What is a Trophy Deer?

Nice deer ringworm. A trophy deer does not have to be some record buck. It can be the first deer (buck or doe) that a hunter takes. I hunted my tale off for about 20 years before I got a decent buck that I wanted to hang on the wall. Since then I have taken a good one about every two years. Last year I shot a 9 point with the muzzleloader and that one was the largest one rack wise I have taken. It is the true meaning of the hunt and the memories of taking that deer maybe with a father, son or daughter.
 
If you consider LARGE Racks trophys

Well this past weekend we drove around the area we hunt and counted deer. We counted well over 200 deer and saw some very nice bucks. In some ways this was a trophy time. I have never seen so many deer. Not only that but to see that many bucks was awesome! And a few of those were VERY big racked deer.

Hopefully I will have a trophy deer story this coming deer season.
 
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=35618&stc=1&d=1220367476

What made these bucks trophies, wasn't the size, but the fact that they were taken within 30 minutes of each other, about 100 yards apart, by my two boys, and me, about 1 1/2 miles from the truck. They were shot at about 3:30 in the afternoon and it was after dark before we got them back to the truck.

Youngest son had to take the picture, so I didn't get him in it, but all of us were so tired we were about to drop.
 
deer.jpg


this is a nice one
 
texastweeter

East Texas? Where about?

You are really pretty lucky if you are getting these in E TX. I have been on a couple of leases out there and my experience is that the locals hunt year around. None of the leases I have been on produced more than a 120 class deer simply because no one would let them live long enough to mature...the oldest buck you might see was a 2 1/2 year old. This year I decided to hunt in W TX.

There is always the exception and below is an example.

My father-in-law has a place just east of Crockett and they have a few 150+ class deer there. Last year was the first year my father-in-law hunted there and he did not know what he had...he shot a 130 class deer the second week of the season and regretted literally the next day...saw at least a 140 class deer then and he is pretty sure he saw a 150-160 class deer a week later. The amazing thing is that they are all main frame 8s. The mass on these are amazing.
 
texastweeter

Sorry,

You miss understand....I am on a very good lease already in W TX and am very happy with it. I simply have not seen much in E. TX. So I was curious if this was in E. TX. By your response it seems obvious you are concerned with people either hunting illegally on your place or something else. Not sure how you saying it is in the general area of Crockett or Jasper or whatever would give away your lease...E TX is a big place and the idea someone would be able to find out by giving very general info.

And just so you might understand...I am hunting around Mason. So perhaps you can explain how you would be able to track down where my lease is and horn in on the action by that info?

Sorry you are so sensitive,
 
LMAO, no problem bud, It was supposed to be a joke. :) I guess my lack of emoticons sometimes bites me in the butt. I hunt and live in the Tyler-Longview area. Yes it is an East Texas lease. No feelings or pride was wounded lol! Cmon' how often do you find an East Texas hunter with such emotional problems? None inmy circle! ;)
 
texastweeter

No problem,

I was just curious if it was E TX simply because of my experience there. Spent a better part of 20 years trying to find a good lease in E TX around Crockett and finally just gave up. I hunted it the last 6 years and although I have gotten a couple of bucks they were not what I would call trophys by the size of their atlers. The last two years was pretty frustrating because not only did I not get a buck but I only saw one shooter and I did not get a chance to shoot it.:mad: And on top of this I rarely even saw does.

So this past year I met a guy a Sams and he gave me the info of the owner of the lease he was hunting on around Mason and I went out there the first week of December and was given a tour by the owner. I was not sure I was going to hunt it because although I saw deer while he was showing me around I did not see anything to justify the $1500 price tag. Then he let me go sit out by his stand that evening. I saw a VERY NICE buck. At least an 11 pointer with at least an 18 inch spread. At that point I was sold. I called him as I was driving away and told him if he was willing to extend an invitation I was willing to except! The funny thing is the guy I met at Sams is not even on the lease this year. I guess the thing I like the most about it is every time I have been there this year I have seen deer. And I mean every time which was not the case where I was hunting in E TX.

I love hunting in the woods which has always been the big draw for me to hunt E TX and the reason why I have put off hunting in W TX or the Hill Country but frankly after simply being out there to work on my stand etc this year seeing the game I have seen I do not ever see myself hunting in E TX again. It is nice to see that someone has a good place to hunt good deer in E TX though! Good Luck this year! You need to post the pic of the deer you get this year!
 
A true TROPHY is in the eye of the beholder. Think about it few and you will see and it doesn't have to be huge any any way or form of the word to fit this discription.
 
I have a big bad White-tailed buck with five points a side hanging in my bedroom with my tag on its antler.

That is a trophy for me because I'm one of the only hunters in my family so I dont have any touching stories to make a trophy... It's just the size of the buck that I count as a trophy.

I was drawn for antlered Mule Deer this year but I have a new job and wont be getting out to shoot one which is a real shame. We have some great big mule deer bucks in our area and I really wanted to plug one this year.
 
Here is the part about where I hunt that makes most people sick. THe cost of the lease...Keep the front 10 acres mowed during the summer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top