What do you consider a trophy score?

[cullbuck]

I'm just wondering what you guys consider a real trophy score on a whitetail? For me, a 150-160 class buck is about as good as it gets around here. My biggest is a 128 (gross).

[yngbowhntr24]

Im 25 years old. I just shot my first spike this morning and ill tell you what. Thats a trophy for me. I guess it all depends on the hnter and what their goals in the woods are. Dont get me wrong, I want that 160 now but im going to enjoy this one for now.

[cullbuck]

Im 25 years old. I just shot my first spike this morning and ill tell you what. Thats a trophy for me. I guess it all depends on the hnter and what their goals in the woods are. Dont get me wrong, I want that 160 now but im going to enjoy this one for now.

I'm with you there. I guess it is relative.

[fisheater]

Shure,the bigger the better.But around here in NC you might hunt a lifetime and never get a 150 class buck,they just dont live that long here most are shot at 2.5 years old because they start to really get into the rut at that age and are seen to much.To me a3.5 year old or older buck is a trophy.I have killed alot of bucks, kill a 3.5 year old buck or older on avarage every other year to the point I skull mount almost every one unless he's really good.Some of the mature bucks just dont have the genetics down here and will be a wise old deer just have a messed up rack but to me is still trophy class.When you play one on one with an old buck its a mental game,the longer it takes and the harder you have to hunt for him the more the value in"Trophy".If I kill a mature buck in late Decemder that means he has outsmarted about 25-35 other hunters that season and not me.That makes him a trophy.

[cullbuck]

I guess most of the bucks I've killed were 3.5 year old deer. My big 128 pt (an 8 point), was 4.5 years. Most of the deer I've killed were actually in NC and I agree with you on what you said about many getting killed before maturity. Where I hunt in GA, most of the areas are managed for trophy deer and I am only allowed to take bucks with antlers wider than the outsides of their ears. I figure if I kill a really big, mature buck (and I know they are where I'm hunting) it will be when I'm at the right place at the right time. The big monsters are like ghosts, but folks kill them every year.

[fisheater]

We try to manage for bigger bucks here on over 800+ acres and its still not enuff property to do that.Six of us hunting this pull all our trail cam pics together and we will have 2-3 bucks at or over 3.5 yrs old and 7-10 2.5 yr olds and numerus smaller bucks every year for four years now and only one or two of us ever shoot a mature buck each year.Never kill the 2.5 year olds or younger unless it needs to be culled for bad horns and it never gets any better.Someone around us just wastes these young bucks every year and cant do nothing to stop it.I would love to have some place in the northern part of the state to hunt for bigger bucks.To many hunters around here but its out my back door to hunt here at least its convienient.

[backwoodsman]

Yep we run into that too. Majority of the out of staters come in and shoot anything with antlers. Most have never seen a buck in the wild with 120+ antlers. Gets old letting 120's and 130's walk and you see them the next block over on the outfitters meat pole next day or two. Just one of the reasons I/we shoot every button buck I/we can.

[cullbuck]

Gets old letting 120's and 130's walk and you see them the next block over on the outfitters meat pole next day or two. Just one of the reasons I/we shoot every button buck I/we can.

Dude. You have way bigger deer than we do. A 120 or 130 is a mature buck down here. We see some in the 150s and higher for sure but a 130 is a shooter for us. We seldom have much time to judge a deer b/c we hunt in thick cover. If we wait a second or two too long we may never see the deer again. Even with that we seldom take bucks less than 4.5 years old, except for culls.

The GA tags allow only two bucks to be taken (and 10 does). One buck can be any size but the next has to have at least 4 points on one side.

[fisheater]

The game laws in GA sounds like what we need here,but how do they enforce that buck rule?Do you have to take the deer to a wildlife check location or do you call it in to a call center?The problem we have is the "I got one" call in system.I could kill anything I want and report it as any deer I have tags for and thats the end of it.Ever since NC has started this way of tracking kills ,management has went out the window.Plus have 24 hours to report from time of kill and dont have to actually tag the deer just punch a card in your wallet.If you want you can have the deer wraped and in the freezer in 24 hours and if you dont see no game warden around,nobody reports you killing a deer you got away with it.Why waste a "notch on your card" if you dont need to.I dont do this but I am shure alot of the backwoods boys around here do.Without that visual acountability by a respectable agent its anything goes and thats the problem with this type of reporting system.I truly believe the game enforcement officers would enforce this rule if given a chance but their hands are tied.This has to be a move comming from the topand it becomes like anything else that high up,it is about cost of manpower and political pull,special intrest money,,,,,,on and on not what is best for what the hunters in this part of the state want,quality deer management fro larger bucks.They polled the hunters,the hunters wanted a two buck limit that cant be enforced,too many hunters still doing what ever they please.Now that we are in this economical downtime the state has less money for these issues than ever before.I feel like the people that can make these changes just dont care,even if they do hunt they have the salary to go to Texas and kill their big buck and be home for supper.

