Who all hunts for meat....

[NitwiT]

Hey all,

been kind of curious to find out, but how many here are after "bigger than last years", and how many are here to simply stock the freezer... like me...................

Mark

[KtownBobby]

I Stock, plus after ya get the gear and rifles etc. Its Cheap entertainment, good for memories

[dougan]

Cheaper to buy A cow

[remington666]

im all about the meat ,i have shot some big deer and its an awsome rush but if all i see is a spiker ill drop him for the delicious steaks and salami

[Sofa King]

it's always nice to freshen the freezer.
I definitely don't consider myself a trophy hunter.
some of my lesser racks in my collection are as memorable as any of the bruisers.
but, after one finally connects on a dandy, it does change you a bit.
it is kind of a goal, deep down.
I find myself passing on deer in the early season because I want my season to last as long as possible, and, because I enjoy hunting in the snow the most.
more of what happens to me, is I get personal with certain deer.
i'll have an encounter with a buck and spend all my time trying to outsmart him.
i'll pass on anything in the pursuit of him, and even end the season skunked if I don't find him.

[benttip]

all about good heathy food i was born and raised on.....horns dont even make good soup...lol..always nice to get a large one also..

[Spy]

X2 duallie its the fun of the chase & chasing a nice buck is addictive.I will be chasing one I bumbed into last Sunday;-). But will drop one for meat if the opportunity presents helps having 2 tags in your pocket;-).

[BiG Boar]

I think we all started out as meat hunters. We become trophy hunters when we accidentally shoot a bigger deer. Then we compare the rack to our friends racks. And the next thing you know, we want a bigger racks then them. Then we show the rack to a few different friends and it signifies the age and maturity of the deer we shot, and how we outsmarted the wild. The real question is "Do better hunters shoot more deer more often, or, bigger more mature deer, once every three years?"

i personally would feel feel like an idiot having an empty freezer.

[guest]

Love all my wild game meat from Moose, Deer, Elk, Goat, Sheep, Bear ............ funny they are attached to many antler and horn growth that I like.

CT

[brian]

freezer stocker

[Gateholio]

80-90% of hunters are meat hunters. For me it depends on species. I won't pass on a legal moose, but I've passed on dozens if legal deer.

[NitwiT]

i doubt i will ever pass on a legal anything, i enjoy eating em too much

[NitwiT]

if i've hiked 2 km into the next two ridges in pursuit of a deer, and i see a grouse, i will shoot said grouse.....

[Drillbit]

Rarely hunt for meat.

Usually hunt predators and varmints. Hunting season is all year round that way!

I hunt for the comraderie with friends and family and the action when the shooting starts

[SPEYMAN]

Don't hunt for trophies or meat. I hunt because I'm a hunter. If you are a hunter you will understand.

[NitwiT]

im pretty sure we all hunt b/c we are hunters... now if it was opening day, and you saw a spiker, would you take him to put food on the table?? or hold out for that elusive 4x4 for pride....

thats the difference

[Drillbit]

im pretty sure we all hunt b/c we are hunters... now if it was opening day, and you saw a spiker, would you take him to put food on the table?? or hold out for that elusive 4x4 for pride....

thats the difference

If that's the question, I never hunt for meat.

[Mr. Dean]

I take what I want when I want it.

[RustyRipper]

I like to think that everyone hunts for meat at some level or another. Its kind of the whole point of hunting and where it comes from. Shooting an animal and just giving the meat away or not using seems very pointless to me and a bit like catch and release fishing. Not my idea of fun. I like to try and bag a trophy as much as anyone else and I will pass up on smaller bucks to hold out for a big one but come crunch time at the end of the season with uncut tags, some deer is hitting the dirt, trophy or not. An empty freezer is not an option for me as my wife and I solely eat wild game or local farmed meat and wild fish.

Oh and I agree with gatehouse, depends on species as with moose first legal bull I see I shoot!

[5 spike]

Meat for me my family loves it.A big rack is a bonus.

