Hunting for Trophy?

[9mmforMe]

I can see hunting for food, game management and even fur, but merely for sport and a trophy doesn't sit right with me.

The forum states that sporting challenge is part of what it means to be human...is it truly?

I'm not bashing anyone for what they do re: hunting, but I would like to learn more about the perspective of the sport hunter.

Respectfully,

Geoffry

 

[Gallstones]

"Trophy" kills are eaten just as non"trophy" kills are. So what's the problem?

Animals that reach an age and condition to be considered trophys are in their prime, they have already passed their DNA onto a generation or more and so shooting them doesn't remove those genetics from the population.

Those big impressive racks come at high cost in nutrients and calories, as does being an active breeder. What do you suppose follows after the prime of life in the natural world? Calories spent on breeding mean calories not available to sustain the animal should winter be harsh. What does that mean, they end up out of prime, weakened and become the easier prey if they don't just die. When these prime males are taken out it frees up resources for others, and they create openings for younger males--like sons--to come into their prime.

I can understand an attraction to the aesthitics of having "trophy" animals in the wild so people can go out and see them (maybe). But the aesthetics of a declining bull being eaten to death by a pack of wolves isn't as attractive.

What is being preserved by not harvesting them?

In regards to the sport of hunting, it takes a lot more hunting to locate a trophy. That seems plenty sporting.








Disclaimer: I'm not a sport hunter, just a Biology and veterinary major.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I have a problem with wasting edible meat. That is all.
I don't care why you shoot it as long as the meat doesn't go to waste. I know hunters who love to hunt and are after big bucks only that don't even like to eat them. But they give the meat away to people who do like to eat it so there's no foul in my book.

Even the trophy hunters I know are repulsed by the idea of waste. The folks you hear about who just cut off the horns/antlers and leave the meat to rot are few and far between from my experience. They exist I'm sure, but I've never hunted with anyone like that.

 

[Art Eatman]

By and large, trophy-rack critters are smarter and wilier than the younguns, and thus are much more of a challenge to find.

You gotta cover a bunch of ground around a pasture to find the biggest buck. Then you gotta find him a second time in order to shoot at what you now know is the biggest buck.

Big bucks maybe make only one mistake a season, and if his one mistake was when you first saw him, you have your work cut out for you.

Big bucks taste good, too, if you know how to cook...

 

[9mmforMe]

I love venison, but have not had enough to tell between the younger bucks and the older... but I'd love the opportunity to try. I think my question was answered though considering that the meat is not wasted. Its good to know that the cut and run people are not many and if done is clearly a violation of proper hunting ethics...right?

 

[Art Eatman]

Many of the laws concerning hunting originated with hunters.

Get caught wasting the meat? In a fair number of states, now, you pay a fine and lose your gun, gear and vehicle. Hey, fine by me!

 

[9mmforMe]

Agreed.

 

[climbnjump]

Get caught wasting the meat? In a fair number of states, now, you pay a fine and lose your gun, gear and vehicle. Hey, fine by me!

Since I haven't done an actual survey of every state's game laws, I'm not going to say that ALL states have laws against "wanton waste", but I'm willing to bet that most do.

The penalties can be very high including loss of firearms, vehicles, hunting rights for years down the road, jail time and thousands of dollars in restitution.

Yes, there will always be a few bad apples, but for the vast majority of hunters - trophy or otherwise - respect for the animal and common ethics is all the "enforcement" that is required.

 

[MutinousDoug]

On the other hand; Don't go to Africa on a safari and expect to bring any significant amount of meat back with you. (It will be enjoyed in situ)

 

[MCgunner]

I can see hunting for food, game management and even fur, but merely for sport and a trophy doesn't sit right with me.

So don't do it.

I'm not a "trophy hunter", just a hunter, but if a massive 20 point, 6 ft spread, 1.65x10^12 boone and crocket steps out of the woods, I'll shoot him! Heck, it'd be a mercy killing. With that much rack, he probably couldn't lift his head!

My wife's cousin is a "trophy hunter". He keeps some of the meat, but gives a lot to "hunters for the hungry". The stuff he's killed in Africa went to the natives there. He's just interested in the mounts. He's got an impressive "trophy room".

Me, I have a nice high point basket rack 8 point mounted, a Javalina, and a Mallard I took on public land near Tivoli, Texas. I've mounted a few racks on those 10 dollar antler mount "kits". Most of the deer I've taken over the years have been bucks, not really trophies, but some of 'em had decent racks for MY area. I don't have much acreage so the management technique here is "if I don't shoot it, one of the neighbors will". My wife's cousin has a $3K a gun managed ranch lease in deep south Texas. Me, I don't have HIS money. If I did, I might try to weasel in on his lease with him. Heck, he lives on 140 acres near Seguin, Texas and his boy is the only one that hunts it. It's bigger, but like my place, too little to really manage properly so he has no interest in hunting it, himself.

 

[9mmforMe]

Mcgunner,

I don't do it.

Moreover, I was referring to what appears to be a small segment of hunters who will kill anything for sport and are not mindful of the age of the animal as you seem to be.

I would really like to experience a hunt actually, but I don't know anyone here in Indianapolis yet who I could accompany.

 

[H&Hhunter]

On the other hand; Don't go to Africa on a safari and expect to bring any significant amount of meat back with you. (It will be enjoyed in situ)

Actually Doug you can't bring ANY meat back with you from Africa. The USDA and Customs has laws against that. All meat meat is consumed or otherwise put to good use in Africa however.

