Hunting & Fishing Do you hunt for Horns or Venison

[BullGear]

Many of my friends go out looking for trophy bucks each year while I'm eating venison during the winter.

Do you hunt for trophy bucks or to put venison on the table?

I usually take whatever I can put on the table. The best venison was a 78 lb doe. Sweet meat and tender beyond belief. Taken a few larger bucks because that's what I was able to put my sights on. I would have been just as happy if it were a doe. One good thing is those bucks gave me great sets of antlers to rattle with.

 

[Cjl2010]

Horns. One deer a year in AZ and only youth can kill a doe in a couple units.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Meat. Dumping freezer queens in a few inches of fresh snow is undescribably satisfying.

 

[BullGear]

Horns. One deer a year in AZ and only youth can kill a doe in a couple units.

Were they over hunted in the past? Sure seems like that allows a lot of breeding in the Spring. Almost to an over populating situation.

 

[Matches Malone]

Meat. I’d only horn hunt if i was going to do a mount. I wouldn’t want a head on my wall.
Probably the most important reason is I don’t want to have to cape the animal carefully. Most times I’m out 3-13 miles from a road, sometimes in wilderness, so I rather use the gutless method and butcher in the field. I don’t like worrying about specific cuts on the cape once starting all that.

 

[Snuby642]

Shoot culls for meat.

Old doe's taste as good as anything.
Spikes got to go.

Trophy hunting is fun but I will let the younger gen have them.

They have more years to enjoy them.

Ironically since starting a discipline of culling I see broadside trophy bucks all the time now and the basterds stand in front of the culls.

 

[Totoro]

Meat for the freezer...that being said if it's got some gnarly, garbage headgear I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

 

[Snuby642]

This week worked on 3 used feeders that need to go out and find out primary tool, the jeep has a bad transfer case leak.

Damn it's almost September and working on a 1974 cj is a lot of fun on 100 degree days.

It is always something.
6 hr drive to the ranch.

 

[Darryle]

meat

 

[Cjt1983]

Both. But I won't shoot a young buck ill shoot a doe first

 

[Cheyenne Bodie]

I just like killin. Varminting and sich. Folks give me beef and venison in exchange so not had much botherin about with deer hunting. Dumbassed creatures if you ask me. Wouldn't mind getting some skins and try some venison jerky recipes though, probably what I'll go out for this season.

 

[Lange Carabine]

During the regular season I reckon I'm more of a horn hunter really. I get all the meat I need plus some during the off season when I'd doing crop damage control.
This will all change next year though as this was the last year I plan on doing crop damage control and in 2018 IIRC the DNR imposed a limit on deer in SC(claimed population was in decline, what a crock) and mandated that all deer be tagged, not just antlerless ones. We now get 5 free( 3 buck, two doe) tags each year with our license. We can buy more, two additional buck tags and up to four doe. Everything is all about money anymore.
So, I've got to learn to stretch the 5 free tags over a 4 1/2 month season. Will probably end buying the 4 extra doe tags as they're plentiful in my AO and way outnumber bucks.

 

[BullGear]

During the regular season I reckon I'm more of a horn hunter really. I get all the meat I need plus some during the off season when I'd doing crop damage control.
This will all change next year though as this was the last year I plan on doing crop damage control and in 2018 IIRC the DNR imposed a limit on deer in SC(claimed population was in decline, what a crock) and mandated that all deer be tagged, not just antlerless ones. We now get 5 free( 3 buck, two doe) tags each year with our license. We can buy more, two additional buck tags and up to four doe. Everything is all about money anymore.
So, I've got to learn to stretch the 5 free tags over a 4 1/2 month season. Will probably end buying the 4 extra doe tags as they're plentiful in my AO and way outnumber bucks.

If they're that concerned about population, why any does at all. Particularly when does could be with bambi on board or having the fawn laying in a bed while mom hunts for food? That 5 deer limit is politics. They're trying to appease some group, to be sure.

Good luck with your hunts.

 

[Cjl2010]

Were they over hunted in the past? Sure seems like that allows a lot of breeding in the Spring. Almost to an over populating situation.

