Trying to hold out for a nice mulie

[Peakbagger46]

Wife has already put a cow elk and little mule deer in the freezer. After work, I’ve got two remaining days to chase mulie bucks in a non trophy unit on public land. Hoping to find a nicer deer than these previous two best kills (top is an old guy with a limp, meat was good but had to grind the steaks as it was TOUGH).

 

[Lo-Profile]

Good luck

I'm a meat hunter

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Best of luck to ya but remember, "Tag Stew" is kinda thin...

 

[Armored farmer]

Sometimes my "trophy " deer isn't too impressive.....
I don't necessarily have to harvest a trophy. A nice mature animal is suitable to fill a tag and make chili......but hey, if your freezer is full.....go for the horns!

 

[buck460XVR]

My Grandpa always said, iffin' the biggest bass in a pond is a two pounder, than a two pounder is a trophy. Hunting public land with heavy pressure is a lot different than hunting large tracts of land that have limited pressure and antler restrictions. Over the years I have had the opportunities to hunt both and have found my personal "bests" aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest horn. They're the ones that presented me with the biggest challenge or were the result of a really enjoyable and memorable hunt.

 

[courtgreene]

My Grandpa always said, iffin' the biggest bass in a pond is a two pounder, than a two pounder is a trophy. Hunting public land with heavy pressure is a lot different than hunting large tracts of land that have limited pressure and antler restrictions. Over the years I have had the opportunities to hunt both and have found my personal "bests" aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest horn. They're the ones that presented me with the biggest challenge or were the result of a really enjoyable and memorable hunt.

This. So in my job, I give speeches to people. The best ones aren't ever what I thought would be best, most impactful, or whatever. The best ones I find out later hit the hearer in the right way at the right time based on what was going on in their lives. I think of "trophy" that way. What is going on around me at the time? What is the experience that set up the moment in which I needed to kill this deer (or whatever) in this setup and everything came together? What did I feel in the moments leading up to, the moment of, and the moments directly following the shot? Those things all come together to make the experience.

That, while important to me, is just me. We are all different. I won't disparage another hunter for the things that uniquely motivate them. Good luck.

 

[LoonWulf]

good luck on finding YOUR trophy!

 

[tominboise]

Good luck to you getting it done. As I've gotten older, I am more picky than I used to be. I consider it a success if I've hunted and put myself in a position to shoot. I may or may not shoot, depending on the year and what not, but I generally try to let the little ones go, as the only way to get a big one is to not shoot the little ones. Will this ever pay off in my life? Doubtful, as I hunt public land in the West, so deer are fewer and a lot of hunters take what they can get. I don't blame them. I used to do the same. Just trying to do my part. I have killed a few big ones in my life, so Karma comes around occasionally.

 

[JFrank]

I’m still looking.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Well it paid off! Not the biggest buck, but MY biggest one after years of hunting, and on public land in a non trophy unit. As a HUGE plus, my 11yo son was with me and was a big help. Got to drive back up there tomorrow morning to pack out the rest of the meat.

 

[tominboise]

Very nice buck! Great job! What state are you in?

 

[Peakbagger46]

Colorado in an easy to draw unit. Bigger bucks are unicorns where I hunt but I almost always get meat.

 

[ms6852]

Never hunted trophy deer, always a meat hunter. Largest rack I've taken was 11 points, only because it has been wounded and I finished him off. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Got the rest of the meat packed out this morning and all the meat cut up. Zero hint of gaminess from this grassland buck.

 

[sage5907]

Well it paid off! Not the biggest buck, but MY biggest one after years of hunting, and on public land in a non trophy unit. As a HUGE plus, my 11yo son was with me and was a big help. Got to drive back up there tomorrow morning to pack out the rest of the meat.

That's a really pretty buck both in the antlers and in the cape. If you have kept the cape it would be a good candidate to mount because it may take you years to get a better one.

 

[courtgreene]

congratulations