Trophy vs. Meat

George P said:

A lot will also depend on where you hunt. Most in this thread sound like they live in the East where deer tags are plentiful; when I lived out West, deer tags were done by a lottery; MAYBE you'd get one that year, maybe not; and except for any sex tags for young kids, it was bucks only and they wanted you to take the big ones as they were generally older so the young ones coming up could continue the herd.

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I should have read the thread. My hunter friends in Los Angeles County are lucky to bag one deer every other year. Here in North-Central Florida, they are so numerous that they’ve become pests.

I've got 1 buck and 5 antleress tags for our place in WI this season. Goal is to fill the freezer. So I shoot whatever presents me with a good clean shot. Bagged a decent 4 pointer and 2 button bucks last season. Typically 2-3 deer keeps us set for a year.

I have zero interest in any animal head mounted and hanging on my wall.
My freezer is where the spoils from any hunting belong.

If I take something really spectacular, a picture will just have to suffice.

I love taxidermy!

That said, we are our own worst enemies. Many are against us and yet we in-fight...sad.

pairof44sp said:

Where I live is overrun with deer nowadays. Is it not like this everywhere?

If there are so many deer that it’s dangerous even to drive in the evening, why would anyone care what other hunters do?

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No, it is not like that everywhere

pairof44sp said:

Where I live is overrun with deer nowadays. Is it not like this everywhere?

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No, it sure is not like that everywhere.

George P said:

A lot will also depend on where you hunt. Most in this thread sound like they live in the East where deer tags are plentiful; when I lived out West, deer tags were done by a lottery;

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Exactly. Better than 60% of the state of Idaho is public land. There's plenty of places to hunt deer. But that's all that the majority of Idaho deer hunters do - they hunt deer. The majority of them don't actually kill deer. I'm not kidding - even during a good deer season in Idaho, only one in three Idaho deer hunters actually kill a deer.
And as far as it being an antlered deer or not, it darned well better have antlers unless the deer hunter is under 16. Only "youth" hunters are allowed to take antlerless deer in Idaho, and I for one think providing young hunters who are just starting out a better chance of success is a good idea.
But to get back to the question - I've been hunting deer since I was 15 - 57 years ago, and I've killed a quite a number of trophy bucks over the years. But I've never hunted trophy bucks, nor have I ever turned down a little forked-horn buck. I never turned down a doe either back when it was legal to kill one.
I don't have anything against trophy hunters though. As a matter of fact, I kinda appreciate the fact that they leave more venison for me and mine.
BTW, back in the '90s the company I worked for sent me back to Maryland for a week of training. My wife (also a big time deer hunter) went with me because it afforded us a chance to rent a car and tour that part of the country, including Washington D.C.. Neither of us could believe how darned many deer there were. It seemed like they were everywhere! However, there were people everywhere too, and I'll bet not one out of ten of them were deer hunters. I'll take my 30% chance of killing a deer on the wide open public land out here in Idaho over deer hunting in that part of the country anytime - even if the chances of killing a deer on private land back east are 10 times better.

pairof44sp said:

I should have read the thread. My hunter friends in Los Angeles County are lucky to bag one deer every other year. Here in North-Central Florida, they are so numerous that they’ve become pests.

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I used to live in Marion County, now up by the GA line Very few Ag crops up for deer to eat (mostly cotton) so sightings aren't too bad

I am a trophy hunter and I hunt big mature bucks that are 5+ years old that have big symmetrical antlers. I won't shoot any deer that doesn't fit that description unless it is wounded, crippled, has CWD or mange. I grew up taking care of animals and being a steward of the land I take care of the deer in my area as if they were domestic animals. I believe in leaving things better than I found them so the next generation has a future. I don't care if other people meat hunt, but I just don't do it myself. My red meat taste is in angus beef.

.38 Special said:

I was just surprised to find that there are hunters who feel that killing younger - and especially female - animals is somehow bad.

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Man, it's crazy.
My father, brother and I were members of a hunting club with a lot of deer on it.
We would hunt and every time you killed a doe, which we did fairly regularly, there would be people complaining.
Does were everywhere. You would see dozens in one sit on a stand. Rarely saw a buck.
And they would complain when people shot a doe.

