tags every year and then end up giving away most of the meat. To me if you are always having to give away meat then you don't have a good enough reason to kill the animal in the first place. I also know many people that buy doe/cow tags and do a really good job of eating everything.

 

[birdhunter]

Just got back from my archery elk hunt. I must say that I do understand the joy of taking trophy animals. I will shoot one if the moment arises. I never dreamed this topic would blow up like it has. I really don't have a problem with people trophy hunting. I was talking more about those people who shoot only trophies and give the meat away. The tv shows that let their harvest sit overnight and let the meat spoiled. Hunting was designed for putting food on the table from day one. Not hanging the trophy on the wall. I just feel that hunting shows have ruined hunting as a whole. That's not every hunting show out there either. Also, at least people that give their meat away, give it away and don't let it go to waste. Nothing wrong with donating meat to those who need it.

 

[Old Hunter]

I think some are missing the point. Some trophy hunters (they say they are) hunt for trophy's, because they like the challenge, and being outdoors.

How is this different from being a meat hunter, but leaving the antlers on the ground? If your first reaction is i'm nuts for saying that, and you'd never leave antlers on the ground. You better reevaluate why you're really hunting.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I think some are missing the point. Some trophy hunters (they say they are) hunt for trophy's, because they like the challenge, and being outdoors.

How is this different from being a meat hunter, but leaving the antlers on the ground? If your first reaction is i'm nuts for saying that, and you'd never leave antlers on the ground. You better reevaluate why you're really hunting.

I don't give a crap what you do with your antlers, but you better believe mine are going home with me.

 

[Old Hunter]

Trophy hunters are so sensitive.

 

[ando_31]

Most of us are well mannered, behave, and aren't looking for an ongoing argument. We all know your point of view now old hunter. The fact of the matter is you are on a website founded by people who were/are trophy hunters.

I hunt for the challenge, the antlers, and the meat. I guess that makes me a determined hunter, a trophy hunter, and a meat hunter. There couldn't be a more well rounded hunter if you ask me.

I will bring every antler home with me just for many different reasons. One of the main reasons is that there is no way to bring back the memories of the hunt by holding a piece from the hunt in your hands. My grandpa shot his last deer when he was 93 years old. I was with him on the hunt. I spotted, helped gut, and helped drag the deer. The deer wasn't anything massive (165"), but you bet your butt I'll be holding those antlers every time I go to my uncles place. I miss my gramps and have many memories and pieces in my house that reminds me of him but the last time I was with him was on this hunt. You ask me about any antler in my place, big or small, and I will have a story to go with it. Its no different from your photo album, assuming you have one.

This will be my last post on this topic. I will continue to read the opinions, but I don't see this topic going much further than ongoing petty comments.

 

[Old Hunter]

I was simply responding to what some think a meat hunter is. It seems to be understood. It's not going out the first day, and killing the first doe they see.

I work as hard, and probably harder than pure trophy hunters on my hunts. The only difference is they keep the antlers, and I don't.

I just wanted to make that point is all. It's no reason to get hostile, and say they don't give a crap what I do.

 

[Musket Man]

I keep the meat and the horns! I got plenty of little forkie horns around from when I was younger and I sure wasnt trophy hunting when I killed any of them. lol

 

[Old Hunter]

I thought we were all trophy hunters when we were kids?

 

[Musket Man]

I was just happy to kill 1 or 2 (could get 2 tags there). If it was legal it got it, there werent any big bucks around in those days, even a 3 pointer was rare. We hunted with dogs too. That was ok when everyone used them,but all the ranches around us got sold and mostly closed to hunting and all the older bucks would stay on ranches where no one bothered them untill the rut when the season was closed. My hunting style has changed a since then!

 

[AT Hiker]

"Meat hunters" here in TN can kill 3 antlerless deer per day, season opens end of Sept and closes early Jan, so if you got a decent place to hunt it is way cheaper to eat venison here than any other protein. We raise beef cattle, but 90% of what we eat is wildgame and fish we take. I personally try to hold out for a mature deer (more age than score) but I truly enjoy the outdoor experience with friends and family and usually end up shooting a 2.5 year old because it makes me happy.

Im a trophy hunter, but my definition of a trophy is not antler/horn score its 100% the experience. Sometimes we kill some high scoring deer sometimes we dont, but regardless of the score we EAT them ALL! With that said, I would stop hunting if I could not eat the game I killed. I would also quit hunting if I stopped having fun.

 

[Sawfish]

Them that can brag without lying, let them brag.

Dizzy Dean said "...If you done it, then it ain't bragging..."

 

[Sawfish]

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!

I agree with that, and do the same thing. This is not to impress anyone as much as it is to educate the grandkids and some guests. Some of the mounts are purposely mounted low, and rather than having a "no touch" philosophy, we encourage them to touch and feel the mounts and to ask questions. We have a full size black bear mount in the foyer, and had the bear mounted closed mouth, with paws down, so the kids would not be scared. When they were very small, we would pick them up, and let them feel the claws and touch its head, and tell them this is "Mr. Bear". Last weekend the kids were there, and the three year old granddaughter was stroking its fur, and talking to Mr. Bear. Many times nonhunting guests have asked questions about the animals. What they are. Where they are from. Do you eat the meat?, etc.. [It is shocking how many nonhunters thing that no hunters eat the meat from their kills. They just leave it in the field.] Even though they may not become hunters, they are not anti-hunting.

BTW, Colorado. Bear meat makes the best chili that you will ever eat. Old Hunter, please bring out those antlers you are leaving behind. Many organizations that conduct "Sensory Safari" programs for the blind would love to have them.

 

[Old Hunter]

Tell me more about this?

"Colorado. Bear meat makes the best chili that you will ever eat. Old Hunter, please bring out those antlers you are leaving behind. Many organizations that conduct "Sensory Safari" programs for the blind would love to have them."

 

[Sawfish]

Sensory Safari is a program started by Safari Club International that allows blind children to touch and feel taxidermy mounts, antlers etc. to help them visualize wild animals. This program has been expanded to sighted (non-blind) inner (and outer) city school age children in some areas by SCI Chapters that have put together Mobile Sensory Safari vans that visit area schools to acquaint the students with game animals and their relationship to hunters. The vans contain posters that explain how hunters have been the driving force in the rebound of wild animals such as the Whitetail Deer and American Bison. On the initial visit to one high school, some of the students did not want to visit the van to see a "bunch of dead animals killed by hunters". The school science instructor made the visit mandatory for his students and required them to write a report on their visit. After the initial visit, the students were making comments like "...wow-we thought hunters just killed animals..", and were asking when the van would return. There is also another program called "Safari in a Box" where boxes containing antlers, skulls, bones, hide samples, etc. are donated to high school science teachers to use in their instruction. There are a number of organizations, as well as State Fish and Game Depts. that participate in these programs. The premise being, that if we do not educate the children, the anti-hunters will.

 

[Old Hunter]

Well, that's a good reason to save the antlers. I would imagine they don't want them too big so they can be handled easier?

 

[Montana]

I would imagine they don't want them too big so they can be handled easier?

Oh come on Really????