Trophy Hunter?

[noonebil]

A writer in North American Hunter Magazine defined a 'trophy hunter' as someone who has ever let a game animal walk to wait for a larger animal or took an old doe instead of the young buck.

My questions are:

1) Have you ever done this?

2) Do you agree with this definition?

[noonebil]

1) I have never done either. I live by 'It's brown, It's down' thinking. I have never been in a situation to choose between a young buck or an old doe, but I would probably take the bigger animal (more meat).

2) I guess in the broadest sense this definition is accurate, but I mostly visualize trophy hunters as those that only care about 'the score' an animal might recieve & could care less about meat. I know some hunters that only shoot if the antlers are bigger than the ones they currently have on the wall. They usually only keep the head, antlers, & cape. They give the meat away. One doesn't even eat vinison.

[GoTres]

I'd consider a trophy hunter to be someone who would wait for the highest scoring animal and that would mean bucks.

I watch deer all the time during the season and pass on all but one each year. I'm taking two this season and I think I'll take a big doe early and then look for antlers in the rut and post rut.

We've been trying to improve the herd at my inlaws place and that's why I take does to balance the herd or at least let the younger bucks go in favor of older ones.

But I think it's entirely different for folks on public land or some hunting clubs who might watch one walk...right into the next person's line of fire.

Tag soup sucks.

[rjk187]

ive let plenty of spikes go i usually wont shoot a buck unless he has 6 points. But that will change later in the season if i havent filled any tags.

[NitroHunter]

My answer to your first question would be yes. I passed up without a doubt the smallest antlered deer in the world once. It looked like it should have had spots on it it was so small, but it had a nice 4pt rack.
Anyways I didn't pass it up because it wasn't big enough or I was waiting on a bigger buck. My dad was hunting a couple ridges over and had never taken a buck so I let it walk in hopes of him getting a chance at it. He ended up getting a much bigger buck about the time he saw the little buck cross the ridge.
On question #2 I feel pretty much the same as you and honestly trophy hunting is something that dont interest me.
If I ever get to a point that I only care about the score of a buck it'll be time for me to hang up my gun and bow.

[NitroHunter]

Good points. I have no problems improving herds and setting like a six point limit. thats part of the sport.
I hunt mostly public land and like Gotres said if you dont take a buck the next person will.

[rjk187]

forgot to answer question #2 yea i dont believe that you should ever just go out and look for antlers i hate watching hunting shows and never seein does get shot i truely think ive only seen 4 or 5 shows/movies where a doe got shot and it was a management hunt.

[oneshot]

1.Nope never done it.

2. I would say yes.

But I'm thinking this year with Unlimited Tags,4 Month Season.I'm just shooting Mature Deer,Bucks or Does.

Pretty much did that last year,shot 5 .4 were very Mature.

oneshot

[gulfcoasthunter]

I have past up deer to wait on another and also killed does instead of spikes. But I don't consider myself a trophy hunter. I think everyone wants to kill the biggest buck in the woods. If you take a animal your proud of and consider it a trophy then your a trophy hunter.

[deerslayer11]

I passed up a few deer last year, even a couple bucks. You have all seen my pics and know I am by no means a "Trophy" hunter.... So no I dont agree with the deffinition they provided. If thats what you want to do thats fine with me, and if it is your land I will abide by what you tell me to do. BUT if we both paid to hunt the same land dont be pissed when I crack down on the 40# doe or button head.

[flhuntress]

i'm with deerslayer on this one.
it is a good feeling to let one walk by ya but i'm not a "trophy hunter".

[RedOak]

1. Yes 2. No

When I think "Trophy Hunter" I think about the qdm types that Ga. seems to be breeding like flies nowdays. Buddy if I think that sucker would look good with a fire under it I am busting a cap at it. I also would shoot a mature doe over a young buck any day. Them old ladies just do too much educating; besides more meat for the aforementioned fire.

I honestly couldn't say what the bigest deer or fish I have took was. I just could care less about all that. To me its about the thrill of the chase and din din after.