Five years ago, we moved to a different club about 6-8 miles down the road and they don't care. As long as it's legal, you have the green light, and everyone will pat you on the shoulder and be happy for you.
I've killed 2 good bucks since we've been there. I still talk to a few of the guys in that lease, so when I killed my big one I stopped in their camp on the way home. They were ooing and ahhing saying that's the kind of deer they wanted.
I told them to start shooting does.

.38 Special said:

I might not have been as clear in the OP as I should have been. I really do not have an issue with people who hunt primarily for trophies. I admire good taxidermy as much as the next guy. I was just surprised to find that there are hunters who feel that killing younger - and especially female - animals is somehow bad. This particular fellow wasn't able to articulate exactly why it was bad, so I would like further insight.

Thanks to all who have posted so far.

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IF, for proper game management, females and young deer are to be harvested, then so be it; I have no issue with that. But when you lived where I did in northern NV and MAYBE you draw a deer tag every 2-3 years, you go for a big male

It used to be Doe day's or doe tags or what ever. Now days in most places there are so many deer that it may not matter a whole lot. But deer hunting season comes after the rut so does could be pregnant. Follow local laws. Use your head when taking game. Don't be greedy.

.38 Special said:

I was just surprised to find that there are hunters who feel that killing younger - and especially female - animals is somehow bad. This particular fellow wasn't able to articulate exactly why it was bad, so I would like further insight.

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It may simply be that in some areas, populations are not as high as some would like. Therefore, taking only large older males leaves a good breeding population and a chance for more genetic diversity. It could be assumed by some - perhaps rightly, or perhaps wrongly - that the impressive older males have already contributed to the gene pool, and so there's a benefit to removing them rather than the females, and younger males that have yet to breed.

On the other hand, it may be far easier to get a doe or cow tag than one for a buck or bull. It certainly seems that way from my very limited experience.

I kinda do a combo.

Last 3 deer I've killed were 10, 10, 5x4. Last year I didn't see a decent buck, so I waited till I took my 15 year old out. He shot a 6pt, so we had meat in the freezer and I didn't pull a trigger that year. Other years depending on what I'm seeing and how we're set for meat, I might pop a doe and then wait for a buck that's decent. I've got no problem shooting does for management as long as I've got someone that's interested in the meat.

For a while in my AO I was shooting 4-5 does during our late doe season at the request of one of the farms we hunted. We'd kill 12-16 does in a weekend, hang them in a barn for a week, then spend 1-2 days processing.

George P said:

But when you lived where I did in northern NV and MAYBE you draw a deer tag every 2-3 years, you go for a big male

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Yeppers, there’s something to that too. Last year my wife and I ran into a couple of deer hunters from southern California. As a matter of fact, they stopped and helped us get our truck back on the road after we had slid off backwards - the road was very icy.
Anyway, after talking with those guys for a while, one of them said he had watched a small 3-point (mule deer) earlier that day, but he didn’t shoot it because he was looking for something with a bigger rack. Then, he explained to my wife and me where the area was that he had watched that “small 3-point.” We drove over there, but never did find it.
At any rate, I didn’t blame the guy one bit for not killing that deer. He and his friend had purchased very expensive (for my blood) non-resident Idaho hunting licenses and deer tags, they had driven all the way up here from southern California, and because they were young guys, had probably had to use vacation time from work to go deer hunting in the first place. If I was in their shoes, I probably wouldn’t shoot a deer that I didn’t figure was anything less than trophy-size either - unless I knew I had to go home the next day of course. In that case, even a little forked-horn buck would be “fair game.”

Armored farmer said:

I dont like to shoot does. I've had a few bad experiences with babies hanging around after. I'm not doing it.

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I agree with Armored farmer. During hunting season I've seen a doe traveling by herself with several four month old fawns following her knowing the mothers of the fawns had been killed by hunters. It makes the unattached fawns easy prey for the coyotes.

If ones area has a good enough population for doe killing, so be it

My hunting spot does not. However folks driving 50k trucks have to justify the quad and new bow to the old lady, so the 65 dollars for 3 deer tags means all 3 have to be filled ( 1 buck state so at least 2 will be does ).