[Kudu]

When I look at any animal I intend shooting, I see roast, chops, and biltong. I would rather shoot a fat doe, than rutted up old stinky bull - in any case horns taste pretty shit I'm told.

[kennyj]

I love the hunt and the meat.
kenny

[hare_assassin]

We eat nothing but game in our house. That's what it is all about for me. I love hunting, but for me it is not a game, or a sport, or a competition with friends.

I'd rather eat 2-pointers than rutty crankers, too.

[hare_assassin]

This would have been a great thread to add a poll to.

[bosca]

I grew up hunting with my dad and we have always been about the meat...antler size never seemed to be a real priority. As I grow older and am hunting with different friends I am finding that I'm becoming more selective about when and what i shoot. I definitely want the meat but I'm not worried about it. I am also hunting more remote areas and because i'm also older and a little lazier i dont want all the work unless the buck is a worth it.
But, like gatehouse, if i get a chance at imature moose I will definitely take it.

[biggyun68]

I am a meat hunter and have nothing against the trophy folks: So does that mean meat hunters shoot anything?

[brig]

My goal at the beginning of every hunting season is to shoot something thats a little bigger than last year. That being said I would rather go home with a spiker than nothing at all. The first couple days of a hunt i will pass on the little ones and I become progressively less picky the closer it gets to the end of the hunt.

[M.Dean]

Well, I guess, if the truth be known, and if I have to answer, truthfully, whether I would wack a fat, little, tender, juicy, cut it with a fork, 2 or 3 point Buck and not his olde Grand Daddy standing beside him with a set of horn's that would be the envy of the Hunting World for years and years to come, I wouldn't hesitate for a second!!! With the Rifle resting solidly on the nearest stump, I'd take real careful aim, slowly exhale as I'm gently squeezing the trigger, until the firing pin hammer's the Magnum Primer, setting in motion a deadly series of explosive events!!! With the heavy recoil of the Rifle, it takes a second or two to regain my sight, and, like so many times before, the bullet has hit it's mark perfectly!!! The Buck twitch's for a very brief moment, then lays still! So, again I've made the choice, which Buck lives, and which Buck Die's. And that choice is mine, and only mine!

[B-rad]

All I do is live and breath the outdoors,,,huntin-fishin,,,,,especially here in kamloops I have the best of all worlds,,,,I definitely a meat hunter,,,I had my 3 deer by mid oct.----3x3whitetail buck,,,,,whitetail doe,,,,,3x2 mulie,,,I live the perfect life

[hunter1947]

I love eating wild game meat only way to go..

[Big Lew]

For me, and including our 5 generations living in B.C. it's been meat first. I've never shot a small spike or button buck simply because there's not much meat on them, but depending on how empty my freezer is, I will shoot the first big-bodied fork I see, or hold out for something bigger. I guess, like most others, in the back of my mind there is the want to get something extraordinary to 'show and tell.' I used to hunt late in the season during the rut and have taken some large stinky buggers. I guess I've been fortunate in that I've never had raunchy meat, but since taking up archery and hunting early, I've found it much more enjoyable, and the meat from bigger bucks more mild and tender.

[Salty]

I hunt for meat, preferably with a big rack on top of it.

[HIGHRPM]

I am now 58, and thats all I have ever done. My family was raised on deer, antelope, ruffies, etc. It's the only way to live ! I hate going to a store to buy meat and or fish, I like to be the provider !

[BiG Boar]

I know several guys that don't get to eat a lot of the meat they bring home. Usually their wives or families don't like the stuff and won't cook it. Sort of would irk me to think I went to all that trouble to shoot this darned thing, and they don't even want it? If this is the case, bring home the odd merganser and force them to eat it. Then see if they start to prefer deer.

[BCBRAD]

I like the activity that surrounds hunting, travel, camping , shooting practice, the hunt............meat is a bonus to the activity.

[B-rad]

Lol,,,,that so true BIG Bore,,,,I shot my limit of coots one day,,,and made coot gizzard gumbo,,,,everyone thought I was outa my gord when I served it,,,let me tell ya,,,,,deer was highly wanted after eatin the coots lmao

[Muliechaser]

I take what I want when I want it.