 

[Oleson]

When I discuss hunting with non-hunters here in Norway, they often ask what we do with the meat if we hunt in other countries. Well, we eat it... Usually, you can't take any of it home with you, so we eat it where we are.
And some people tend to think that trophy hunting is a new thing. Well, you can see alot of trophies hanging on the walls around rural Norway, and many of them are pretty old.

 

[Captcurt]

Talk about waste.

I see more meat wasted on the side of the road. I live 4 miles from the city limits and I counted 13 deer killed on the road last year. Why someone doesn't pick them up is beyond me. Too lazy to get out of their car I guess.

 

[Art Eatman]

I have a bit of difficulty about getting all exercised over the malbehavior of a miniscule percentage of any group. It's a waste of psychic energy.

14 million big game hunters in the US. I take it for granted that a very few are evil, bad-nasty idiots.

However, based on my acquaintance with quite a few hunters, these last fifty years, my opinion is that as a group, hunters are more ethical than most.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Captcurt I know what you mean. I've eaten more than one deer that was killed by a Chevy. Couldn't really tell the difference in the taste either.

 

[hq]

I have a problem with wasting edible meat. That is all.

In that case you have very little to worry about. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm also a trophy hunter, but as a matter of principle, of everything I've ever shot, every last bit of edible meat (or often even bones) that's even remotely fit for human consumption has been used for exactly that.

Over the years, I've donated several thousands of lbs of meat to underprivileged locals and natives in Africa. Basically, anything that isn't used by us or the outfitter, goes to charity free of charge. That, among other things, makes me feel genuinely good. Giving something to the community that lives in extreme poverty and is dependent on donations to survive.

In some sense, it's even better than eating the meat yourself. When you donate a kudu bull or a giraffe, you can be pretty sure that not an ounce goes to waste.

 

[jmr40]

If a monster buck and a small 4 pointer are standing side by side very few would choose the smaller deer. And there is sound scientific reasoning to shoot the larger deer at the end of it's life rather than the smaller deer in his prime.

The older buck has already had many years to pass on his genetics and may well be near the end of his life anyway. Better to be killed instantly by a hunters bullet than not make it through another hard winter and be eaten by coyotes and buzzards.

By passing up the smaller deer you give it a chance to live longer, get bigger and pass on its genetics.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

In that case you have very little to worry about.

I have no doubt of that.
Like Art said, hunters are most often the most ethical people you'll ever meet.

 

[Gallstones]

The State of Montana passed a law about mid 2013 that makes it permisssible to harvest road kill. For the most part that means any game animal you hit (or someone else hits)--except fur bearers--you can toss in the truck bed, the trunk, the back seat (whatever), and take with you to process for food. Unlike hunting, you can't field dress on the side of the highway, you have to take the whole carcass and do the butchering elsewhere. There is a form online and via smart phone to fill out and post to Fish and Game(?) notifying them that you have harvested a road kill. This is not unique to Montana, many states have had it for years.

 

[Gallstones]

Beat you to it jmr40

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I don't care why you shoot it as long as the meat doesn't go to waste. I know hunters who love to hunt and are after big bucks only that don't even like to eat them. But they give the meat away to people who do like to eat it so there's no foul in my book.

Do you think a "foul" is committed if a person hits a deer with their car and fails to try to harvest some of that deer meat?
I ask as 2038 deer were killed by cars in my county in 2011, and for a county that is a mere 496 square miles, that's 4 deer per square mile killed by cars. OH and 70% of the county is so densly populated, that no hunting is allowed.

We're not talking about decimation of a herd of Bison in the 19th century just for the hides and the tongues. Modern, trophy hunters do not normally, take a trophy deer every year. I don't think the animals are "going to waste", as the critters that feed on carcases, even if we don't like them, are part of the eco system, and have to eat too. Cars are killing a lot more deer and letting them lay for the buzzards and the foxes than hunters.

I hunt for meat, so when I'm not legally restricted on the sex of the deer to be harvested, whatever adult comes along is harvested to fill my freezer.

LD

 

[sage5907]

A true trophy hunter kills far fewer animals than other hunters and most of them are true conservationists in what they say and what they do. They recognize the value of the resource and most of them promote fair chase hunting. As was previously stated, most trophy hunters take only old mature animals that would eventually be overtaken by old age, disease and predators.

 

[35 Whelen]

After having hunted for 30+ years, I'm finished trophy hunting. I'm also sick of hearing someone tell me they saw/shot a buck/bull that would score XXX points. Who cares? In this day and age all that's required to kill a big buck or bull is $$$$$.

What I have learned is that, at least for me, "trophy" is now defined by the circumstances under which the animal was killed.

Killing a bull elk @ 11,000' then gutting, skinning, quartering and packing him out ones self makes a trophy.

Belly crawling to get in range of a buck, no matter how big he is, makes him a trophy.

Shooting a buck with a Colt SA reproduction makes him a trophy.

Watching my 79 year old Dad walk 3/4 mile to the stand (when men 50 yrs younger would've ridden an ATV)then shoot an average 8 point made that buck a trophy.

I could go on and on, but I really pity hunters who base the success of their hunts on the score of a set of antlers.

Make no mistake, I'll still take a buck with a large rack over one with a small one, but gone are the days when I pass a buck in order to wait on something bigger.

35W

 

[H&Hhunter]

I'm with 35w on this except that I'll add that my trophy standards are dependent on the area I am hunting. If I've waited for years to finally draw that fantastic trophy unit I'll be very picky. If I'm hunting run of the mill public land I'll be less picky. I agree and am also sick and tired of these guys who hunt with their wallets for bragging rights. A true trophy to me is any animal that you had to work for and makes you happy. That could be a doe or a cow or floats your boat. Some of "my" most memorable trophy are the animals I've assisted my children in taking.