Meat or Antlers

[stubborn1VT]

Meat.  

[moog5050]

2 minutes ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

Negative. It's all about the challenge Meat is any evening


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If it’s all about the challenge, then why not chase a mature buck in the ADK.  Way fewer and bigger challenge than hunting letchworth.  

In some areas killing any deer may be a huge challenge.  Equal to killing a nice buck where we hunt.  Just something to consider.  

[Hunter007]

To me shooting something in a heavy hunted area even if it is small  can be just as much a trophy as a bigger buck in other places with less pressure in a way . 

[mowin]

This is where it becomes a personal preference. Some are only looking to fill the freezer.. period.   Some are looking for the best buck in there area... Period.

There there's the hunters who are looking for antlers, but will shoot a spike!  Are either one better than the other?  HELL NO.  Everyone is different. Doesn't make them better or worng.  Shoot whatever makes you and your freezer ( if that's your goal) happy. 

Hunt, and shoot whatever your goals are. Disregard others goals. As long as it's leagle, have at it. 

[ATbuckhunter]

I say both. I shoot plenty of does so I can wait for a nice buck. No point shooting a buck that Ill wish I would have let walk. 

[G-Man]

Meat

[crappyice]

Meat...is a horny hormone driven buck harder to kill than a mature doe? I think we’ve all see bucks do inexplicably stupid things just chasing tail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jeremy K]

4 minutes ago, crappyice said:

Meat...is a horny hormone driven buck harder to kill than a mature doe? I think we’ve all see bucks do inexplicably stupid things just chasing tail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, I'm Jeremy , ive also done inexplicably stupid things just chasing tail. 

[crappyice]

Hi, I'm Jeremy , ive also done inexplicably stupid things just chasing tail. 

Hi Jeremy


Sorry...sounded like a flashback to my sex addicts meeting


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Four Season Whitetail's]

If it’s all about the challenge, then why not chase a mature buck in the ADK.  Way fewer and bigger challenge than hunting letchworth.  
In some areas killing any deer may be a huge challenge.  Equal to killing a nice buck where we hunt.  Just something to consider.  

Been known to do that also up in South Colton area. Not going to find inches in the Dak's and if you think it's a cake walk taking a trophy out of the park you must not have tried it to many times.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[grampy]

35 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

If it’s all about the challenge, then why not chase a mature buck in the ADK.  Way fewer and bigger challenge than hunting letchworth.  

In some areas killing any deer may be a huge challenge.  Equal to killing a nice buck where we hunt.  Just something to consider.  

Great post!

Sometimes just seeing a deer is a challenge in some areas!

I do like to to challenge myself. But I do not base my enjoyment in inches.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Great post!
Sometimes just seeing a deer is a challenge in some areas!
I do like to to challenge myself. But I do not base my enjoyment in inches.

That's all and well but let's not change the wording of the post. Meat or Antlers. No right or wrong answer some go for the antlers because they know they can get meat anytime and antlers always come along with meat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NFA-ADK]

   Guess I do it for both but I am really after the antlers.  Reality is that I do it more for the enjoyment, comradery, challenge, knowledge and love of the woods.  Antlers are just a bonus when you actually get everything right and get one down with a decent rack.  The guys who really want antlers scout and use cameras.  Like wise Grampy says its not about inches of bone on the animal but when you do get one of these beauties its an amazing sight feel and smell. 

[nyslowhand]

If you want horn, do it! If meat in the freezer is important, good for you! If both hunting strategies are equally important, keep doing what you like to do! I'd never criticize any hunter for what's important or their expectations of their deer season! Why is this even being discussed...!!?!! A trolling topic....

[Buckmaster7600]

Neither, I hunt for the challenge. Inches mean nothing and I would rather eat beef. I have hunted Ohio and shot some dandy’s and got bored real quick! I like killing critters my way on my terms usually the hardest way possible. That’s why next week I’ll be chasing turkeys with no calls and no blind with a bow, if I shoot a Jake or a tom I don’t give a crap because I haven’t found a tougher way to kill turkeys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GreeneHunter]

Meat ..... antlers attached is nice but not the point !

