Disturbing Trend on CWT.com

[Guest oneshot]

With all the talk about premium/trophy hunts, folks not "dropping the hammer" for anything less then a 110" Coues or a 360" Elk, wanting hunts for " them because they have put in the time and other hunters dont use the tags/kids dont need to hunt during prime time/or they are poor hunters that dont leave or stray far from camp, closing seasons for 4-5years to "grow" bigger bucks and other statements that bring into question the posters reason for hunting, I just have to say a few things...

Have people become so jaded/selfish/All about me that they have forgot/never learned what hunting is about???

It's about you and the animal, NOT bragging rights amoung your "friends" and if you cant/wont realise this, maybe you should find another pastime instead for trying to limit someone elses hunting...

If your not seeing bucks/bulls big enough for you, either hunt somewere else, or examine your reasons for hunting...

Each person with a tag is master of their own hunt, if they are happy with a small buck/bull or just hanging out in camp, Who are you to question their choice of actions/animal taken???

Closing seasons/hunt units for 4-5years???

What if a tag holder doesnt have 4-5years to live??? Would you deny their last hunt??? or a Kids First Hunt???

I spend 60-90 days a year deer hunting, here in Az and NY, I PERSONALY only shoot 8point or better bucks, MY choice, if I dont take a deer it doesnt make me a bad hunter or less of a man, and I've jumped all over and run people off when they say to a kid/person new to hunting "I would have let him go, so he would have bigger horns next year", again it's that kids/new hunters/meat hunters tag and to put antler size as the major factor of a succesful hunt is small minded and it shows what kind of hunter that person is, A hunter more worried about what "others" may say than A Hunter that hunts for their OWN happyness...

 

 

 

 

[rossislider]

With all the talk about premium/trophy hunts, folks not "dropping the hammer" for anything less then a 110" Coues or a 360" Elk, wanting hunts for " them because they have put in the time and other hunters dont use the tags/kids dont need to hunt during prime time/or they are poor hunters that dont leave or stray far from camp, closing seasons for 4-5years to "grow" bigger bucks and other statements that bring into question the posters reason for hunting, I just have to say a few things...

Have people become so jaded/selfish/All about me that they have forgot/never learned what hunting is about???

It's about you and the animal, NOT bragging rights amoung your "friends" and if you cant/wont realise this, maybe you should find another pastime instead for trying to limit someone elses hunting...

If your not seeing bucks/bulls big enough for you, either hunt somewere else, or examine your reasons for hunting...

Each person with a tag is master of their own hunt, if they are happy with a small buck/bull or just hanging out in camp, Who are you to question their choice of actions/animal taken???

Closing seasons/hunt units for 4-5years???

What if a tag holder doesnt have 4-5years to live??? Would you deny their last hunt??? or a Kids First Hunt???

I spend 60-90 days a year deer hunting, here in Az and NY, I PERSONALY only shoot 8point or better bucks, MY choice, if I dont take a deer it doesnt make me a bad hunter or less of a man, and I've jumped all over and run people off when they say to a kid/person new to hunting "I would have let him go, so he would have bigger horns next year", again it's that kids/new hunters/meat hunters tag and to put antler size as the major factor of a succesful hunt is small minded and it shows what kind of hunter that person is, A hunter more worried about what "others" may say than A Hunter that hunts for their OWN happyness...

 

 

 

+1

Well put! To each their own. I've got a soon to be ten year old that is out of his mind excited for his first cow hunt in the upcoming years. Hope he never loses that.

[tjhunt2]

Well put oneshot. Another saying that rubs me wrong is someone saying to another, " it's a nice bull or buck for a last day critter." Thanks for sharing.

 

TJ

[DesertBull]

instead of banning bait they should have banned the tape measure.

[gotcoues]

Your "8 point or better" is absolutely the same as someone holding out for a 110" IMO. As long a person goals or desires is for them and them alone, I see no problem at all with it. Most of the trophy hunters I know would be tickled to death to help a beginner take a forky or their first deer.

