Trophy Hunter

[Aceman]

When did you become a trophy hunter or have you always just wanted to shoot a nice buck. Looking back to my earlier years, when I saw a buck I pulled the trigger - Now I will have to admit that it would be nice to shoot one that might make book. My hunting days are getting numbered as I turn 80 next month - I have a 4th season tag this year, so who knows I could get lucky. But all in all, I am just thankful I am still able hunt.

 

[Comules]

I have killed some nice bucks over the years by just holding out for a bigger one than any that I had already killed. I started hunting at 9 will turn 70 in Jan
But like you I'm just thankful that I'm also still able to hunt but the mountains seem to get taller every year.

What State do you have a tag in?
Good Luck on your hunt

 

[Wapitiwilly]

You guys are awesome. I admire the determination you have to hunt at your age. Nothing better than quality time in the outdoors

 

[Neverdrawn]

Being able to hunt into your eighties should be a trophy in and of itself. My grandfather was hunting into his late eighties and I hope it can be a family trait. Good luck to you, hope you find that big one!

 

[HIcountryman]

I helped a newbie learn to hunt public land in exchange for his private land access. He had toys so we rode atvs... I didn t see a buck to shoot cuz i was holding his hand!
The next yr i cashed in 6 pref pts to hunt the way I wanted. Early rifle season, Backpacking in the high country, solo. After 3 scouting trips i realized how hard it is back there! I finally saw a group 5 bucks with 4 bucks i would be happy to take- bigger than any i had taken previously. On opening day i made my stalk and came up on 2nd biggest buck bedded 100 yds away. I knew bigger buck was close so i held tight waiting to find him. I got him a few minutes later after he exploded out of hiding about 15 yds from me!

I knew the potential the area had so i was looking for a big un. The next yr i was hoping for one even bigger...a tall order. By hunting hard til the last day i was able to get one that fit the bill. This yr i got a nice one, though he is the 3rd biggest deer i ve taken he s a trophy by most people s standard.

I think you become a trophy hunter by being willing to pass the nice ones in order to get a monster!

 

[HIcountryman]

And congrats for bunting into your 80 s! That is a great achievement- to stay healthy enough for the rigors of the hunt. Im sure you appreciate everything a little more out there each year. I hope to follow you guys in that regard, though the methods may change over the years.
Good luck on your hunt 4th season. Hope u get a monster!

 

[Largebull]

I am 63 and I would say I started holding out about 15 -17 years ago. I am about 9o% trophy Hunter towards the end of the hunt I will start shooting smaller but no dinks. I let them walk. Last year in unit 34 in Wyoming I shot just a 22 inch outside spread on 2nd day as I wanted to gaet back to AZ. (HOME) cause I had a Kaibab tag and shot a toad opening afternnon as I was sick as a dog. Glad I did . Stayed in bed in camp next 3 days with Niquil. Going to unit 70 in colorado 3rd season next week Sound like alotta deer but lottsa dinks. Never been there and will be solo . Will be interesting. Any ideas I am open . Thanks......BOB!

 

[Aceman]

Unit 70 is one unit I haven't spent any time hunting. I assume you have checked the internet as there is a lot of information on that unit. Good Luck

 

[Comules]

>You guys are awesome. I admire
>the determination you have to
>hunt at your age. Nothing
>better than quality time in
>the outdoors


Wapitiwilly

Thank You for the Compliment

No there isn't anything better than spending time in the outdoors especially here in Western Colorado I live 30 mins away from Grand Mesa.
I grew up hunting, fishing and spending all the time I could on a family cattle ranch in northern Calif. so the outdoors is in my blood.

As you get older it Gets A Little Harder but I think the secret is to stay as active as you can

 

[Largebull]

Thanks AceMan. I need all the help I can get. (and info). Totally new area to Me .........BULL!

 

[Tristate]

I am a hunter. Not a meat hunter. Not a trophy hunter. When I was a kid everybody in the family pretty much hunted for the table. When I was sixteen I got a DL and decided I wanted to hunt in some prettier places and maybe some more challenging animals. So I started traveling. As I got better I started holding for bigger and bigger animals. Was the recognition nice when I killed a big one? You bet. But honestly I knew when I hold out for something bigger I just get to hunt more, and that was most important to me. That's why I started guiding a long time ago. I just get to hunt more. I love playing the game. I love seeing beautiful places. I still love eating a great bowl of deer chili like I did last night. I love hanging out with friends and family at a hunting camp. I love seeing little kids get the shakes when they are on the trigger. I love all of it. I am a hunter.

 

[Stillwater165]

Things kinda changed for me once my kids started hunting hard. Used to pull the trigger on pretty much anything wide as it's ears or close to it. Got lucky a few times in my twenty?s and thirty?s and put a few on the wall , whiteys and muleys. Now days it's gonna have to be big or I'm taking a doe , spend most of my time ?guiding? if you will for our 3 teenagers. Even that game is getting harder as 2 of the 3 have a good one on the wall ! Now we go buck ?shopping? lol. I can show them ten bucks a day and if it's not big enough they want to move on !!!!

 

[scopenstalk]

I was introduced to deer hunting at the age of 17 by the most picky trophy hunter I've ever met even to this day. Because of that I never even shot a 2 point until I was 26. I then went 4 more years until I killed my first 140 inch buck. Then since 2015 I've killed 3, 140 inch bucks a 163 incher and a 173 incher........so I guess I started ultra picky got sick of tag soup and now I'm slowly building back up to only wanting to shoot fully mature deer. I'm now 33 years old.

 

[american_jackal]

I pray im still hitting the hill when I am your age. I hope you are are able to harvest a nice buck this year.

 

[droptynes]

Ok. So meat hunter. Turned mature buck hunter. Turned trophy hunter...getting bored....considering buck hunter/elk hunter.

Last 5 years I have been searching for a giant. Last year 193, year before 187 perfect typical, and prior couple years a few 170 bucks. So Ive gotten better each year. But now its pretty much impossible. Ive skunked out on last 3 hunts. Tag soup. Passed on some incredible bucks. All 180 plus. A few wierd nontypicals...and i look back and scratch my head....what have i become...kinda miss the days where I was just happy with a mature buck. It gets ultra critical sometimes. Feel like im looking for a super model. Not wide enough, g2 not long on the left, crab claw front, and so on and so on.....so ya....this year is my last 200 inch or bust year....then back to mature bucks and bulls. Oh ya...and I have unit 44 CO 3rd season and an Alberta tag last week of November. So anything could happen!!! Trophy hunting is a virus. But it is curable....I hope

 

[littlebighorn]

Inspirational post Aceman.

Three days ago I was sitting in the snow at 10,000 ft with 35 mph winds, freezing my ars and wondering how much longer I would be willing to keep it up. I turned 70 this year and I'm noticing the physical tolls of old age. But your post indicates that I still have a good 10 more years, which is kinda encouraging.

Mostly the joy of hunting for me at this stage is, being out in God's creations and spending time with my son. The trophy part kinda got spoiled 8 years ago after I killed a Colorado monster buck of my dreams. At my age, bigger bucks are too rare for me to hope for, especially in my home state of Utah, but I still like being out there and perhaps finding that lotto buck. Until then I'll keep after it.

Best of luck to all you old farts...and young bucks as well.