Consider yourself lucky if there was no impact from invasive or non-native species then. Hardly anything left like that.
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Negativity Towards Trophy Hunters
- Thread starter HuntNorthEast
- Start date
To be honest this one of the things I like about the hunting contest. Hearing the stories about the successes and not so successful encounters in the deer woods from around the country. There's always regional differences but almost always similarities we can all relate to as well.
So.... if you don't hunt for meat you're a wasteful, wanton sum biiatch? If you only hunt for a big rack you're a horny buck that's for sure... I mean come on... I say every time I get in the woods, I hope I shoot a monster. But I'm happy if I harvest a great tasting doe. I love venison but I don't hunt because I need the food. For those people that do..... I'm glad they hunt rather than rely on some program to feed them. For those that love the thrill of putting their hands on a big ole' rack after the day is done.... that's one of the closest things to heaven I can think of as long as it was done ethically, legally and with as much efficiency as possible. If your motivation is to hurt, maim or wound something then I say It should happen to you tenfold. If you're wasteful of the meat and just keep the horns... that's totally shameful. But I don't know many true hunters at all that have bad intentions whether they just want meat or just want a rack. I don't think anyone should apologize for wanting either, both or none. I hope I never sound like some kind of opinion judge on here because if I do then I hope you boys and girls will call me out on it. We need to grow the ranks not judge each other. We need to respect each other as much as possible. Hunters are hunters are hunters are hunters are hunters.
I think the fastest way to grow ranks is to remove ethics from the conversation, realizing it’s completely subjective, arbitrary, and usually not grounded in something grown ranks can relate to. And the stigma for not getting it “right” or down the middle.
then just foster honesty. Real honesty. You know, say what things are, and try your best to point at the truth and keep recalibrating as you learn new information.
remove incentives to lie (stigma, moral superiority, dumb laws that don’t make sense).
and the second most useful tool is to unapologetically enjoy the heck out of hunting, and spread the word to the normies. You’ll infect people with your confidence and charisma. Or scare them into leaving you alone. Either way is good.
I'm kinda convinced that the use of the word "harvest" and similar shenanigans hurt more than help. Nobody thinks for a second we're picking deer like tomatoes and in our society nothing screams "bad thing" like not being able to say the word and playing semantic defense.
Most of the country is still on board with killing and eating animals. I prefer honesty and a "yes, and?" response to people who accuse me of killing tasty animals. Kinda cuts the argument off before it even starts
Completely agree with you on "harvest" and would throw "sport" in the same boat. This is no game, I hunt with the intent to kill and eat.
Everyone is a trophy hunter. Some want to make sure you know it, some don’t want you to know it and some don’t know it themselves.
The first can’t quit telling you about their trophy hunter status because they need you to KNOW why they never kill a deer.
The second know who they are and don’t care what you think. They’re comfortable in their skin and are downright killers.
The third are out there to hunt and part of hunting is killing and if it floats their boat it is going to die. If the deer that traipses by just so happens to be a “trophy” then so damn be it because he’s getting killed too.
The first can’t quit telling you about their trophy hunter status because they need you to KNOW why they never kill a deer.
The second know who they are and don’t care what you think. They’re comfortable in their skin and are downright killers.
The third are out there to hunt and part of hunting is killing and if it floats their boat it is going to die. If the deer that traipses by just so happens to be a “trophy” then so damn be it because he’s getting killed too.
There's negativity towards public land hunters, private land hunters, meat hunters, bird hunters, squirrel hunters, trad hunters, saddle hunters, etc. Every "type" of hunter has had some negativity thrown their way by another "type". It's never going to change. Get over it and do your thing.
Pretty much what my OP says in the first few lines.
I'm one of those people that @Nutterbuster was referencing re: opinions without a rack on the wall, but that said, thanks for this thread. My opinions are evolving (I think of myself as a meat hunter, but the one time I got close enough to draw on a buck last year I was so nervous/excited that I royally screwed it up. Heck I screwed up the "just meat" chances I got in my first season too ) and I appreciate the read, though do believe that it boils down to "you do you".
