Your heart is set on a trophy but then you see

[The Ole' Bowhunter]

I'ed take the shot...after all, its vension we're after.

[nineworlds9]

Ahh the sound of the string...

[stykbow67]

That dude definitely needs to be removed from the gene pool!! Sneak on in there and drop the string on him Randy!!

Steve

[Mudd]

Curious? Randy what do you hope to learn by asking?

Thanks!

God bless,Mudd

[dhermon85]

Definitely would shoot

[cmh]

A trophy is feeding family and friends.... Yes I would  

[Cavscout9753]

I'd take it. A bird in the hand..

[BDann]

Shoot it!

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by centaur:
Too ugly for me.    :eek:  

To funny pat.

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by Izzy:
That may be an antlered doe with all that funkiness. I wouldn't shoot it if I were Randy Burtis cause Id know Id kill a bigger one in a day or two but me? I would.

You show unwarranted faith in me my friend.

[FerretWYO]

So the story behind this stag buck is not as exciting as I wished. Some of you know I guide hunters from time time. I found this while guiding last week while guiding some hunters. For the record though. I would have dropped the string in a second of I could have.

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by Mudd:
Curious? Randy what do you hope to learn by asking?

Thanks!

God bless,Mudd

Not really looking for anything. Just sharing a fun outdoor experience buddy.

[kennym]

Maybe..........

[wapiti792]

Yes...I love defects     My two best bucks are seven pointers (eastern flatlander 7s). Each would have "scored" about 140 or so but both were mature wide-bodies that will forever be my faves! Pretty cool man!

[BigJim]

I would be traveling to hunt those so No, I wouldn't shoot it. I eat a lot of wild game and the meat is always nice, but I don't have to kill something to have a good time.
If legal, I'd rather shoot a doe or enjoy watching and hoping for more opportunities.
At home I still choose the does over small bucks mostly...on an invite and they give the all clear..well it's there land and if they don't mind i'll shoot the best available..maybe.

I don't feel that killing an animal makes me a successful hunter. I had an opportunity at a very tasty looking elk calf on my very first elk hunt (unguided on public land). I chose not to take it but wouldn't fault those who would.

Why would anyone think that taking an animal with traditional gear is any tougher other than the range limits? even in my compound days, I never shot a deer past 20 yards.It's not that I wouldn't have shot one past 20 yards, I just never had one that didn't give me the 20 and in that I actually took home.

Personal reflections only. I would congratulate anyone who felt they were successful.
Bigjim

[Mudd]

Thanks Randy!

It has made for an interesting read for sure.

The question it brought to my mind was how close did you need to get in order to get the photo?

I admire the skill required to stalk any animal close enough to get pictures of them in their beds.

I also appreciate all the responses of those that took their time to post.(thanks folks)

God bless,Mudd

[Roger Norris]

Originally posted by BigJim:
I would be traveling to hunt those so No, I wouldn't shoot it. I eat a lot of wild game and the meat is always nice, but I don't have to kill something to have a good time.
If legal, I'd rather shoot a doe or enjoy watching and hoping for more opportunities.
At home I still choose the does over small bucks mostly...on an invite and they give the all clear..well it's there land and if they don't mind i'll shoot the best available..maybe.

I don't feel that killing an animal makes me a successful hunter. I had an opportunity at a very tasty looking elk calf on my very first elk hunt (unguided on public land). I chose not to take it but wouldn't fault those who would.

Why would anyone think that taking an animal with traditional gear is any tougher other than the range limits? even in my compound days, I never shot a deer past 20 yards.It's not that I wouldn't have shot one past 20 yards, I just never had one that didn't give me the 20 and in that I actually took home.

Personal reflections only. I would congratulate anyone who felt they were successful.
Bigjim

Jim - I agree that hunting with traditional gear is NOT any more difficult than more modern gear. I'll even go a step further and saying many cases it's easier. My mule deer doe last year is a good example. On my knees, bow dang near horizontal, under some over hanging pine boughs...no way could that have worked with a compound.

So it isn't the gear...BUT don't forget many traditional guys saddle themselves with other challenge making choices. Hunting off the ground, not wearing camo, homemade arrows and other gear...many of these things enhance our enjoyment, and also make it a bit tougher. I do think that any legal and ethical kill with a traditional bow is a great trophy.

To answer the question...I probably wouldn't have shot that deer on day 1...but day 5? Yep.

[frassettor]

Oh yeah!!!

[Mojostick]

Define "trophy". Many hunters confuse the terms "mature" and "trophy". However, a "trophy buck" isn't necessarily a "mature buck" and a "mature buck" isn't necessarily a "trophy buck".

[Kopper1013]

Maybe I'm just so knew to the traditional side (4years) but I find traditional archery to be much more difficult for several reasons.
First let me say I was an indoor competitive archer for 7+ years ranked 10th in nation in my division at 16years old and have hunted with compound for 12years before giving it up completely to hunt/shoot traditional equipment.

Hunting with a compound I found I never had to wait for the right time to draw, i could draw at any opportunity and hold said bow 2+ min until the shot materialized. While I was proficient to say the least out to 60+ yards I never shot a deer over 25 that being said I can say a deer has a much better chance of jumping my 161fps arrow out of my BW over the 257fps of my ex-compound. Meaning I never really waited for relaxed deer It could be stomping the ground starring at me and my arrow would be true to its mark.
I have found personally again that having draw stops, peep sights and sights to put you in proper alignment with given targets to be much much easyer then shooting a bow with non of that. Even with my experience competitively I found myself over drawing, lacking consistent anchor points and poor finger realese and it has taken a long time to get where I am now and some days I'm still not there (meaning where I'd like to be).
I think it's great that some find trad equipment to be easy, maybe some day I'll be there I think for most of us though it's the challenge that brought us in this direction and personally when I feel it to be the same as a compound was for me I will add another element to up my difficulty more. I have a tendency to equat higher difficulty with higher reward/satisfaction.
Please don't take this negatively it's not meant with any
Harsh under tones these are just MHO and ment no disregard to yours. These are just some of the reasons I FEEL trad to be more difficult. I welcome all ideas and feelings and would love discussing them under a new topic (cause I don't wanna hijack this one) I love this site and everything I have gained from it.

Your fellow traditionalist Greg