Thats right!:twisted:

Mc

[Hodaka]

Meat. Nice to get a memento of the hunt, though.

[hare_assassin]

I know several guys that don't get to eat a lot of the meat they bring home. Usually their wives or families don't like the stuff and won't cook it. Sort of would irk me to think I went to all that trouble to shoot this darned thing, and they don't even want it? If this is the case, bring home the odd merganser and force them to eat it. Then see if they start to prefer deer.

The culinary aspects of game meat seem to be a big challenge for a lot of people. Cooking game meat to perfection requires different knowledge and techniques. Sometimes a standard recipe will work, but a lot of the time it simply doesn't. It is generally much, much easier to overcook this wonderfully lean meat than the fatty meats people are used to cooking.

The end result of all this is that many people's first experience with game does not inspire them to try more. I know a lot of people who say they don't like game. I ask them about the game they have tried and regardless of species, the biggest complaints are that it is tough, dry, "gamey" tasting, etc.

I know what they are talking about. When I was about 12, my mother got a moose roast from a relative or friend. She cooked it like any 50s generation WASP would cook a typical beef roast; well done. Grey. My sisters hated it and said it tasted "like liver". The only way I could even eat it was to load the gravy and mashed on each piece I put in my mouth.

For many years, our entire family had the "I don't like game meat" attitude. To this day, my one sister still has a major mental block about eating game. She and her family visited from Edmonton recently and (despite the fact that she said she would refuse to eat any game) I prepared a feast for all of us. Including my parents, there was 10 of us in total. I cooked Hasenpfeffer (hare), butterflied deer backstrap steaks and grouse cubes fried in butter and garlic. My brother-in-law and 2 nephews had never eaten any of these meats before. They raved about it. We all enjoyed it so much even my sister was swayed to "try" a small cube of grouse and a tiny piece of medium-rare deer.

"It's different than I expected, but I don't want any more."

I am a good cook folks, and I know the difference between good food and great food. This food was great. Truly delicious. Everyone agreed except one person, and for that person it all boils down to that moose roast she tried when she was 14.

My point? Do your best to cook game meat properly. Don't just hand it over to someone who has no clue how to cook it and then end up disappointed when the family doesn't enjoy it. Take matters into your own hands and make damned sure that it is an absolutely great gastronomical experience. Especially for the first experiences of game meat. Some people will simply never overcome the "mental block" once it is there.

P.S. Even many of my "seasoned hunter" friends tend to treat venison as a "second-class" meat. Sure, they eat the back straps and tenders as steak, but the rest is basically ground or sausage, with a bunch of beef or pork fat added. All this tells me is they don't know how to cook venison. If you want to grind and make sausages, go shoot a bear.

[tinhorse]

2 spike bucks and a doe for me this year. As well as several sockeye and halibut. Enough steaks, hamburger and fillets for the family for the year. Mission accomplished!

[biggyun68]

I would add how you handle the meat after the shot and butcher it too have an impact: 50% of what I like about hunting is after the shot. The care, preparation, cuts and butchering, the choice of recipes for the particular meat, and the care and attention put into the cooking and serving...
That being said my wife still see's Disney characters when eating wild game and she admits it is completely illogical: Fortunately my kids enjoy wild meat, as did my parents, and the neighbors too (even caught my veggie buddy sneaking venison behind his wife's back :-D so the wife is always out numbered. Last year I shot a nice mature Gulf Island Doe and she finally enjoyed her venison - so far only Back traps and BBQ`d:
She enjoyed the goose Coq au Vin and Pulled goose breast too - when she wasn`t imaging Stanley Park Geese eating crap....:-D So any suggestions how we help break the andromorphic association with our food?