[backwoodsman]

Yep Fish that mirrors Illinois. We started a call in system for deer and turkeys 4 years ago and its been a disaster. I fully believe the "illegal" kill is 50% of the legal take. We have until 10pm to call ours in. Unless they catch you redhanded with a dead deer untagged or not numbered after 10pm its about impossible to enforce. As far as big deer we have the genetics, millions of acres of "foodplots" ie corn and bean fields and adequate cover. Years ago though alot of our local hunters started preaching a QDM type system. We started letting basket racks walk in the late 80's. If I knew then what I know now I'd killed everything with antlers! Oh by the way we dont have big bucks, just little baskets, go somewhere else, lol.

[yngbowhntr24]

hate to tell you backwoods but television has been broadcasting your monster bucks for years. i live in new york and we get some big ones but they are rarley out in the day time and we dont have nearly as many.
i would give anything to come over to illinoise and do some deer hunting.

[backwoodsman]

Yep Ive cussed those "hunting" shows for years and magazines too. In the mid 90's everyone thought it was cool seeing Pike county etc on those shows and in magazine articles. I told them then you'll regret that! Why dont you go on a hunt here? I have respect for out of staters that come in and set their own tree stands and hunts up, put in the time and do the scouting etc. I have no respect or good feelings toward outfitters or out of staters that plop down $500-$1000 a day and dont touch dirt or a tree until they climb into the stand a guide setup for them. Most dont want anything but antlers. I'll correct that statement 99.9% want nothing but antlers. Heartland lodge hires locals to skin/dress the deer since the paid clients cant be expected to get dirty and heaven forbid they touch blood eww nasty. Everyone of those out of staters should be required to do something with the carcass beyond what most do if they even load it up for the return trip which is dump it in the first brushpile they find. Yep they do that and quite often. Quite common on the back roads in Pike county to find a skinned carcass minus the head. You ever want to hunt here let me know and I'll even give you suggestions on public area's etc. We hunt public ground every now and then. Alot of my friends bow hunt October on public ground and save their private ground for the rut. Non-resident archery either sex tags go on sale in July usualy. Outfitters get preference for the majority.

[backwoodsman]

If you get bored Yngbowhunter theres some trail cam pics on photo bucket under my name. Few deer etc.

[fisheater]

Money even ruins deer hunting too,the deer belong to the common man more than the highroller.NC managing for trophy whitetails,carefull what I wish for

[yngbowhntr24]

I would go on a hunting trip to illinois but i always feel like the public land there would be like it is here. More hunters then deer. I have a small area of private property to hunt and even though its been getting worse and worse, i cant leave because the state land around here is heavily hunted. I might be selfish but i go hunting to get out iin the wilderness and away from people. But if you could give me some info on some state land that i could spend a a day or two scouting and a few hunting and not have guys walking under my treestand ever half hour that would be great. and how much to they charge for an out of state license. iv never heard of guys taking bucks and then ditching the body in th woods though. Thats terrible and there should be laws about that.

[KwackWacker]

.. there should be laws about that.

There more than likely are already laws about that. The problem is being able to enforce the laws we presently have. I'm sure Illlinois is just like any other state and one of the first things to get cut when it comes to funding is the Department of Natural Resources or whatever organization is responsible for enforcing those laws. Unfortunately most of the US views deer as nothing more than something pretty to look at when you drive through the country or as a pest for eating their gardens and causing their insurance rates to jump due to deer/vehicle collisions. So it isn't that big of a deal to them if somebody happens to just want the head of the animal. That's one less animal for them to worry about ruining a fender and a paint job.

[tatonka]

A 140" buck is generally considered a trophy by most of the "experts" regardless of where you hunt, however....as we all know there are places a person could hunt a lifetime and not even see a 140" buck.

I wouldn't consider a 140" buck a true trophy on land in places like Iowa, Illinois, etc. that is managed for big bucks (food plots, posted land keeping everyone but a select few from hunting, etc.). In my mind, no buck raised on in this type of situation is a true trophy.... No different than raising a beef... If a person can't raise up and shoot a monster buck in a controlled enviornment like that, they should probably take up golf or knitting.

