Trophy's.

[raghorns]

I enjoy having memories of my own hunts and sometimes harvests that get mounted, and I also enjoy hearing the stories of other hunters and seeing the mounts of their successful hunts.

When I know the mounts and memories are from traditional hunts...it's just way cool.

Lyle 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have learned in my 40 years there are two kinds of "trophy" hunters. The kind that keep trinkets or mounts for their own deep personal reasons. Then there is the type like my cousin that wants nothing more than a wall full for people to gawk at and stroke his ego. He shot a dang turkey out of his driveway this spring, in his boxer shorts from the garage window with his compound and a used broadhead from last years deer season. He is getting it full strut mounted in a glass case.....................oooooooookay.

[maddog314]

 I am a hunter and fisher who does it strictly for the meat. I am not opposed to trophy hunting. I got into primitive hunting because I needed more meat for my family, and I could not afford modern equipment. I have had the opportunity to shoot a really nice sized buck with my riffle,yet I don't care to eat the buck meat as much as a doe.One of these days I hope to be able to just enjoy the hunting without it being a necessity for my family. as for now I will hunt and fish for one reason, to fill the freezer. Micah

[PEARL DRUMS]

Right on Micah! Fill er' up man! Im not opposed to "poaching" a critter here and there when its a nessecity either. I have a friend that went through some NASTY times in the mid 80's. He shot a few deer with a .22 during squirrel season. It wasnt for fun or entertainment one bit, it was 100% needed food and thats why God put them here imho. I say eat up if needed!

[Jimbob]

Pappy, those are some good lookin mounts you got.  I think alot of people get confused b mounts on the wall.  Just because you have a mount on the wall doesnt mean that the animal went to waste.

[bubby]

Damn straight Pappy, i agree totally, jimbob that's a cool buck, and a nice sized one to boot, heck i aint never killed anything but fork horns, i take what i can get , Bub

[JW_Halverson]

I have one shoulder mount mulie on the wall.  He's a 3x3, 21" high and 16" wide.  Nothing spectacular, but pretty good mass on the bases and tines, nonetheless.  It was the first buck with a bow, only my second deer ever with a bow.  But he was taken with fair chase.  The best memory is the arrow flight and the split second of time when everything slowed down to a crawl.  I was thinking to myself that the nock was hanging in space with the fletching revolving around it in textbook manner.  The arrow struck the deer exactly where I wanted it to enter and the slow motion exploded into high speed action as he kicked and whirled.  That buck stood watching me for a minute and then tried to mount a doe.  He wasn't excited at all, didn't even seem uncomfortable. 

The trophy, such as it is, hangs on the wall to remind me that broadheads need to be sharp enough to scare me, the arrow needs to be tuned to the bow, the arrows and the bow need to be practiced daily for months leading up to the hunt, and the heart/mind needs to be in the right space.  This deer represents all of that to me.  That and nearly 200 lbs of healthy, low fat meat hanging in the barn cooling!   

I had to scrimp, save, and do without some basics to afford that mount.  It meant that much to me.

[H Rhodes]

     Hunting with a bow is about as "personal" as anything can be.  It's really between you and the animal and only you know how you really feel about it....  Whether to keep a trophy or a remembrance is really an individual thing.  I don't draw any lines on the subject.
      Non hunters will never understand us and I usually don't waste my breath explaining.  I think traditional archery hunters, as a group, approach the taking of game with a more honorable heart than what is portrayed on these hunting shows that you see on cable. 
     I have killed lots of deer in my life....  I have been hunting since I was about eight years old, which puts about forty hunting seasons behind me.  The only animal that I ever took to a taxidermist was a fox squirrel I killed with recurve when I was about fifteen years old.  I still have it and am reminded of the day I killed it every time I look at it....  A pretty substantial monument to a squirrel! 
     To each his own - just respect your quarry....  they aren't an adversary to me anyway - more like team mates.       