[Big Lew]

" Some people will simply never overcome the "mental block"

I agree. Several friends and relatives over the years have refused, or been reluctant to try wild game because of their stigma of eating 'poor little bambi'. Yet those same people rave about their delicious veal cutlets that came from cute little calves that were kept in cubicles solely to be quickly force-fed and tender before being slaughtered for their culinary delight. I was raised on a small farm and we butchered all our own meats but most of us preferred wild venison, grouse, pheasant, geese, and ducks rather than the beef or our own ducks and geese. The only beef my 2 children ate while being raised was from sources outside the home such as restaurants or friends etc. because the only dark meat we served was wild.

[hare_assassin]

biggyun68,

Get her to watch "Food, Inc." and then contrast that with how wild animals live and die. Emphasize how hunting takes direct and immediate responsibility for the ethical killing of animals.

Anyone who is not prepared to stop eating meat, when provided all the facts and info, will only conclude that the best meat to eat is wild game. I have been emphasizing this to my wife and she has come a long, long way. My daughters are fully educated on all of this as well. They see friends eating hot dogs and ask them "Do you know what is in that?" They are still polite enough to eat them when they are guests somewhere, but they go on about how revolting it is when they get home.

[hare_assassin]

" Some people will simply never overcome the "mental block"

I agree. Several friends and relatives over the years have refused, or been reluctant to try wild game because of their stigma of eating 'poor little bambi'. Yet those same people rave about their delicious veal cutlets that came from cute little calves that were kept in cubicles solely to be quickly force-fed and tender before being slaughtered for their culinary delight. I was raised on a small farm and we butchered all our own meats but most of us preferred wild venison, grouse, pheasant, geese, and ducks rather than the beef or our own ducks and geese. The only beef my 2 children ate while being raised was from sources outside the home such as restaurants or friends etc. because the only dark meat we served was wild.

My sister and I got into this whole discussion after our meal that night. In the background I could see my brother-in-law rolling his eyes in disbelief at the complete lack of logic on my sister's side of the discussion. I've decided not to ever discuss it with her again. BIL and nephews loved it. That's a win.

I have a confession, though. I still like farmed duck better than wild. :)

[greenhorn]

If I have multiple tags I try to use one on a legal animal (regardless of hugeness) to get meat. Then, hold out for what I consider to be a cranker, just to see if I can rise to the challenge and find a bigger/wiser animal.

That said, I find it really nauseating when all people want to talk about is antler size like somehow harvesting an animal with big antlers makes them cooler than the next guy.

[sawmill]

I`m all about the meat,got a big fat doe so far but I do like a big rack too.Holding out for another week to get a crack at a big boy(more meat on them) but after that,she`s gonna be any buck.

[Weatherby Fan]

Hey all,

been kind of curious to find out, but how many here are after "bigger than last years", and how many are here to simply stock the freezer... like me...................


Mark

Regardless if I shoot one bigger than last year it's going in the freezer........I say shoot bigger bucks ya get more meat !

[two-feet]

I love the whole experience. Like my dad always says, " the second you pull the trigger it becomes food". So the hunt is over but the next step begins. Nothing better than leaning over a downed animal with family and friends, blood to your elbows, same scene having played out over a hundred thousand years. I hunt for meat! But antlers are fun too. My freezer is full of bear, moose, salmon, cod, halibut. Happy camper

[NitwiT]

I meant to add a poll, but couldn't figure it out, so instead I grabbed a beer and hit "POST". Thanks for all the replies, no driving agenda behind this one but curiousity :)

[pieter]

I hunt for the meat but hope I never get that hungry that I have to start shooting does and little spike bucks if I can afford to go out I figure I can still afford to buy meat

[325]

I wouldn't pass on legal elk or moose, or even whitetail in many cases, but mule deer and black bear are a trophy hunt for me...as a result I haven't shot a mule deer or black bear in several years.

[JIL_24/7]

if i've hiked 2 km into the next two ridges in pursuit of a deer, and i see a grouse, i will shoot said grouse.....
Wow. I can't stop laughing at this. Thanks for that.

[IronNoggin]

All depends on the year...