[backwoodsman]

Well Im getting on my soapbox. We practice a form of QDM on some of the property/ground we lease. We prefer to hunt mature bucks rather then spikes and forkhorns. We plant foodplots and post it. We have some deer harvest restrictions, younger/beginning hunters are allowed to shoot any deer. Older/more experienced hunters are asked to pass on the basket racks. We try to take every doe that presents an ethical shot. I have few hobbies, deerhunting, trapping and squirrel hunting are about it. Why shouldnt I be able to spend my/our money to lease ground, pay for the seed etc and say who can hunt there? Why would I go thru the trouble and expense to let the pumpkin army in and stomp it out and turn it to a deer desert in a day or two? Just because a deer spends time on our property doesnt make it dumber. Mature deer are hard to kill at anytime. How would a 3 1/2+ year old doe or buck not be a trophy? Theyre arent being "raised", theres no fences, they are free to come and go as they please unlike "beef". Pursuant of course to the pumpkin army lined up shoulder to shoulder at the property lines 90% of the time. Most of our ground/leases are less then 100 acres. We have one thats 250 thats shared by 11 members. I fail to see how any deer taken off it couldnt be a trophy because its leased? Some of our property is less then 5 acres. I pass up bucks every year and have passed several 140's and 150's this year waiting/hoping for a big non typical we've seen. Except for the army not being able to sit in our stands we only help them by passing the youngsters the majority of them will blast away at. The deer are heavier and healthier because of our foodplots. I fail to see how we're cheating or something by taking a deer on this ground and it not being considered a trophy? We're not doing anything someone else couldnt do? Takes time and money and really cuts into the couch time watching football(which I wouldnt waste a second to do anyway). We turn it into a family event going out to do foodplots, scouting, checking trail cams etc. So what Im gathering here is if I go out opening day and bumble around and find a spot and happen to not have some other army member ruin it and a 120+ whatever comes thru and I shoot it and it doesnt get stolen while Im hiking out for help then its a trophy but if I lease the ground its not? Ive had deer stolen on private property before too. Several does, a 180 class typical 14 pt and a 22 point non typical. It happens.

[KwackWacker]

whole post

Agreed.

[tatonka]

I seriously doubt that the founding members of the B&C or P&Y club had any idea that people would plant food plots, put out supplements, etc. for the sole purpose of growing bucks with big racks when they developed the record book, set the scoring standards, etc. It's gotten crazy....these days it's all about the score. You rarely will see a photo of a big buck without the score attached... Too many hunters have lost what hunting is really all about. I think we can thank all of the TV heroes, Barbie Dolls, etc. for a lot of that, but it started long before that... You'll never see someone on TV talk about how good eating that monster buck will be. They first thing most people do is get on their precious cell phone to tell the world about the deer they've just killed. Shoot, most of them are calling people before they even gut the deer out or tag it. I won't get into the hooting and hollering, the excessive celebrations, and all of that garbage....makes me want to throw up.

If growing a big buck via food plots, supplements, etc. turns you on, good for you... When I see a TV show and they mention a food plot, I turn it off...ditto for photos in magazine.....if they mention a food plot, I turn the page.

[KwackWacker]

Then I guess you have never hunted over a corn or bean field before? How about an acorn tree, ever hunted one of those? I understand where you're coming from but take your holier-than-thou attitude else where. Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young are called TROPHY books for a reason. I seriously doubt that Saxton Pope and Arthur Young would give a damn if a guy was hunting food plots. Just because somebody plants plots doesn't mean the deer flock to them. Sure they're a good way to hunt and help the herd but it doesn't make it easy. You still have to do your homework and scout. See the problem I have with your attitude is that hunting is a dieing sport. There's not a whole lot of us left and in ten years there will be fewer of us. The sport of hunting has never had so much exposure as it does now. So while all the TV shows may skew some peoples ideal of hunting, at least it's getting recognized and it's bringing new people to the sport. Your comment about never hearing TV guys talk about how good eating it's going to be: Michael Waddell, Ted Nugent, Travis Turner, I could go on, they all talk about how good eating the meat is. So take that argument elsewhere as well. I know there are personalities who don't mention it but does that mean they don't eat? Not in my opinion. I guess here's what gets to me most about guys like you, you are bad mouthing a system that makes deer healthier and bigger than they have ever been by keeping the deer populations at a reasonable level so that the land can actually support the herd. Guys like you are too busy thinking about how good "the good ole days" were, so much so that you don't see that these are the good old days. More deer than ever, more liberal seasons, higher deer numbers and fewer hunters. That adds up to some pretty awesome hunting. As far as hunters getting excited about a kill, so you're saying that you kill a deer, solemnly walk over and field dress it? Do you not get excited about hunting or taking a deer? If you don't get excited about hunting then why hunt?

I know it sound slike I'm bombing on you but I have just run in to too many gys like you lately to let this pass. I'll be the first to tell you that I love to hunt for the meat, ask my family, ask my friends and ask the guys I hunt with. I rarely ever buy beef. Unless it's a thick cut steak I don't. But I also love to hunt big bucks. Mature bucks are a whole lot harder to hunt than a 2 year old doe. You put in the effort and time to take a 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 year old buck and you'll know that the trophy is in the pursuit and not in the rack. A nice rack is just a by-product of letting a deer grow to maturity. I also believe that it doesn't have to be a monster buck to be a trophy. As far as I am concerned the trophy is in your mind and not on the wall.

