So do you hunt for the Rack or the meat.

Rengerizit

I hunt for the meat my kids love deer and Elk The first forky or better gets it and I get a Elk cow tag most every year if I draw right

Grant

I'm allowed to take three Mule Deer here in BC every year if I desire to. The first one is almost always a meat buck. A nice 2 point or something like that. If I get a chance to take a big one at that time, trust me I take it, but meat in the freezer is important. The second I'm a little more selective in trying to get a larger animal. If I make it to the third buck, it's got to be a big one. I don't often take three deer a year, usually two, but like this year I got a Moose draw and split a moose with my buddy. I only took one buck this year as I had more than enough meat for this winter. I'd say I let about 25-30 small bucks walk away this year hoping for a large one.

With moose, if it has sticks on it's head, it falls down. A nice spike fork bull will give you 300 lbs of great meat in the freezer and that's enough for me.

4rum · Member Joined: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 211

The first legal deer (whitetail) that comes by is the one I want most, antlers or no. I have a recipe with orange juice, brown rice and muchrooms that demands it! The whole family loves venison. I appreciate the majesty of a full rack buck, it's an honor to harvest one but... I have to go with meat.

Hey Grant... I've had the pleasure of moose a few times. It is my favorite of ALL wild game.

Bushmaster

Meat hunter...Mostly the enjoyment I get out of the people I hunt with. Especially around camp when the day is done. Very Happy

1895ss

Mostly I'm a meat hunter but I have often been known to hold out for Mr. Big witch hasn't always happened but it has paid off a few times. I have never not gotten my meat supply because of it though. Smile

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

I hunt for the experience, the fun and the outdoors. I am not a trophy hunter but I've been lucky to run across a couple of big bucks. I've shot my share of tender forkhorns but in the past 10 years I've been running into alot more 3 and 4pt or bigger deer. Same age class as the forkhorns just more points... maybe better genetics?

I've killed alot of elk, never killed one with antlers. We get free cow tags from the State to offset property damages. So mainly we hunt for the meat and the experience.

4rum wrote:

The first legal deer (whitetail) that comes by is the one I want most, antlers or no. I have a recipe with orange juice, brown rice and muchrooms that demands it! The whole family loves venison. I appreciate the majesty of a full rack buck, it's an honor to harvest one but... I have to go with meat.

I think you better post that orange / rice / mushroom recipe to the recipes section!!!

Quote::

Hey Grant... I've had the pleasure of moose a few times. It is my favorite of ALL wild game.

Moose is good although tough IMO, Caribou is great, Antelope is exceptional if taken care of properly, elk is very good, Deer i enjoy in many forms but most expecially Jerky or stews. My #1 most favorite meat is Dove followed by fresh cutthroat trout.

-DallanC

jeh7mmmag · Member Joined: Dec 24, 2006 Posts: 223 Location: DFW, TX.

Bushmaster wrote:

Meat hunter...Mostly the enjoyment I get out of the people I hunt with. Especially around camp when the day is done. Very Happy

Agreed bushy, Very Happy

I also try to mix the venison with some feral hog (which we are being overcome with).
And the TX style dove breast, jalepenos, cream cheese, mesquite grill is hard to beat.

Roscoe

I deer hunt for rack and I hog hunt for meat. I guess I aint very good at it since I've only killed one deer in the last 4 yrs! Embarassed

Bushmaster

Like Dallan said. Only I'll go one farther. Killing game is only 25% of it. the rest of it is the mountains, outdoors and the comraderee...

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Meat and the enjoyment of the hunt I'd say. Smile

Dimitri

moose2

Like alot of folks, I'm primarily a meat hunter, but wouldn't pass up a nice buck if the oppurtunity presented it self. Also enjoy the getting together with friends, the planning and preparation, and the end of year gathering with friends and relatives to make country sausage and brats. Its always a good time and its great for the kids to participate in.--tr

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Bushmaster wrote:

Like Dallan said. Only I'll go one farther. Killing game is only 25% of it. the rest of it is the mountains, outdoors and the comraderee...

I wish I had someone to hunt with... 99.999% of my hunting I'm solo, off doing it myself. Even elk I'll shoot, gut, load and take home solo. Last year i took my boy hunting a couple times in the evening and it was really fun. Hopefully I'll get to take him more this fall as hes about old enough to do full days.

One other thing though, I hunt to kill something. Other times of the year i love watching / photographing wildlife but when its open season (and our seasons are drastically short), I'm trying damn hard to fill my tag. I have 359 days a year to enjoy the mountains and watch critters... but 5-6 days out of the year when its open season... I hunt hard.

Its all fun though Smile

-DallanC

1895ss

Bushmaster wrote:

Meat hunter...Mostly the enjoyment I get out of the people I hunt with. Especially around camp when the day is done. Very Happy

I have to agree with Bushy, I really enjoy hunting Elk from a camp back in the bush. It's the piece and quiet I enjoy the most. My comrads and I all want to come home with some meat but that is second on the list when we are there. The best part is just getting away from everything for a week to 10 days. My son has joined me in Elk camp the last 10 yrs or so and I'm looking forward to the day my oldest Grandson can start coming along as well.

Arizona Hunter · Member Joined: Jul 22, 2006 Posts: 275

In Arizona we are fortunate if we get a big game tag, so all I want is the meat.

shrpshtrjoe

Howdy. I just realy enjoy being in the woods I'll go out sometimes with no intention of shooting anything!!. When I am shooting it's to fill the freezer!. Don't get me wrong if there's a ten point standing next to a spike I'll take the ten point but I will not pass on a smaller buck until my freezer's full.
Joe