If, such as this year, I enjoy the bounty of an early season moose (or elk) hunt, then I tend to get Damn Fussy regarding whatever follows. Having this year's young bull in the freezer definitely "takes the pressure off". As a consequence I have passed up over three dozen blacktail bucks, and have largely limited my hunting of them to Bow Only and Big Boy Only status.
I Truly LOVE the hunt, and being so Fussy allows me to spend a LOT more time out there engaged in my favorite pursuit.
And, when the season ends, if I don't have that Big Boy down, there is always the late season archery hunt over on the mainland - and that hunt is largely for our preferred eating critters - whitetails.

On the other hand, If I do not collect some good munchies fairly early, I will often be a lot less discerning when I encounter the first couple of bucks I wander in to. For the first tag that is... :twisted:

Grew up eating wild game almost exclusively. Still live that way, so something HAS to hit the freezer. That said, I also Live To Hunt, and if hunting specifically for Headgear extends my season, I am all for it! :wink:

Cheers,
Nog

[Gateholio]

I hunt for the meat but hope I never get that hungry that I have to start shooting does and little spike bucks if I can afford to go out I figure I can still afford to buy meat

Comparable quality meat (organic/farmed venison) runs $20 or much more a pound. If you can get a small spike or doe in a reasonable amount of time it's much more affordable.

[hare_assassin]

I hunt for the meat but hope I never get that hungry that I have to start shooting does and little spike bucks if I can afford to go out I figure I can still afford to buy meat

That's fine, as long as you really want to purchase and eat industrial meat.

I refuse to do so.

[sapper]

When I look at any animal I intend shooting, I see roast, chops, and biltong. I would rather shoot a fat doe, than rutted up old stinky bull - in any case horns taste pretty shit I'm told.
Obviously a fellow Springbok. :)

Yup, for me it's all about meat in the freezer. I'm fortunate that my wife loves all the venison I've brought home (I think a lot of that has to do with what you do after the animal is dead) and also is a good cook who recognizes the difference between game and store-bought meat. She is also not thrilled about all the hormones and other crap that store-bought meat is pumped full of.

[Ambush]

Comparable quality meat (organic/farmed venison) runs $20 or much more a pound. If you can get a small spike or doe in a reasonable amount of time it's much more affordable.

Last week I was going to BBQ a nice small beef roast for the wife and I. I picked up a 2.35 kilo prime rib roast, small enough to palm, from the shelf. I casually looked at the price before dropping it in the basket. $50 and change!!! I dropped it like it was packaged shit!

Sure happy moose and deer are made of meat.
Hunting and fishing is one of those rare recreational activities that can have a tangible payback.

[pieter]

I have been hunting 50 plus years and have yet to shoot a doe or spike buck I was told by mentor an old hunter to leave them alone and I have and I think I have filled my tags just about every year so if thats all thats left I guess I have to give up hunting deer and become become a vegaterian. Have to leave some breeding stock for the next generation.

[Kudu]

I have been hunting 50 plus years and have yet to shoot a doe or spike buck I was told by mentor an old hunter to leave them alone and I have and I think I have filled my tags just about every year so if thats all thats left I guess I have to give up hunting deer and become become a vegaterian. Have to leave some breeding stock for the next generation.


If you have only ever chewed on "old bucks" - no wonder you became a vegetarian ........:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[meat hunter]

I guess my name says it all . september deer are the best and tastiest

[835]

I hunt for the biggest damned Deer in the forest, on foot,,, in the truck,,,,, how ever i can! I can safely say i want to shoot the toughest moose in the forest. But i will kill the first legal animal i run into and get picky after that
I Am Hunter!

[Ozone]

I passed on a small grouse last week. Does that make me a trophy hunter?

[s0ylentgreen]

one word = MEAT

[RustyRipper]

Certainly nothing wrong with shooting does. A big dry doe is some of the best and tastiest meat you can get. (Especially whitetail) Spikers are good eating too but I usually pass on them just because not a lot of meat on them. Immature moose or cow elk? Tender vittles!!