There's a whole tangent to this thread re: high fence hunts and safaris for wall hangers that don't get eaten etc, and those discussions can have even more polarizing opinions, but I've appreciated how it's stuck to whitetail antlers vs meat so far. Hopefully I don't derail the conversation by saying that.
I have a lot of respect for those of you that spend a season (or more) chasing a giant. I also have a lot of respect for those of you that fill the freezer. Both camps have taught me a lot, and I have a lot left to learn from both. Thanks all, and strong work to the mod team and regulars for keeping this forum civil.
There's a whole tangent to this thread re: high fence hunts and safaris for wall hangers that don't get eaten etc, and those discussions can have even more polarizing opinions, but I've appreciated how it's stuck to whitetail antlers vs meat so far. Hopefully I don't derail the conversation by saying that.
I have a lot of respect for those of you that spend a season (or more) chasing a giant. I also have a lot of respect for those of you that fill the freezer. Both camps have taught me a lot, and I have a lot left to learn from both. Thanks all, and strong work to the mod team and regulars for keeping this forum civil.
But in the same post you were negative towards a certain "type" of hunter (in your opinion)
Even though you said it was your opinion, it still implied some negativity.
Personally, I don't see the attraction in shooting a deer in southern Maine with a rifle. I just don't find the excitement and the "hunt" part in it. See how that has some negativity implied? You were bashing one type of negativity while implying it to another.
It's all fun. I'd go shoot a lion if a rich dentist invited me to go. I've shot pheasants thrown out of a tower. I've been told "sit here in this box and look this way" and shot a buck.
But, I'd also fish out of the Bass Pro tank and have a blast.
But, I'd also fish out of the Bass Pro tank and have a blast.
I am probably the hunter who doesn't have a nice rack on my wall in which @Nutterbuster is referring to, but I still have an opinion about what type of deer I think are cool and lame. Just because someone hasn't done something doesn't mean they can't have a value structure or opinion on it. I don't put a lot of effort into hunting, I am more laid back. I enjoy being in the woods and shooting a deer when I can. Even though I mostly only kill does, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't prefer to kill big bucks, or that I think big bucks are lame. On the contrary! I want to kill a nice buck as much as the next guy. The main difference is my level of effort and my desire to kill a big buck are directly proportional, meaning, I am not trying hard to kill a big buck so I don't expect to kill a big buck. What I won't do is tell someone how to do something I don't know how to do i.e. you wont find me posting in the "how should I hunt this land" or "how do you kill big bucks threads" because I have no experience or expertise to offer. You'll find me posting on the gear threads about what to use and what do you like threads. I have used the gear and feel like I can offer insight and experiences with those things.
I am hugely supportive of new hunters and the whole kill what makes you happy bit; however, within the hunters I know on a personal level there is a camaraderie and playful banter regarding the kills each person makes. It is way more playful then the utter disdain some folks have for meat hunters, or trophy hunters. I don't hold that hatred for anything but illegal acts of poaching etc. Sometimes it's hard to separate who we are on the internet and who we are in person. That said, I have been sucked into shaming our dear @Nutterbuster relentlessly for killing spotted fawns when I ought not to of. Calling individuals out pubicly is never beneficial and mostly makes you look like a tool. That kind of internet smack talk I would not typically extend or in such a manner to people I don't know on a personal level. Luckily, @Nutterbuster is a better sport than most and doesn't give rats behind what I or anyone else thinks of his ways. He hunts hard and can't understand why anyone would hunt nonchalant and bring the worst tool available to kill a deer. Everyone is different. I hold no true anti spirit of anger or malice toward anyone that kills fawns legally and I would never tell them what to do. I just gotta watch telling others what I think is lame. I think @Nutterbuster is the only individual I have given grief to about what they killed, and I'll try and refrain from that in the future.
TL;DR
Generally speaking I think big bucks are cool and little itty bitty deer are lame; but, kill what makes you happy and enjoy your time in the woods because I don't care what you do.
