any trophy hunters out there?

[niels]

just curious to find out how many of you exclusively trophy hunt like I do? Don't get me wrong now, there is nothing better in my opinion than venison(especially backstraps) But I will hold out in search of my first boone and crockett buck until the last few days of the season and then get my meat buck. I have taken 28 bucks over the years including several average bucks and 2 that just missed the record books, a 20 inch 4x3 that scored 126 1/8 and a heavy long tined 3x3 that scored 125 5/8 At the time these bucks were taken the minimum score for blacktails was 130, it is now 135. I've had enough venison in my life, that hunting them for the meat is no longer my first priority, plus I enjoy trying to match wits with a monster buck, I like the added challenge of hunting for mature animals. Good luck and may a monster blacktail soon be on your wall!

[One Track]

Niels:

Can't say I'm a trophy hunter. However, in Northern California I will pass up anything less than a big 4x4, until the last few days of the hunt. For San Diego archery, any buck will do.

I see that you are from Fl. Do you make the trip west just to hunt for blacktail? Which state/unit do you like the most?

[Oregon Archer]

welcome to the board Neils. good to see another BTC reg on here.

as far as being a trophy hunter exclusively i cant say that i am. but i will pass on does in search of a buck. preferrable a nice one. id probably pass on a spike and possibly a small fork too. i usually kick myself for not taking the shot but i wouldnt feel the accomplishment i would with a nice buck.

[BigDog]

Personally, every buck I haul out of the woods is a trophy. Considering the low success rate in Ca., I cherish every one of them I have taken.

[grtwythunter]

What Big Dog said. I hunt Socal and the success rate is never over 6%. Any buck out of my zone is a trophy to me. Scott

[Dakota]

I always trophy hunt....... until the first legal buck comes into view.

I have actually passed on many deer but I am a wingshooter at heart. I would rather walk all day after birds then hunt deer. I just don't have the patience to sit day after day. I usually give that trophy the first two days of hunting, then if he hasn't shown himself I settle for venison.

[niels]

Hey Chris, thanks for the welcome, great forum here heh? Guys you are absolutely right any buck is a trophy regardless of size, Im fortunate enough to have access to some very productive private land up in Northern Cal in zone B1 that harbors alot of deer, it is not uncommon to see 5-10 legal bucks, sometimes more in a single day, most of those being young bucks with no more than 3 small points per side, taking one of these animals is not much of a challenge with a rifle, so I choose to hold out, hunt hard and try and take a buck with an impressive set of headgear. To me there is nothing more awe-inspiring than the sight of a big symmetrical long tined 4x4, Im hoping I can get one in my crosshairs this year.

[DanV]

I hunt public property exclusively, I agree with BigDog and grtwythunter any buck in good ole Ca. especially on public land is a trophy. I shoot the first legal buck I see , perferrably at least a mid size fork. Guess there must be a little trophy hunter in me, two bucks standing next to each other last week and I intentionally shot the bigger racked buck. Got a second A tag yesterday, gonna try to end my deer hunting early this year and get on with fishing , duck hunting and all my other outdoor stuff. If I fill this second tag I would perfer it would be something (forkie) that I would not be tempted to haul to my taxidermist.

[niels]

for me it would depend on the quality of the public land I was hunting at the time, yes your right on most public land you should shoot the first legal buck you see, because it's probably the only buck you're going to see, now if I was in the Yolla Bolly wilderness area in Trinity county where the buck to doe ratio is high and hunting pressure is minimal, I would still pass up small bucks, back in 98 I backpacked in there and passed on 2 average forkys and 2 average 3 points on opening day, and never saw another buck in the next 3 days, but that was a chance I was willing to take, still had a great time, and took pride in the fact that I gave these younger bucks a chance to mature and pass on their genes. The Trinity Alps wilderness area which is also known for having a healthy buck population is another area that I would pass on small to average bucks until the last day of my hunt. Just my two cents.

[Speckmisser]

First and foremost, welcome to the forum, Niels.

And then..

Hunting in CA, I'm pretty much with the other guys. If you see a legal buck in a season on much of the public land (barring the wilderness areas that are just a little too "out there" for weekend hunting), it's a trophy. If I had the opportunity to work a private area with good numbers of deer and good habitat that could support them, I'd be more inclined to shoot good bucks and pass the smaller ones.

Before I came here, I lived in a state where you could shoot seven deer in a season, and does were fair game. When I hunted there I would put a couple in the freezer and then switch to "trophy hunting mode". That's a totally different situation from CA though.

While I can't deny the "pride" that a good rack brings, I'm primarily out to collect venison. I'm not ashamed to be a meat hunter. I can't eat the antlers, and the closest they get to being mounted is a skull mount nailed to the wall in my workshop.

