Deer, the meat or rack?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MikePal

It might be controversial, but I witnessed it again this year at camp; we have a couple of guys who DON'T hunt for either the rack nor the meat..just the fun of hunting. In a camp environment this works well, they put meat on the pole but don't want a cut of the meat.

Controversial... because there are a faction of 'Hunters' (not anti's), that feel that just enjoying 'killing' a deer without a want for the meat is wrong.

---

If the meat is not wasted, it is not wrong. If someone thinks it is, they need to have a big issue with the "professional" hunters and the "TV show" guys then.

I have hunted for 10 yrs now.For the first 5 yrs I allowed myself to follow the advice of people I was hunting with.Only mature bucks should be shot, dont even bother getting a doe tag. Many of those yrs I saw mature bucks and missed some good opportunities and cam up empty. The concept of shooting only mature bucks never made sense to me.A doe can have one or possibly two fawns a yr. A mature buck is limited by only the number of does he can find.I have heard the opinion that if you shoot a big buck another one will breed the does. Well I,m sure thats true some of the time I can pretty much guarantee it,s not true all of the time. The window of opportunity is very narrow. Fawns that come from the second breeding cycle have a higher rate of mortality than ones born from the first cycle of breeding. It really come down to balance. My self I am 100% for meat. I dont take particular pleasure in killing, and hate to see animals suffer. Personally I think every hunter should do there best to educate themselves on good deer management. This is my second yr hunting with the group i am in and I hear the same things from them that I have heard since I started hunting.And I am certain that 100% of it is based on whet they believe to be true and not what they have educated themselves on. Happy and safe hunting to all

Well said. A lot of people seem to think something is correct because it is how they or their mentors have done it forever. (It's how we have always done it) A good example of this is people refusing to shoot does in areas where the population is extremely high and there are numerous doe tags given out. Many still think they have to leave the does to "protect" the herd, when in actual fact clearing out some does is the best thing for the herd.

Alot of interesting opinions...

I agree on the topic of not wanting meat or rack but just enjoying the sport, if you are hunting alone and the meat is going to waste.. terrible, however if your hunting with a team and the meat is going to be eaten, enjoy the hunt! (also come hunt with me so i can get a bigger share of meat lol)

But personally I gun hunt for meat and bow hunt for show, meaning early in the season and then again after the gun hunt if I still have my tag I will let does and smaller bucks pass hoping the big boy will come in, however when gun hunting I will take does and smaller bucks to try and fill tags and the freezer and my belly!!

It is also proven that taking ALL types of deer ( besides fawns at least that I have ever heard ) each have its advantage to genetics heard ect.

-Steve

I hunt for both reasons the meat and the rack. If you hunt as a group or in my case family we have no problem taking a doe for meat and keeping a tag for the rack should we see one, although more often than not the "rack" tag ends up in the soup pot! We did however take a nice doe this year so there will be some meat added to the "rack" tag soup.

Attachment 31378

Speaking of tags it is there, just in the other ear.

I have settled for tag soup more times than I care to admit..lol I think I hold a record for number of bucks not taken. Nice doe congrats.

I enjoy seeing a buck mature thru the years and watching them grow. I try to provide the best habitat that I can that will attract and hold deer year around. I don't need to kill a deer to eat, I can afford to go to the local butcher and buy a 1/2 beef. I hunt due to the fact I enjoy the taste and the excitement I get by getting close and undetected to the deer. I will take a nice dry doe or a fawn to fill the freezer but I also wait and hunt for a big mature buck. I am very lucky I can go 200 yards back behind my house and climb into my stand and pretty well see deer every sit that I could shoot with my bow. Very few times do I go out that I don't have an opportunity that I could harvest a doe or fawn. Now the mature bucks are mostly nocturnal during hunting season but do come out to play during the rut and I take that time to focus on them. Last week I passed on many deer and we only harvested 1 deer between myself and my dad. I will fill another tag this year with a nice deer for the freezer.

I must say this has been an interesting and informative thread I started. Nice to get different opinions and point of views on the subject. And.... I may have learned a thing or two?

The day after I purchased my Excalibur I was in the stand and passed at a nice dry doe. I've yet to have another deer pass under that stand while I'm there!

Meat first. I've come up empty on doe tag draw three years running now so buck hunting has become the norm.

I can agree with having little time in the stand. I will take the first opportunity that presents itself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gooseman

I try to practice quality deer management and let the younger little bucks walk and let the breeding does breed again. I will take a fawn or a dry doe and have a 8 pt or bigger rule for my property. I have no problems with anybody taking a deer as long as its legal, these are just my rules that I follow.

---

Same with me