I am hugely supportive of new hunters and the whole kill what makes you happy bit; however, within the hunters I know on a personal level there is a camaraderie and playful banter regarding the kills each person makes. It is way more playful then the utter disdain some folks have for meat hunters, or trophy hunters. I don't hold that hatred for anything but illegal acts of poaching etc. Sometimes it's hard to separate who we are on the internet and who we are in person. That said, I have been sucked into shaming our dear @Nutterbuster relentlessly for killing spotted fawns when I ought not to of. Calling individuals out pubicly is never beneficial and mostly makes you look like a tool. That kind of internet smack talk I would not typically extend or in such a manner to people I don't know on a personal level. Luckily, @Nutterbuster is a better sport than most and doesn't give rats behind what I or anyone else thinks of his ways. He hunts hard and can't understand why anyone would hunt nonchalant and bring the worst tool available to kill a deer. Everyone is different. I hold no true anti spirit of anger or malice toward anyone that kills fawns legally and I would never tell them what to do. I just gotta watch telling others what I think is lame. I think @Nutterbuster is the only individual I have given grief to about what they killed, and I'll try and refrain from that in the future.
TL;DR
Generally speaking I think big bucks are cool and little itty bitty deer are lame; but, kill what makes you happy and enjoy your time in the woods because I don't care what you do.
One thing I try to caution is that everyone one has a reason for doing the things they do. There's not a wrong reason to hunt, as long a it's legal.
Fun and excitement are different things for different people. Im the kind of guy that takes pleasure in the results and recounting the stories afterwards. I'm involved in many things that the actual process is not fun.
Like last night...got an emergency call to rescue a kitten out of a tree. Definitely wasn't fun in the moment as I had to cut a lot of vines, luckily it was Virginia creeper and not grape or poison ivy and it was darn near impossible to get my throwball into the tree. Was fun getting paid at the end and having the kitten safe on the ground.
BTW...anyone in SE Ohio want a free female kitten? Its friendly, it actually came to me in the tree so I didn't have to net it or wear my bite gloves.
Fun and excitement are different things for different people. Im the kind of guy that takes pleasure in the results and recounting the stories afterwards. I'm involved in many things that the actual process is not fun.
Like last night...got an emergency call to rescue a kitten out of a tree. Definitely wasn't fun in the moment as I had to cut a lot of vines, luckily it was Virginia creeper and not grape or poison ivy and it was darn near impossible to get my throwball into the tree. Was fun getting paid at the end and having the kitten safe on the ground.
BTW...anyone in SE Ohio want a free female kitten? Its friendly, it actually came to me in the tree so I didn't have to net it or wear my bite gloves.
According to Tom Miranda, it's pretty cheap if you can get a nuisance hunt in Africa as they want rid of those animals and just a bit of extra cash
I can partially agree due to how it sounds, but I was simply stating it's not my thing. Everyone has their desires and disgusts. I don't have anything against anyone that chooses to hunt plots or managed farms. Some parts of the country you need to do that in order to have a herd or they will be pulled to the neighbors plot instead. I still watch hunting shows and enjoy them of people using plots. If I was raised in that type of background I would probably only know that way to hunt unless I ventured out of that realm. I don't have any negativity towards it if that's how you felt it was implied. I still leave congratulatory comments on those kinds of videos because that can be just as hard depending on surrounding farms. I just get my fix on a different style of hunting is all.
Oh it's alright. We all like to beat the hell out of ol' @Nutterbuster on here. Don't worry. He's tuff. He can take it and dish it out too.
I think keeping things like avoiding wanton waste and he simple idea of respecting and making use of the resource in the discussion is probably a good thing, but there's nothing worse than some nauseatingly self-righteous and self-superior "ethical hunter" spout off about the superiority of some convoluted ethical framework he's built up around his preferred manner of hunting.
I despise deer hunting with dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the trespassing illegal hunters they are in Virginia.... You mean like that?