[Steuben Jerry]

I'm out for antlers primarily, but I'm not obsessed about them. I've gone a bunch of years without taking a buck, but it's more disappointing to not have a freezer stuffed. I won't take a yearling buck any longer. Used to years ago.

[moog5050]

10 hours ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

Been known to do that also up in South Colton area. Not going to find inches in the Dak's and if you think it's a cake walk taking a trophy out of the park you must not have tried it to many times.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nobody said its a cake walk.  My point is that if its all about the challenge as you stated, there are more challenging places to kill a mature buck.  We all like to set our own level of challenge, including choosing places to hunt based on likelihood of success or even gear that we hunt with. 

Honestly, FSW I don't really disagree with you on the fun of hunting for a nice set of antlers, but I do disagree with how you tend to take shots at everyone that doesn't place such an emphasis on antlers.  Personally, yes I want to kill a nice mature buck.  Its not the end all and be all of hunting for me though.  And if I could only keep antlers and never meat, I probably wouldn't be so interested in hunting deer.  Then again, if I was only hunting for meat, I would not hunt near as often as there would be no need.  So what's more important, the combo is for me.

But you will not hear me say:  "If most had to get the antlers before they get the meat they would fold."  Why - because it makes it sound as if anyone that kills something other than your standard of buck is somehow a lesser hunter than you.   That's nonsense too.  As a few have said, to each his own. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

Both for me. Meat hunting is not really much of a challenge in my areas, but its fun. Is it to the point of I can go and guarantee that Ill put one on the ground at any time I choose? No, but give me a few days and I will. Hunting mature bucks (Ill define this as 3.5 y/o and up) is a whole different ballgame though, and that is where the challenge comes in for me, and the most satisfaction. There are many other aspects to hunting that I enjoy more than the actual kill. Simply asking "meat or antlers" is too black and white to give a real answer IMO.

[airedale]

I don't hunt Deer a whole lot these days but when I do it is because I am wanting some venison to eat or to try a virgin rifle and caliber out to see how it performs, and I am not picky on what gets shot.

Al

Edited April 25, 2018 by airedale

[grampy]

10 hours ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

That's all and well but let's not change the wording of the post. Meat or Antlers. No right or wrong answer some go for the antlers because they know they can get meat anytime and antlers always come along with meat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No doubt, that walking up on a big buck that I killed is a huge thrill.  But it is not what defines my hunting season. I've had great hunting seasons, where I didn't shoot a big buck.  But had a close encounter with one, and he won!  Nothing wrong with that in my book. Or even shot a smaller buck, that served as food for the table. No problem there either.

I always can get venison, which I enjoy very much, and look forward to.

The chasing of mature bucks?  It really is the experience of hunting them for me. The "challenge" as we say. Not the outcome.  

I hunt a very pressured area, surrounded by state land. Big bucks don't come easy here. And I've done ok, over the years. But my love of the chase is what gets me out of bed on a cold frosty morning. Not the end result of bone on the ground. I know this sounds like a contradiction to some. But it's as clear as can be to me. And really, that's all that matters.

Antlers have never defined me as a hunter. Or a man.

Edited April 25, 2018 by grampy

[wooly]

Last year I found out due to some medical reasons that I was physically unable to, and may never eat another piece of deer meat in my life.., but I still went out and killed a DOE!

Chew on THAT for a little while.... 

I can honestly say to myself now that I'm not in it for the meat OR the antlers, but ALL for the experiences and encounters.

Just put me in the woods surrounded by nature and I'll decide what trips my trigger any given day without feeling like I have to explain myself to anyone as to why I'm out there!

[Arcade Hunter]

Fill the freezer!  Horns are a bonus.

[fasteddie]

Meat ---- Antlers are a bonus . 

[steve863]

I think someone should put up a real voting poll on this, where the only choices are meat or antlers.  FSW has said in the past that deer hunting is 95% plus all about antlers, while wolc123 somehow has his own statistics favoring meat hunters.  Having a poll with only the two choices would settle matters once and for all here in my opinion.