I'd be satisfied to take a healthy, mature doe... moreso, actually, than shooting a two year-old forky. Unfortunately, the good people of CA seem to think it's murderous and wrong to shoot "Bambi's mother", and the odds of having regular doe seasons in most of this state are slim to none. So it's the first forked horns you see, or nothing... which means a lot of young forkies will never grow to maturity on public lands. At least they don't let you shoot spikes here. It also means that, if I see a legal buck, it is very likely to be the only one I'll see in a season. It's either shoot it or go without.

I love everything about hunting, with or without killing anything, but I AM out there to kill a deer. I'm not likely to willingly go without venison for the season.

I do think that if I can get a B-zone deer in the freezer, I'll be more picky when I do my second tag hunt in G-1. Maybe not holding out for a massive record-book deer, but something more mature that's already made a generous contribution to the gene pool.

Good topic, though. Glad you brought it up.

[songdog]

The first few weeks of the season are normally focused on a bigger deer. When it comes down to the last week or so, the forkies are in trouble. Normally, I'll see one or more particular deer that I'm trying for long before the season starts. If all I've been seeing pre season are forkies... then I may shoot one sooner than later.

[One Track]

I can relate to what you all are saying. If I was hunting plentiful buck country like Niels, I would hold out to the last day. Hunting in San Diego County, a forkie is a good deer. You can hunt all season and not see a buck. However, three years ago, my last "rifle" season, I passed on a forkie during the opener. I didn't want the season to end that quickly. I returned to the same area the next day. Around 2pm, I jumped a 4x4 from his bed, and he was mine. He's not real big. I've shot bigger 2x2's. But, he's a beautiful, symetrical 4x4. I'm glad I held out.

[BigDog]

It does really matter on where you are hunting. I have control of some property up above Suisanville. X3A. When I scouted it this year, I saw seven bucks, forrkies up to 4 x 4. And I saw tracks that I am sure were from larger ones. If I had gotten drawn for it, I would have taken vacation and would have probably been choosy seeing as I would have the place to myself.
But, when it comes to sharing the area with everyone else, you just never know if you will see another one.
About 10 years ago, I did pass up on a forkie on the second weekend of A zone. By the time the last weekend rolled around, I was kicking myself because I had not seen another legal one since then. Luckily, I found a 3 x 2 in his bed on that Sunday afternoon. Since then, I have not passed up on a legal one.
This coming opening of B zone, I have a hunt on one of GR's 3 point or better ranches. If I am lucky enough to get one then, I may be choosy when Speckmisser and I go out for G1. But......probably not....lol

[HOGHUNTER714]

I have to agree with BigDog & Grtwythunter any deer I take from hunting in California is a Trophy to "me". I always seem to hold out for the one "exclusive" Big Buck, but as the season winds down, I&#39;m in search of any deer that stands on all fours and has a forked horn or better. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif

[niels]

Hey Speckmisser, thanks for the welcome, I was just curious if you read all my posts on this topic? I address alot of the things you said in your post, good
to hear from you, have you got a chance to look at my California blacktail hunting website?

take care

[Speckmisser]

Hey Niels,

Yeah, I read your posts. Good stuff, and it seems like we&#39;re on the same basic wavelength.

I actually checked out your website a while back. Some nice deer there. Can&#39;t remember where I linked from, because I spend a lot of time looking for info out there. If I&#39;m not hunting, I&#39;m reading about hunting.

Anyway, once more... welcome aboard. Look forward to hearing more from you.

[niels]

Hey Speck,

you probably linked from blacktailcountry.com, what an awesome site heh?

[Wheelchair Bandit]

I&#39;ll have to give it to Niels,he has more than enough enthusiasm.

Me,I like to hunt probibly more than the next guy.The problem is crawling out of that nice,warm sleeping bag when it&#39;s so cold outside. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-sleep-blue.gif

[DanV]

Wheelchair Bandit,
Get yourself an A-zone tag, you won&#39;t have to contend with the cold outside and most likely you will be on top of the bag! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif

[bowhunting fool]

I myself think any deer is a trophy in just the fact that you had to somehow get past that animals formidable senses and awareness and be able to place some sort of projectile into the animal and make a clean merciful kill. But I have been fortunate enough to have taken my share of nice deer and I am now old enough to want to make each trip out special so I will hold out for that big racked deer now. My biggest deer ever had a 28 inch spread and if I can top that anywhere I will be happy and content. and I will eat every piece of edible meat and make all sorts of things from the hide and hooves to a nice head mount and nice family meals of venison. So the whole deer is consumed in some way and is remembered on my wall and my kids will have the mounts some day as they ask me all the time. So thats why now I will try and take a trophy animal when I am able to. Good Luck to all of you guys this year and I hope everyone gets the one they want trophy or not.

[Wheelchair Bandit]

Originally posted by Dan Vieira@Sep 12 2002, 07:56 PM
Wheelchair Bandit,
Get yourself an A-zone tag, you won&#39;t have to contend with the cold outside and most likely you will be on top of the bag! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif
And have to hunt with you nutty southern boys?Naahhh,I don&#39;t think I could handle all the Mercedes SUVs and guys running around with petta-cures.

