First Trophy Tag!

HoofnClaw · Oct 30, 2010

Hey fellow hunters!

New to the site but excited to be here at last! This year I drew a highly coveted tag for southwest Idaho. Known as a "Big Buck" tag I'm excited about it.

Thing is, I love to hunt. I mean it is just as much the experience as it is any harvesting of an animal. And I'm not ashamed to say that I am a meat hunter more than a horn hunter.

Alot of my friends, though envious of my tag, are telling me to hold out for a real bruiser buck.I quess my concern is...how do I transition from meat hunter to trophy hunter and make the most of the tag I have drawn?

I've been pounding my senses w/ every magazine article, internet story and tv show about big muleys that I can. But we all know judging from the couch or computer or photos is not the same as judging through binos or a scope, or is it?

Any words of wisdom would be great, Rob

angus · Oct 30, 2010

Shoot the buck you will be happy with,dosent matter what other people think.If it was my tag I would give it a few days to see whats in the area.

longshooter338 · Oct 30, 2010

+1 just go and have fun the trophy is in the eye of the beholder good luck !!!!!

dillon · Oct 30, 2010

Bucks with bigger antlers generally have more meat on their bones...so you can still be a meat hunter just make sure he has the big barreled chest with the roman nose and he will most likely have a good set of antlers on top.

HoofnClaw · Oct 30, 2010

Thanks Guys!

I really appreciate all your input. I too agree that the trophy is in the eye of the hunter. I will have about 10 huntable days for this tag and won't shoot the first buck I see, unless of course his headgear makes my jaw hit the ground, haha.

bucklover · Oct 30, 2010

I know this is probably too late to help out, but it just a comment anyway. I am a must better judge of a buck when I'm just out looking, or tagging along with someone and I'm not carrying a gun. When I have a gun/tag in my hands it seems all my brains want to fall out on the ground. And its been said many times before, never judge a buck with just a going away look. (easier said than done, sometimes that's all you get) Anyway, maybe it's a good idea, if time allows, to have your hunting buddy at least give you his thoughts on what type of buck is in front of you.

Buck · Oct 30, 2010

>I know this is probably too
>late to help out, but
>it just a comment anyway.
> I am a must
>better judge of a buck
>when I'm just out looking,
>or tagging along with someone
>and I'm not carrying a
>gun. When I have a
>gun/tag in my hands it
>seems all my brains want
>to fall out on the
>ground. And its been said
>many times before, never judge
>a buck with just a
>going away look. (easier said
>than done, sometimes that's all
>you get) Anyway, maybe
>it's a good idea, if
>time allows, to have your
>hunting buddy at least give
>you his thoughts on what
>type of buck is in
>front of you.

And have him hold your cartridges. That's what I do with my brother.

"The value of any trophy from the field depends not on its size but on the magnitude of the effort expended in its pursuit." ~ Aldo Leopold