[Cyrus]

Meat comes first when it comes to ungulates...if it gets thrown out and not consumed it should not be shot imo...but I will not shoot little dink bucks. A 4 pt is hard to turn down and a decent rack lets you have a physical memory of a good hunt. I did it earlier in the year and it almost came back to bite me in the ass (until last weekend). I got my first mount done on last years buck..regret not doing the shoulder mount but it would have been to big for my 8 foot ceilings. Any legal moose or elk would get shot, no hesitations. As for the rest I don't really hunt anything but ungulates...unless a wolf crosses my path.

[sawmill]

Certainly nothing wrong with shooting does. A big dry doe is some of the best and tastiest meat you can get. (Especially whitetail) Spikers are good eating too but I usually pass on them just because not a lot of meat on them. Immature moose or cow elk? Tender vittles!!

Like I said,a big fat doe is some great eating,and I have passed a lot of dinker bucks this fall but rather than eat my last tag...........I`ll eat a spiker.Meat is meat.
Or I guess I could just go to the store where meat is made and no animals were hurt....................

[Big Lew]

During the time my kids were being raised at home I had my dark meat costs (which included license, tags, gas, food, and pro-rated equipment expense) down to less than a dollar a pound when combining the deer and moose I shot. Additional factors were the short distances I traveled when hunting, always 'tenting' or 'bush' camping, and usually processing my own meat.

[sarg]

i'm out there to fill the freezer and just to be out of the fing house :) legal is legal and it will be in the freezer

[cruiser]

I try for a big buck but in the end the empty freezer is a strong factor in deciding. A full freezer and I get more picky. Small whitey buck this morning won't give me a lot of meat but with only two weeks left I wasn't going to chance ending the season skunked.

[Papa Sasquatch]

I never understood the trophy aspect of killing an animal that taste so good

[Blktail]

I hunt for meat. But that is secondary to getting away from it all. First legal buck goes in the freezer, unless it is a tiny spike. Maybe a little picky on the second. But not likely.
Works for me. Have never felt sorry I shot a deer of any size. Might change my tune if I could get out every week in good deer country.

[steel_ram]

I hunt for meat but I'll hold out for a decent buck rather than take some kids sport. Nothing new to "trophy hunting", according to the old timers (pioneers). They'd go out on their post harvest, pre-winter hunt for meat, but would still compete for the biggest rack.

[butthead]

ill make a nice meal outabigrack

[lonnie]

I'm a meat hunter through and through, but bigger bodies have more meat on them, so I will pass on the little guys if I know I can afford to without ending the season skunked.

[nature girl]

I hunt for meat. You cant eat the horns.

[aggiehunter]

If your not hunting for meat please quit...

[warnniklz]

When I was younger I use to want to kill everything I was allowed to. Now I find myself holding out for something bigger/better.

That being said I still eat what I kill...

Does that make me a trophy hunter or a meat hunter?

[Redneck Rocket]

I hunt for meat first & foremost. It would be exciting to bring something home with a big rack, but especially as an inexperienced hunter, I'm dropping the first legal animal that I have a shot at. Mmmmm.... sausage.

[RustyRipper]

When I was younger I use to want to kill everything I was allowed to. Now I find myself holding out for something bigger/better.

That being said I still eat what I kill...

Does that make me a trophy hunter or a meat hunter?

I'd say that makes you a hunter. Folks who will hold out all season for a big one and who are okay with not tagging out at all are trophy hunters. Folks who shoot the first legal animals they see and an empty freezer is not an option, are meat hunters. I like to think I'm somewhere in between there, but closer to the latter.

However I don't think there are many hunters who could resist a hat racker if he presented himself. Its in our nature to be enthralled with big magnificent animals and you can't fight nature. Either way if its legal its all good. Only thing I don't like is when people let their meat go to waste when there are many places and people who would be happy to take it.

[1/2 slam]

I've shot a lot of animals over the years. I used to hunt just for the meat. As the years have gone by it has become less and less about filling the freezer. It's to the point that I haven't pulled the trigger in 2 seasons. I could have shot several but turned them all down. I challenge myself to shoot a big one so it may be several more seasons before I pull the trigger again. That being said all of the meat will be eaten when I get one.