P.S.-How do you get those big bucks into those little tiny apartments?????

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-newlaugh-yellow.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-toothless-aqua.gif

[DanV]

Not me Bandit! Northern Ca. just as yourself. Not quite as far north, Esparto, Yolo County. I would have room for just about anything up to a moose, maybe even an elephant. Got at least a 14&#39; ceiling in my living room.

[One Track]

Just drove my Explorer into in downtown San Diego to get my weekly manicure, while you guys were posting. Did I miss anything?

[DanV]

San Diego, I thought that was a San Francisco sort of thing. Did you get them camoed?

[One Track]

Good idea. Next week for sure.

[rusman66]

wow: some guys know how to live!

I just sent out a mobile unit to give my treestand a good detailing. Nothing worse than a dirty treestand. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-cool-shades-down.gif

[Wheelchair Bandit]

Originally posted by Dan Vieira@Sep 13 2002, 09:37 PM
Not me ###Bandit! Northern Ca. just as yourself. Not quite as far north, Esparto, Yolo County. I would have room for just about anything up to a moose, maybe even an elephant. Got at least a 14&#39; ceiling in my living room.
Ha!I always get a kick out of you southern boys calling yourself "Northern California".Seems anything above LA is now Northern California.To me,Humboldt County is as south as you can go and still be nothern."Real" Northern California is Del Norte county.The more north east you go,the stranger it gets.You&#39;ld swear you were in south Mississippi or something along those lines.Every time I go in that county,I expect to see some mongoloid kid sitting on a front porch playing the theme song from Deliverance.

As for room-gotta 21 foot ceiling in the front room of the homestead here.Really needs a cape buffalo or three to spruce it up.

Now you southern boys have fun,and don&#39;t get those Guicci boots dirty.

WB.

[Shep]

A forky wont cut it,has to be 3x3 or larger,giant forky might be an exception though. I usually set a 4x4 benchmark for myself.Heading for Colorado for archery elk on the 22nd then straight to Wyoming on a muley hunt in the Bridger-Teton wilderness,then finish up back home with a G-1 for my party of 5.

[DanV]

Humboldt County, is&#39;nt that just Southern OREGON, and that diliverance stuff, believe that originated in the boonies, probably some logging camp. Just joshin ya! Glad you all have a sense of humor. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-chainsaw-left.gif

[doghouse95]

Whellchair Bandit.
I loved it!!!!! Tehama County in the winter, and Plumas county in the summer.
I thought southern Kalifornia started just south of Yuba city.....
Can we here it for the great state of Jefferson!!!!!!!

[jackrabbit]

Northern California, Southern California -- you guys got nothing on us Central California San Joaquin Valley folks. You see, we got a great industry in this area -- the prison industry. Besides furniture, they produce great tattoo&#39;s. So all of us serious hunters just skip the "petta-cures" and go straight to the camo tattoo&#39;s. We just get the whole body done (like they do in the joint), in a choice of patterns, hunt naked, don&#39;t have to worry about snags or tears, and just jump in the creek to wash up! Whenever we need a little red for safety, we just pull out our Rambo survival blade and cut ourselves up and let the blood flow for a bit -- works great for bait if your hunting bear too! I do have to admit though, we tend to go for the forkies, the better bucks are up too high, far away from the roads, and worse yet, far away from the ice chest!

[Wheelchair Bandit]

Dan,
If any snaggle toothed,shotgun totin&#39; redneck says to you "You gotta purty mouth boy",run away REALLY fast. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif

Doghouse95,
The state of Jefferson was way up north,over in the Modoc area if I remember correctly.Watch out what you say about it though-there are folks in that region that still take things VERY seriously.I think they even have their own newspaper.

Jackrabbit,
Yes,but what about all those annoying thorns and barb wire fences?Are we allowed to wear a cup?Does it have to be cammo too?

[rusman66]

Jackrabbit: it is truly heartwarming that you all are making a fine living off of our homie rejects. Down south We don&#39;t like to put our criminals behind bars we like to put em in office.

[beandog]

I&#39;m very fortunate to have a large area of private land to hunt. Because of that, I trophy hunt. My partner and myself have an " it better be as wide as it&#39;s ears and better than a fork" rule. We see alot of legal bucks every day we hunt but the way we see it, we&#39;re sitting on one of the most productive chunks of earth as far as big buck goes so why kill a forky or small 3 point when there gonna be bigger next year. Most of the bigger bucks average 20" and I&#39;ve seen 2 that were 24"-26" easy. They don&#39;t get that big being stupid. We go look at them in late Oct Nov when they&#39;re rutting and you really see some pretty impressive bucks. When I hunt public land, and I do that about half of the time, a fork horn is definatly a trophy. Blacktails are IMHO the caggiest and hardest of the deer species to hunt. Don&#39;t pass up an opportunity for some good meals to try to find something bigger (on public land ). The last weekend of the season no matter where I am, any legal buck is fair game because deer tag stew isn&#39;t my idea of a good meal.