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reed
Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 - 10:34 am:   

Its seems to me that every year the big hunting names are always killing what they call trophys. There idea it seems is that if it doesnt score 160 or better its not a trophy...heres my idea...it shouldnt matter if it is a spike or a
B&C if you harvest it legally and ethically then in my eyes it is a trophy. No matter how big it is. If it a 6 this year and i have a clear shot then y pass it till next so it is an eight....i consider it a trophy at 6 so y wait another year so it has to more points.....its kinda like turkey hunting....im not going to pass a 2 year old cuz it has 3/4 inch spurs so i can kill it next year when it has an inch or better...i by all means am not trying to say your wrong for letting small ones pass....i understand y some people pass small deer because they have killed so many deer in there lifetime they hold out for huge deer i can understand that...i hope this doesnt offend anyone because i dont mean it to i just kinda want to see what everyone else thinks...thanks for listening....Reed
RONnTN
Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 - 11:19 am:   

I think it is personal preference. I am in a club that only allows bucks with at least 4 points to a side and at least an 15 and 1/2 inch spread. That is what we all agreed on. We have all killed bucks and want better. Being in a county that is either sex all year, we can kill alot of does. This takes care of our meat.
WVBOY
Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 - 1:31 pm:   

Personal Preference..

I like you said have killed my share of Small bucks in my life.. I would rather kill does now than anything less than an eight point past the ears that is my personal criteria, the does taste better and will help in creating bigger bucks by taking them out so that the bucks don't have to compete for the same food.. but that is my choice.. for you if you want to kill the small ones than that is your choice.. and I won't hold it against anyone, I think you said you were 22 years old.. When I was 22 I was killing anything that had a horn.

Unless they are hunting somewhere that I have invited them to hunt and ask them not to take small bucks.. then I will get aggrevated..

Personally though even when hunting Public Land I pass up the small ones because I know there may be some 10 year old a few ridges over that will get much more enjoyment than I ever would from taking that buck, or just the thought that if he does somehow make it through the season he will be here next year and much bigger..

As for the Turkeys.. I've never been one to pass up a two year old bird.. because unless I can stare at the Spurs for a while I can't tell if he is a two year old or not, cause I've seen many two year olds with bigger beards than three year olds or better.. but I do pass up Jakes they are relatively easy to spot, at least I do when hunting close to home, not on an out of state trip :-)

RB



gn
Posted on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 11:32 am:   

okay WVB, I have thought about this overnight, and do no mean to offend you with this question, but: why is a jake in virginia not a trophy(you will not shoot one) and a jake in an out of state hunt is something you would shoot as a trophy...with the numbers of birds you have taken ,why do you think you need to shoot a jake out of state...not trying to be mean-spirited here..you know we love you....but 'splain this to me....
Dale
Posted on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 5:03 pm:   

Funny, how some hunters feel the "need" to measure up to some standard. We've had many discussions on this board about how a successful hunt is defined. In my humble opinion, I believe our standards change as we evolve as hunters. Case in point...one stately well versed faceless turkey hunter on the board this year sets aside his personal standards on hunting the dreaded four legged deer for the benefit of a young hunter in need of guidance. Did his standard change? Most definately. Is more skill/woodsmanship needed to kill mature bucks than does? Most would agree the answer is yes. I think we would all agree that our first kill was a trophy at the time of the kill and to this date, regardless of the size. It was a trophy accomplishment!
Diablo
Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 8:44 am:   

Reed,
In my opinion, the answer to your question is pretty simple...if you are proud of the game you just killed and know that you are being honest to yourself, then it is a trophy. (all this within the context of the game laws of course).

JD
King George
Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 9:25 am:   

Trophy, definition by websters: Something as a prize or memento won or received as a symbol of achievement.

