Trophy or Meat?

[griz]

My impression of THR is we tend to be a bit more serious than most casual hunters are. That being the case I have been wanting to find out what kind of hunters we are, meat hunters or trophy hunters, and of the trophy hunters how big is a trophy. This poll is the only way I could think of to find out. For purposes of this poll, I’m calling the six point a two year old whitetail, so it isn’t a monster.

So: A six point buck and a doe come by your stand. You have tags for both and you have a sure shot on each. What do you do?

 

[Pawcatch]

If I'm hunting on a small plot of land then I'm going to shoot the six point since I know it's a fairly young deer.
If I'm hunting on QDM land then I might wait or shoot the doe,but I will definetly let the young buck walk.

 

[Bruz]

Uhhh, is this the first day or last hour of my hunting trip?

 

[Art Eatman]

Texas has different limits in different counties, which affects one's decisions. So does time of season and all that.

Generally, I'd pass on a six-pointer. Let him grow up and be a real deer. I'll go for the biggest buck in the pasture, which means a lot of walking and looking and then try to find the biggest one a second time--now that I know he's the biggest.

But I eat Ol' Biggie just as happily as I would a youngun.

I'll shoot does depending on the local area population. Back in the late '60s/early '70s, I had way too many deer on the old home place outside of Austintatious. I got fed up with gutting deer; it ain't no fun in the summer, I can tell you. But, they all got eaten, and the herd improved dramatically as to body weight...

Art

 

[meathammer]

I would take the six-pointer as first choice. My father, brother and I have always hunted for meat though. I have taken only one large eight-pointer in all of the years I've hunted. The rest were all does. I personally won't pass on the opportunity of a buck, I just don't happen to see very many.

 

[JeepDriver]

I voted for the 6 point.
But I have never taken a large Trophy Deer.

I have only taken Doe's.

just haven't had the chance to take a large Trophy type Deer. If and when that chance presents its self I will take advantage of it.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The Doe. Where I hunt on the Eastern Shore of Md has overpopulation probs from deer densities of up past 100/sq. mi.

Little bucks are for growing into big bucks. And, chances are I'll never take another buck. Besides those overpops, I'd want one bigger than the 9 point over the fireplace, and they're scarce.

 

[dakotasin]

it depends.

typically, i'm letting a 6-point (they are called 3-pointers here) walk. it doesn't even turn my head. 4-points or better, and each year i try to improve upon last year's deer.

i also get doe tags, so i have no problem w/ taking does. i usually let yearlings go. i'm trying to establish qdm, so forkhorns walk, too. some spikes don't last very long, though.... other than that, 4 points +.

 

[muleshoe]

I guess I'm in the minority.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Let junior go and shoot momma. The buck is going to get bigger next year momma is done and tastes better most likely.

 

[priv8ter]

Meat!

I guess at this point in my life, I am a meat hunter. I would take the doe, if it was allowed by my hunting regs. As someone else pointed out, to my way of thinking, a 6-point buck would be a trophey.

I am more interested in great tasting tender meat than I am a head to put on my wall. That being said, sooner or later I intend to take a guided hunt in Montana or Wyoming for trophey deer and Elk.

 

[JerryN]

If the 6 point had more meat on his bones than the doe I'd shoot him. Filling the freezer is important!

 

[thumbtack]

I said the Doe.

I would take whatever would put meat in the freezer.

 

[Slow]

I'd take the six pointer because it might have more meat

 

[Twig]

both

 

[kir_kenix]

i would take the 6 pointer, all things being equal. both put meat in the freezer, and ill have a chance at a doe later in the season.

 

[HM2PAC]

I would take the buck. The great state of Maine needs more breeding does.

That being said, I'll more than likely take a doe this year as we don't see too many bucks. I have a number of deer in and out of the back pasture, but all does.

 

[Geno]

Especially Re: whitetail deer, I am a meat-hunter. I would take the larger.

 

[scubie02]

i guess I'm getting much less bloodthirsty in my old age, because quite honestly I have let most deer walk the past few seasons--just sit and watch them. I guess I am out there largely for the sights and smells and the nostalgia these days. If the right buck came along, I might drop him, though, and economics are getting tight enough these days it's probably getting to the point I shouldn't pass on the meat, so I might well drop whichever was bigger in the future.

As a side note--where I am a six pointer isn't a half bad deer, particularly in the little patch where I have been hunting the past couple of years the genetics are just poor. You can let a deer be a 5 year old and have 14 points, but it's still going to be a small rack. Just the area. In my area of the state though there are no limits and most people are meat hunters, so anything gets shot, with the majority of bucks taken probably spikes and fork horns. Personally I'd rather see lots of deer and have it anything goes than have the state managing it like a lottery or something.

 

[30 cal slob]

trophy ANGLER.

meat HUNTER.

i have more time to mess around fishing. hunting season in my neck of the woods is short.

 

[WuzYoungOnceToo]

Your question omits important variables, like the local buck/doe ratio. If it's at the ideal balance then I'll generally go for the buck, simply because they're bigger and provide more meat. If does are over-populated relative to bucks then I take the doe. I couldn't care less about a trophy.

 

[rantingredneck]

I'm mostly a meat hunter. I've tagged a few 7, 8, and 9 pointers in my life, but never one where I just had to have it mounted. I've got a few antler mounts on my wall though.

 

[john1911]

So: A six point buck and a doe come by your stand. You have tags for both and you have a sure shot on each. What do you do?

Shoot the doe and wait for a bigger buck, if I had both doe and buck tags.

In my area, we're basically overrun with deer. I would rather shoot a doe than an immature buck. I've killed a lot of 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old bucks and one "trophy" (~145"). I'm starting to enjoy the challenge of hunting mature bucks more than simply shooting a deer.

 

[MCgunner]

Texas has different limits in different counties, which affects one's decisions. So does time of season and all that.

Yep, if I'm hunting a managed ranch, normally there'll be an 8 point minimum and sometimes a 5" or better spike is okay (cull). However, on my place, if it walks in front of me, it dies....ROFLMAO! We can shoot 5 deer here, 3 bucks, two does. There are a lot of small deer on small acreages and management is non-existent.

 

[borrowedtime69]

my hunts

i hunt for meat only, dont need a trophy. however, i have no problem with folks that do hunt for trophies.

the only thing i would shoot to hang a trophy head on the wall would be the mother-in-law - Eric