Last yrs buck was awful. No matter what.

Consequently Ill try stte ground in bow for a doe. And buck hunt my private spot.

Dont care what people shoot if it follows sound management. And also dont dare what % of the critter is utilized. Would be cool w straps abd rear quarters, leave the rest for yotes.

Not sure what the law is here exactly.

Like I said I like shooting does, but if I think they have fawns I'll let them pass.

I shoot what's legal if on public land. I hold out for a mature buck on my own piece. I have absolutely nothing against shooting a doe but don't like to see little bucks killed.

.38 Special said:

I was just surprised to find that there are hunters who feel that killing younger - and especially female - animals is somehow bad. This particular fellow wasn't able to articulate exactly why it was bad, so I would like further insight.

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First thing I would ask is if he hunts dove or quail. If he says yes, ask how he ages and sexes them before the shot.

When he says, “that’s different.”, say, “Oh, OK.” and cease conversation on the subject.

Seen a nice little 6 and a 8 bucks today out in the soybeans, they were just chewing away at the soybeans. Seen deer all over today.

.38 Special said:

I might not have been as clear in the OP as I should have been. I really do not have an issue with people who hunt primarily for trophies. I admire good taxidermy as much as the next guy. I was just surprised to find that there are hunters who feel that killing younger - and especially female - animals is somehow bad. This particular fellow wasn't able to articulate exactly why it was bad, so I would like further insight.

Thanks to all who have posted so far.

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I know a few in that vein. “I just can’t bring myself to shoot a doe” is something I have heard a lot around here and in MI. I guess it is just someone who doesn’t want or need the meat and a personal preference.

I AM NOT generalizing here but many of the people I have heard say things like that are also people who don’t process their own deer. I can see not wanting to pay a processing fee for what could be considered a sub par animal.

Also, if I hunted a primo tract of land, my standards would go up a bit. When high quality animals are attainable in a few days of hunting then yeah, wait for an older one. I don’t shoot bambis but I have no problem with the 1 1/2 year olds.

Patocazador said:

I have absolutely nothing against shooting a doe but don't like to see little bucks killed.

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With some of them, the population would be better off if they were not allowed to spread their genes.

Would you prefer to have this little guy as the father of all the new ones next year?



Or would you prefer it to be one of these guys?

Paying to get a deer processed will change a meat hunter to a trophy hunter. For example, if you pay $80 to get a deer processed you can buy over 10 pounds of angus beef 80% lean hamburger for the same price. The only time I personally have used a deer processor is when I have been on the road where I didn't have the ability to take care of the meat. I'm lucky to have a family with 8 kids that live nearby that wants all the deer meat they can get so I give the deer meat to them and buy the beef. We both come out happy.

I'm not a scientist, but I believe that if shooting does is a bad thing, it would not be allowed. Scientists determine if it is OK to shoot them, and the regs in the given area are adjusted accordingly. Better a doe in my (or your) freezer than rotting in a ditch on the side of the highway and someone having to pay $ for a wrecked vehicle. I have personally hit 2 deer with my jeep in the last 2 years where I live (I've lived here for 3). Fortunately for me, I was driving my jeep and not riding a Harley both times. Some mornings driving around here, I'll see 3-4 deer carcasses between home and the range . Sometimes its just the gut-piles on the roadside because someone like me decided to make the best of the situation. Our does drop fawns in Sep. Bow season starts at the end of Oct. Yes, I give does with fawns a pass and I don't shoot tiny little does. As far as bucks, I won't pull a trigger on one with less than 6 points (which works well with the state 10"main beam and/or 3 points on one side minimum). Regarding taxidermy, a buck would have to be pretty epic for me to pay the $ for a full mount (slim chance of that happening cause Florida). Most of the time, antlers get taken off with a hacksaw and tied together as wall art in the man cave. Average bucks just get skulled out into basic euro-mounts (about $100). In the end, they are all made out of meat. That's what I always use, and I was glad to have it several months ago when the panic-hoarders cleaned out the grocery stores for several weeks. I try to avoid veggies and spam whenever possible.