I don’t believe so. We don’t have the density of the Midwest/east. Would sure love to find a place to go and be able to dump a bunch of does! That would be incredible!

 

[Headshot11]

I hunt for meat but depends who shows up first and a shooter.

 

[HTX_17]

Both, we get plenty of tags to do either or.

 

[Lange Carabine]

If they're that concerned about population, why any does at all. Particularly when does could be with bambi on board or having the fawn laying in a bed while mom hunts for food? That 5 deer limit is politics. They're trying to appease some group, to be sure.

Good luck with your hunts.

Like you say it's all politics to appease a certain group. Hunting is an industry in SC now and the younger generations of hunters are by and large trophy hunters. Out of state money and influence played a big roll in getting our laws changed and wealthy land owners, hobby farmers, and the SCDNR were quick to see $$ signs and got on the band wagon.
The declining population thing was DNR's way of influencing the state legislature to pass the new laws. In years past insurance companies and farmers carried more weight and kept the laws from being changed but the out of state money, influence and a fair bit of lobbying finally over whelmed them.

 

[silentnswift]

First I fill the freezer, and get my daughters and wife tagged out. Then if there’s time I will spend a couple days hunting for antlers.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Whatever walks by now days.

Kind of like my motto when I was younger. 18 to 80, blind, crippled or crazy

 

[BigPrince]

Depends on the hunt but bottom line goal is to fill the freezer and share with friends/family each year. Usually have scouted enough to know if there is a set of horns out there I want and go out enough to have choices. In general will pass on young bucks, unless we need to cull for a reason, and let them grow and take the does / older bucks.

 

[Ranchhand]

First legal animal I see that I have a tag for is getting it.
I'm not proud but I have meat in the freezer.

 

[sea2summit]

Meat all the way. But I’ll take trophy hunters out too. We need all of them to keep the sport alive.

 

[candyx]

Nothing better than horn soup.

 

[Snipe260]

I shoot does for meat in early season and then hunt for big deer after that!

 

[45cal4life]

Antlers for the first month, meat after that

 

[HotRod68Camaro]

Both, does and older cull bucks for meat. Horns if it's old and larger than anything I have previously taken.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I apply for trophy tags all over the west and don't draw shit. I then buy OTC tags and hunt cow elk and deer for meat.

 

[SD Carpenter]

Meat. My great grandpa always said you can't eat antlers.

 

[mattharper]

Meat for the freezer is my game. 10 antlerless tags and 2 antlered, but my club is in a trophy county so it's gotta be 4 points or better on 1 side. Unless something big walks out in the early season that I can't live without, I usually hunt does in the early season and save my buck tags till the rut and beyond. I'm happy to take either, though.

 

[lash]

If they're that concerned about population, why any does at all. Particularly when does could be with bambi on board or having the fawn laying in a bed while mom hunts for food? That 5 deer limit is politics. They're trying to appease some group, to be sure.

Good luck with your hunts.

There’s a reason that does also need to be harvested. Look at Michigan, especially upper Michigan (not the UP). For many years there was no doe season or limited to one, while everyone wanted antlers. Going into the early ‘90s, the deer population was so unbalanced with over 40:1 doe to buck ratio and there were issues with overpopulation and hereditary disease from the imbalance. Deer were stripping forests of all growth below 6-7 feet and forests were unhealthy.

DNR started encouraging doe harvesting over buck. This does work. There has to be balance or you get issues. Just look what happened everywhere else when predators were eliminated. Hunting, if applied properly, is just another tool for man to use to try and balance things out that they messed up earlier.

Pay attention to the local population and harvest accordingly. A healthy herd will grow healthy males with good sized racks.

 

[zk-315]

Both. One of the places I hunt is on a MLD program where the state provides us tags. We shoot our allotted does and although most of the guys want to use their buck tags on a “trophy”, I’d just be happy shooting a management buck. If a big mature trophy walks out, I would shoot it however.

Another place I hunt, it really depends what we have been seeing. If we have an over abundance of bucks to does, we will take a few bucks. Just my dad and I hunt that place, so we can manage it pretty well when the anthrax doesn’t take them out.

A third place I hunt is just does. it’s a friends family ranch and he invites me out during the doe and spike season to take a few does.
I ended up with 5 deer in my freezer last year, so we eat pretty well.