 

My personal opinion about coues deer is a dink is no challenge on a rifle hunt and I personally could never be happy dropping the hammer on a small deer towards the beginning of the hunt. Hunting for me is not about the kill, it's about the pursuit, the dreams of putting a monster buck in my cross hairs or in my peep sight. To me, the coues deer is king and big coues are some of the most beautiful creatures on earth.

 

With that being said, the first medium sized javelina or better in my peep sight is getting a rage broadhead. No trophy hunt on the pigs for me.

 

Different strokes for different folks is all good with me!

[tjkazhunter]

Amen oneshot!

[WHALE]

I don't get caught up so much on the size of the rack as the method of take. That being said it sucks when you tag out and the hunt is over for another year might have to start trophy hunt lol

[bowhuntaz1]

My 1st Coues and my best!!!! Nothing can top it....

[gotcoues]

There was once upon a time when I dreamed of antler restrictions, now I realize that was selfish on my part and to each his own.

[dzell]

Meat in the freezer has always been the most important thing in ny family

[Snapshot]

Big one....little one.....or something in between. It's all good. Enjoy the hunt!

[Antmo23]

I've always followed the saying "don't pass on a buck the first day that you'd take on the last."

[MRL1984]

I agree with shutting down some units for a while, I'm totally for reducing the tag amount and number of hunts in all units. Maybe even limit some units to just a few doe tags for the "meat" hunters. I'm tired of seeing a ton of does and a handful of bucks.

 

Anyone who says I don't agree with horn hunting is just as bad a horn hunter hating on you for shooting a dink. So check the hypocrisy boys and girls.

 

I agree with discretion on what we take. Id support a split horn minimum for deer though.

[Weston]

I dont believe there is one right ideology on the topic of what one should harvest. The most excitement I've ever had from hunting was the first buck I took when I was 10, it was a spike. Since then I have killed a handful of nice bucks and a couple high teens bucks, one with a bow and one with a handgun and a couple bucks in the 100's with a rifle. I would never shoot a spike being as physically capable as I am now, and enjoy hunting august/december/january with my bow in search of giant bucks. I blow way more stalks each year then I care to count and I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoy the challenge of trophy hunting and the sense of pride I get when I take a big buck after scouting and hunting literally all year long. That said, I would not shoot a small buck because I'm just as happy to be out spending time in the wilderness whether or not I kill. I would never ask for antler restrictions because personally I have seen the extreme joy that can come from shooting a small deer, and I have seen more emotion from people who kill spikes than some that kill 110+ inch deer. That said, I backpack in to do my hunting because I enjoy getting to where I have better chance of not seeing people and finding big bucks. It kind of grinds my gears when I see people shoot a small buck just to shoot a deer the last day of their hunt even though they have killed plenty of deer in the past and get no gratitude off shooting a buck they aren't proud of. But that is just an opinion of mine and I would never ask anyone to change what makes them happy and enjoy the outdoors, and I hope they wouldn't expect me to change my ideology of what makes a good hunt in my book. Furthermore, I think its just as bad when people bash trophy hunters for being trophy hunters and "getting away from what hunting is about" as it is to bash somebody for shooting a small deer. After all, who is anybody else to tell you what your hunt should or shouldn't be?

[111]

Personally I look for larger antlered animals when I scout and hunt. I enjoy the challenge of trying to find a buck a bull that has survived to a mature age, or antlers with unique characteristics. I also have just as much fun viewing all wildlife I encounter, no matter what size of antler is on their head. I choose my hunt choices based on where a higher population of larger antlered animals exist, and weapon that I feel I can draw within a reasonalble amount of time.

 

I still feel Arizona should increase the amount of quality hunts available for both elk and deer. That doesn't mean all units need a high population of larger bucks and bulls, but I think one unit per region south of the ditch should be managed for a higher population of older class elk and deer. With that said, I still support all youth to be encouraged in anyway possible with enough available tags to ensure hunting to grow into our future. The tags currently set aside for the youth for all species are encouraging in my opinion, and there's far more opportunity for the youth than 10-20 years ago.

 

It's every sportsman's choice as to what tag they want to apply for, and what size of trophy they want to pursue when given that opportunity. It's up to each individual sportsman to respect all animals that are harvested no matter what size of antlers are on it's head.