[RustyRipper]

Obviously you prefer eating cow. Not me, if I never ate another cow I'd be just fine. Unfortunately I don't have control of that at work and I won't turn down steaks or prime rib, but at home its game only. Waaay healthier for you and tastier too. Just my opinion

[Blainer]

If your not hunting for meat please quit...Pretty bold statement!
Was it directed at sheep hunters, goat hunters or maybe cat hunters?I imagine your in the same camp as David Suzuki regarding the Grizzly hunt?
How about predator control? Should we NOT shoot coyotes & wolves
Did your statement also include trappers?
Glad to see you gave this lot's of thought before posting

[hare_assassin]

Obviously you prefer eating cow. Not me, if I never ate another cow I'd be just fine. Unfortunately I don't have control of that at work and I won't turn down steaks or prime rib, but at home its game only. Waaay healthier for you and tastier too. Just my opinion

Wrong.

Not just your opinion! Mine too! :D

[M.Dean]

If your not hunting for meat please quit... Oh Wow!!! Your post really struck home with me aggiehunter, I just finished putting all my Rifles, Pistol's and Hunting Gear in the "Free" Add's on Craig's List!!! Thank you so much aggie! Now, back to the real World here Mr. aggie, well playing Crib, you ever dream of the Perfect "29" hand? Or, if you play baseball, you ever think about pitching a No Hitter? If you don't, I don't think I'd want you on my team! If I'm out Hunting this time of year, and there on the side hill stands 7 Does with 2 or 3 little dinky horned Bucks, we hunker down in the snow, waiting to see if there's a great big honk'in 4x4 with them, and you take it upon your self to fire at the first Buck you see, well Tim, easely put, I wouldn't buy you a real nice Christmas present this year!!! None of my business here, but do you enjoy Hunting? Or, is it simply a task the Wife sends you on like going to the store to buy egg's and milk? I love the thrill of the Hunt, I love even more passing Bucks up that some people will never get a chance to see! When I see a decent sized Buck, take aim, and fire, I get a rush! My adrenaline soars, and even after all there's years, my hands still shake for the excitement! So, please, under no circumstances tell me to "Quit Hunting". That's all Folk's!!!

[Blainer]

Oh Wow!!! Your post really struck home with me aggiehunter, I just finished putting all my Rifles, Pistol's and Hunting Gear in the "Free" Add's on Craig's List!!! Thank you so much aggie! Now, back to the real World here Mr. aggie, well playing Crib, you ever dream of the Perfect "29" hand? Or, if you play baseball, you ever think about pitching a No Hitter? If you don't, I don't think I'd want you on my team! If I'm out Hunting this time of year, and there on the side hill stands 7 Does with 2 or 3 little dinky horned Bucks, we hunker down in the snow, waiting to see if there's a great big honk'in 4x4 with them, and you take it upon your self to fire at the first Buck you see, well Tim, easely put, I wouldn't buy you a real nice Christmas present this year!!! None of my business here, but do you enjoy Hunting? Or, is it simply a task the Wife sends you on like going to the store to buy egg's and milk? I love the thrill of the Hunt, I love even more passing Bucks up that some people will never get a chance to see! When I see a decent sized Buck, take aim, and fire, I get a rush! My adrenaline soars, and even after all there's years, my hands still shake for the excitement! So, please, under no circumstances tell me to "Quit Hunting". That's all Folk's!!!Well written.
If I was to pull the trigger on the first legal dink buck I seen, my first hunt this year would have taken a whopping 10 minutes.
I to live for the thrill of the hunt!

[RustyRipper]

No reason you can't do both. and I donot think there should be any criticism towards "why" someone hunts, as everyone has their own motivation, whether it be meat, horns or just the love of the outdoors. As long as its done legally (which includes taking as much meat as possible on most game) then who cares why. To each their own.

[Badlands62]

I always try to fill the freezer first, if it happens to be a big one it's a bonus.