 

[SingleShot85]

I hunt.......

Sometime for Trophies, sometimes not...... but all deer end up on my plate. Two white tailed deer a year provides 90% of the meat me and mine eat per year. We rarely buy beef although we raise beef. Animals are walking meat shops for people to consume

 

[SingleShot85]

Here you go

 

[duckhunter175]

Live in Texas- have access and ability to fill my and a few other freezers with cull does and I will ALWAYS do that.

However- I go on 1-2 big western trips each year and those are for chasing the biggest critter we can find. That said-- I did not pass a chance to fill a cow elk tag last year on opening day.

 

[Burning sensation]

Horns, then we have a spike and doe season that I use to fill the freezer. Mature bucks are great for chili, jerky, sausage, and just about anything with mushrooms. Mushrooms go well with the gamey taste to me. My buck is always gone fast.

 

[Burning sensation]

Here you go

That’s a great looking axis. I hunt just North of Hondo, and have never had a chance at one.

 

[fxdwgkd]

Guess you could call me a trophy hunter. Told myself I would not shoot another buck unless he was older with a larger rack. Will shoot a doe occasionally, not every year tho.
Now my kids are wanting to hunt more and I am excited. I will be hunting this year, but playing second fiddle to the kids. Will do everything I cam to get them a deer before I even consider taking a shot. If they are not successful then they may lose the desire to hunt. Kids and I talk that it isn't about killing a deer, that is not what makes hunting so special nor the bar for success. Putting a deer down sure does go a long ways in fueling the fire tho

 

[craigos]

meat eater primarily .... but if can get a set of nice memories (horns) will take a two for.

 

[Crews]

I hunt to manage the deer population responsibly. That means old, mature bucks and does for meat. What I don’t do is hide behind the “can’t eat horns” argument, which is basically just an indication of impatience and laziness. It doesn’t justify shooting a young buck who could have grown into a much nicer deer, just because he’s the only thing that walked out that day.

 

[HousePlant]

I hunt for a reason to wear high priced Sitka camo.

 

[Superjet]

I don’t get to spend enough time in the woods to hunt for trophies any more. They all taste the same in the form of snack sticks!

 

[Lange Carabine]

I don’t get to spend enough time in the woods to hunt for trophies any more. They all taste the same in the form of snack sticks!

And summer sausage and bologna and jerky.....

 

[CShooter92]

Depends on the species. Mule deer and whitetail, I hunt for antlers. We have some amazing trophy deer right around home with a yearly opportunity so I take advantage of it the best I can. (Pics are from 2015, 17, 18 and 19)

Anything on a draw tag (elk or moose), I'm going for meat. A big bull would just be a bonus.

 

[BullGear]

Depends on the species. Mule deer and whitetail, I hunt for antlers. We have some amazing trophy deer right around home with a yearly opportunity so I take advantage of it the best I can. (Pics are from 2015, 17, 18 and 19)

Anything on a draw tag (elk or moose), I'm going for meat. A big bull would just be a bonus.

Do you live in the Yukon? Very impressive deer.

 

[CHADPEZZLE]

Somewhere between the two I suppose (meat and horns), California allows us two deer tags. I try to hold out for a mature buck if I can, but meat in the freezer is always a motivator.

 

[brianf]

rifle..horns (meat is too easy)
bow...meat

if im out just for meat i can go to the butcher shop and get a steak

the experience of the hunt, environment and weather is what i love.. food is secondary

 

[Jackalope]

I seem to keep filling the freezer with bags of tag soup. I harvest an antler off the ground occasionally. The dogs just end up chewing on em’ anyway.

 

[BullGear]

I seem to keep filling the freezer with bags of tag soup. I harvest an antler off the ground occasionally. The dogs just end up chewing on em’ anyway.

Yea, I've been giving my pups deer antlers for years. Best thing for the pups.

 

[CShooter92]

Do you live in the Yukon? Very impressive deer.

Thanks, I'm in Saskatchewan

 

[lunatic209]

Meat hunter especially here in Ca on public lands. Fish and wildlife just sell tons of tags over the counter, some zones have lower than 8% success