Meat or Trophy?

[the rifleman]

Curious as to what your criteria is.

[BigIron]

I voted "Trophy", although that is somewhat misleading. Always have to have a tag (or two) specifically to meet the freezer's requirements - those are generally moose (small bull preferred) or doe tags. And with 2 black-tail tags on The Rock, I tend to take (didn't this year though) the first legal buck I see, then hold out for a "Biggie"

A LOT of my hunting the past few years has been focused in Alberta. Given the distance traveled, the price of the tags and the hunts themselves, I simply ain't there to shoot a "meat buck". This year alone I passed up well over 100 whitetails over there, only saw one I liked, and missed the bugger (OUCH!). Then came home without having clinched the deal. Not surprising to do that. If you want a super buck, you have to be prepared to let one that HURTS go. And if that means not filling the tag, so be it. The benefit is seeing many more animals over the season, and spending a LOT more time out there!!

Cheers,
Iron

[toxic111]

It depends on what Tags I can get or get.

Here I usually can get drawn for mulie does.. that is 2 tags.. so I will take one or 2 for meat.

That leaves me my either sex whitetail.. that becomes trophy only.

Last year I had either sex elk (6 days hunting, only 3 elk seen, bust) Mulie doe draw (earn a buck, shot one doe) Either sex whitetail (had an 130class in the scope, let him go) & also had either sex moose (spent about 4 days hunting for a bull before taking a cow) Bear (archery only, looking for a big boy)

This fall will be a wait and see what tags I have before I decide.

[Cariboo]

I personally try to take a good animal and do pass up a good number of animals every season. With that said my primary purpose is to put meat in the freezer and I will, without hesitation, take a spike near the end of the season.

[Silent Wolf]

I take whatever I can get, if a trophy walks out in front of me, sure I'll nail him, but if a good size 2 point or better walks out, I'll take that...

As my Great Grandfather once said, you can't eat the antlers!!!!!!!


SW

[Sitkaspruce]

For deer, first tag is always for meat, then the second is for something good, not necessarily a trophy, but one that is above average.

For moose or elk, the "if it has balls, it falls" is the motto I follow. One shot and freezer is full.

Cheers

SS

[Caveman]

Meat first then trophy. As long as the freezer is full, I'll be selective looking for the trophy

[BC Bigbore]

I can't honestly say that I need to hunt for meat anymore. A few years ago, we bought a farm and now raise purbred Red Angus beef cattle and a friend of ours raises grain fed buffalo that are absolutely fantastic eating With our freezers generally full of prime home grown beef & buffalo, hunting interests have changed. My "other" job consists of operating gas wells and compressor stations in remote areas of the north on a 7/7 rotation. This allows me to observe all kinds of game animals on a daily basis. This past week alone, for example, I've seen 11 lynx within 20 yards of my truck and I can't even begin to recall how many moose I see during the course of a week. I now tend to be picky when I do manage to get out hunting so I guess I've turned into somewhat of a trophy hunter. I don't pop the first legal buck or bull and if I don't cut a tag, I could care less

[the rifleman]

I primarily hunt for meat, as I love game meat, but will take whatever comes along, as the chances are you may not see another animal in the alloted time for the hunting trip. Made the mistake of passing a few animals up early in my hunting years, and regretted going home empty handed.

I love a nice rack to hang on the wall, but I have to admit that they are not always the best table fair. The 10-1/2 year old bull moose I harvested was proof of that.

I did eat some terrible tasting meat from a doe a friend harvested during the rut, which I thought only affected the bucks flavour. Very gamey..perhaps it's diet had something to do with it? Anybody else eat doe during the rut that was lousy tasting?