[JW_Halverson]

That is something I have to struggle to convey to a non-hunter, the prey is not my enemy.  I feel no enmity, in fact, the opposite would be more true.  But how do you explain that to someone that has never hunted?
 

[H Rhodes]

I don't think you can explain it to them JW....  My favorite game animal is the whitetail deer.  I admire these critters more every passing year.  Granted, I am trying my best to put one in the freezer every time I hunt, but it sure doesn't mean that I have one bit of malice for them.  It's just a food chain thing, and a hunter/prey thing, and a spiritual thing - all rolled into one.  Hunting is just a part of me and I hope to do it till I am just not able any more.  I don't fault anyone for paying the money and putting forth the effort to have a deer mounted and hung in a place of honor.  They deserve the tribute, and so does the hunter that takes one with a traditional bow and arrow.     

[Stringman]

Beautiful deer ,I like mounts and save something from about everything I kill, Not trying to be mean or rude but I really and I mean really don't care what anyone thinks,if they don't like it don't come to my house or shop or don't look,and be sure if you do look and don't like it not to say a word, not in my space. As you can see ,this subject really gets under my skin, anyone that knows me knows how I like keepsakes and that includes the animals I take.
   Pappy

Im with ya Pappy.

They dont like my keepsakes? Ok- I dont like their pretentious gas guzzling humvees.

I call it even!   

[Wolf Watcher]

I am with Pappy again!  JW has been in my house and seen the mounts from the Yukon to Africa on walls of my house and shop!  I even have a mask made of my mother's face when she was young and it is also a trophy to me.  My trophies come in all shapes and sizes from my marble collection, to the moose I shot with my home made bow, arrow, and obsidian point.  They tell the story of things I care to remember the most!  A/Ho Joe

[Gus]

Yes Sir,

I'm more in it for the Protein.
And the Joy of the hunt or fishing trip.
I'm no Horn Hunter, but if the Great Sky Pilot graces me with Big Beautiful Buck I'll take him and be Grateful.
 
I have my trophies, and have sent more than one Ex-girlfriend packing
when they tried to talk to me about getting rid of the "Nasty, Mean Things"...

Thankfully now, my wife may roll her eyes at me from time to time, but she at least understands me.

As I've been reading this thread I found myself humming a tune.
I guess it fits well enough.
It ain't aimed at anyone in particular, just at the Nay Sayers of the world.
No matter how HOT they were... 

So, don't ask me no questions,
And I won't tell you know lies.
So, don't ask me bout my business,
And I wont tell you goodbye.

I said don't ask no stupid questions and I won't send you away.
If ya want to talk fishing, I guess that'll be OK...

-gus

[Pappy]

Thanks Guys,didn't put the picture up to brag,just to show I like trophies,and yall are very right ,they don't go to wast, I don't trophies hunt but if one stumbles along I will kill it if I can.  :)These are just a few animal trophies ,I am like Joe,I have all sorts of trophies from a rock to a leather bag and who know what else,they all have some meaning to me and my life and that is really all that matters to me.
   Pappy

[crooketarrow]

  Back in 05 I locked my gun valt put my 7 rifle,shot gun,ML mounts in storage along with 31 beards and the spurrs that were all shot gun kills. Along with 3 storage totes full of antlers.
  I left my 4 self bow mounts Along with my biggest knaped kill ,skull setting in the corner on a shelf a long with 2 bear skulls. All the bucks are 3 1/2 or older ,oldest 6 1/2,15 self bow beards and spurrs. I did'nt have any thing mounted to show anyone matter afact I can't remember when anyones visited me in my house thats saw my mounts. . No one ever gets by my shop and I don't invite them in to see my mounts. There for me to look at no one else. Kinda like my tatoos I do'nt have them where anyone can see them there privite.
   My granddad started carry me along when I was 7 I'm 50 now have never missed a whole season of bucks or gobblers. He taught me to hunt for myself and I do hunt and mount for just that MYSELF.
  For me it's a personal thing.