I believe it is not a good thing to try to quantify the definition as it applies to hunting..

my two cents if anyone cares.
reed
Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 10:01 am:   

diablo,
i feel the same way. What bothered me is a guy i work with the other day when i brought my 6 point rack down to be scored for our rod and gun club comp. he said to me" man i can't believe you killed that....that aint a trphy" His idea is if it aint b&C its not a trophy....it just bothered me because i was brought up to appreciate whatever game you harvest not matter how big it is....now im not saying its bad to only harvest big bucks but just because that is all he will harvest doesnt mean that my deer isnt as much of a trophy as his....
Diablo
Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 5:26 pm:   

3 more comments as succinct and politically incorrect as I am capable of...
1 - use of the word trophy in a hunting context is problematic (well said above by king george)
2 - it's pure bull crap for someone to judge someone else's kill. (reed...that guy that made that comment to you is a complete jerk)
3 - farmers "harvest" crops...hunters "kill" animals...let's call a spade a spade and quit sugar coating what we do...we either kill or we just watch...we don't harvest.
4 - the choice of what we choose to kill, or not kill in a fair chase, hunting situation is purely and entirely an individual's decision.
5 - hunting is not a competition sport and it's never about the numbers...who cares about the spur size, beard length, weight, number of points or whatever...so long as you are proud and humbled by your kill, and you respect the animal that you killed....

'NUFF SAID...
JD
Neill
Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 10:59 pm:   

I agree with Diablo and King George. What bothers me with hunting videos is when they refer to some bucks they've "culled" as "management bucks." I just think that's disrespectful to the animal and to the sport and also indicates a lack of the excitement that should be intrinsic to hunting.
knight_va
Posted on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 7:43 am:   

MEGA DITTOS JD!!!!!!!!....

It's all about the chase..not about the size of the animal....so long as the animal is killed legally it should not matter to others about size or anything else..... IT SHOULD matter to other hunters that we encorage not discourage fellow hunters in their pursuit of God's critters.... WAY to many people are growing up in urban areas and not being exposed to our great passion.... We arer slowly losing numbers in our ranks.... If we(guys like us here)continue to let them(the growing numberwho look down their nose at something less than their personal goals) dictate how the game should be played then we are not being true to ourselfs our passion, our rights, or to God above who supplies us with both the heart of a hunter and the critters to chase... my $.02.

Reed.....GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Max
reed
Posted on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 8:10 am:   

thanks evryone for the support.....i really dont care what that guy thanks anyway but it just bothered me cuz it just seems ifn it aint B&C in some eyes its not good enough....but it makes me feel good that yall are on the same page as me and my family..thanks guys...have a safe opening week im going to the mountains in the morning for nine days.....see ifn i cant use that last buck tag....
WVBOY
Posted on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 10:29 pm:   

GN.. Turkey is a trophy?? Not what I meant by any means, but Interesting viewpoint.. not sure I consider them trophies, maybe I do, I'm not sure. They are all blessings from the man up stairs in my opinion, though. I choose not to take Jakes in VA and WV because most likely I will be hunting the same place next year and I want them to be two year olds.

I only said that because last spring was the first time I've ever traveled to Turkey Hunt in Texas.. and I killed a Jake because I wanted a Rio and I didn't want to come home empty handed, and the guide didn't have any rules about not taking Jakes.. maybe that is selfish and maybe I'm a hypocrit, but I'm first a hunter, and that is why I went. As a matter of fact I killed two Jakes, and if I had to do it over again I would again, meaning if I had to go on this first hunt again, I would not go back now and take any more Rio Jakes. But I don't know if I will ever get another chance to hunt Rios again.. Those two Rio Jakes were every bit as hard to kill as any Eastern Long Beard and I was happy to have them..

Reed I hope you kill a Monster on Patty's Knob.. sorry I will miss you, I was down and hunted Thursday and Firday with no luck but came back home early.. not much Deer sign at all down there, only in spots, you guys have your work cut out..

RB
Realtree
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2004 - 7:10 am:   

hummmm trophy could = wallhanger also ? Then due to the expence factor , my trophy has to be more impressive than the last

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