[fisheater]

Everyone has an opinion about deer hunting,and that opinion is seeded by their hunting exsperiences,how they hunt and where they hunt.I see Tatonka is in the Milk River area where there is lots of wild land to take wild animals on.If he was forced to hunt in NC I believe he would have a diff. view on deer hunting and trophies.The population of one or two of our largest cities match the population of all of the state of Montana.Whole diff. world of deer hunting down here,who wouldnt want to be able to shoot a true wild of the wilds deer.Just not possible here where we have10-20 hunters per sq.mile.A friend of mine told me he heard 52 shots opening mourning of gun week.We have to have some way to attract the deer to have an advantage over the next hunter.Plus in september and october here its hunting in jungle and thickets with highly pressured deer to boot.There is no glassing for the buck you want for miles and miles.Trophies are in the eye of the beholder,if you spent as much money on leases,stands,food plots and bait as me not to mention the time put in running off tresspassers,spot lighters and poachers,coon hunters and coyotes my trophies hard hard earned,it is a reward for a plan comming together.Come hunt in the south you will understand,you are very fortunate

[yngbowhntr24]

Ok now its my turn. I hunt in upstate new york and our deer population up here has gone way down. I dont hunt food plots for one reason. Im 25 year old dont own my own land and i dont know anyone who has a food plot to hunt wether it be a farm or plots grown specificly for deer. If i could i would find a place with food plots do just as much scouting as i do in my hard woods i hunt and i would hunt there. And as for hooting and cheering and calling people when you harvest a deer. Let me tell you something. Your opinion may not be wrong but its uncalled for. My hunting budy happens to be my best friend. We started hunting together and never go in the woods without one another. Well he moved to Montana this year to work at The Yellowstone club. So you better believe that when i shot my spike horn this year (wich IS a trophy to me) i had him on the phone before i dressed the deer. And there i was 730 in the morning our time and 530 his time me standing in the woods him probibly laying in bed, both of us cheering are heads off. Nothing excites me more then getting a deer so im going to continue to cheer and call everyone that will care to tell them of MY TROPHY.

[tatonka]

Wow.....talk about getting defensive... HMMMM..... Looks like there are a few yahoos here who are still wet behind the ears. Have at 'er... If it makes you feel good shooting bucks artifically raised to be big, go for it.

[KwackWacker]

Wow.....talk about getting defensive... HMMMM..... Looks like there are a few yahoos here who are still wet behind the ears. Have at 'er... If it makes you feel good shooting bucks artifically raised to be big, go for it.

Rather than just chalking it up to us being defensive answer me a couple of questions, have you ever hunted anywhere other than Montana? If so where? Just asking for general info.

[yngbowhntr24]

Wet behind the ears i dont think so. As i stated i shot a spike horn. A small buck. A buck that most would not think was a trophy but i thought it was a trophy becuase it was my first deer with antlers and i work real hard for my deer. My point is, if i had the chance to hunt food plots i would. Food plots dont make deer come out of nowere. They give them the something that makes them not want to or NEED to leave where they are. Just liek the habitat you hunt in montana does. What you seem to not understand is that the united states is not the same from coast to coast. We dont have what you have there. So planting food plots does not put the deer under our tree stands. It simply provides deer with what they need to live. We still have to scout and put our selfs in the right position. I dont go out looking for 140 class deer. I go out trying to fill my freezer, if that deer caries a 6inch spread and scores 13 inches its a trophy to me..... But considering you have more land better habitat and bigger deer to hunt, your opnion only applies to those who have the same resources that you have to hunt. Hunting over food plots is not wrong its just differnt from what you have. But hey, tomorrow im going to 450 acres of private land that does not have food plots. Its simply hard woods, and not only that but somwere i have never been so if i get a show at another spike ill prolly take it and it will be another trophy for me.

[Tenpoint]

Everyone has their opinion. Let's stay focused on the topic at hand. What do you consider a tropy....

Tenpoint

[backwoodsman]

Trophys dont always have to have antlers either. We've been watching an all black doe since summer. My wife told me yesterday if I was fortunate enough to take it I could have a full body mount done. So I spent all yesterday afternon during our muzzleloader season sitting in a spot its been seen quite a bit. Trophys are certainly in the eye of the beholder. I pass quite a few bucks every year hoping some of the youngsters get a chance at'em and Im waiting/hoping for the once in a lifetime deer. Even land access could affect a persons thoughts on a trophy. Ive heard guys on here that only have 5 or 10 acres to hunt. Any deer in that situation they may consider a trophy. We've had several shoulder mounts of does (and small bucks)done over the years. Some were kids first deer, some were older gentlemens last deer. We had a gentleman dying of cancer and had to be escorted to the timber in his wheelchair. His last deer a 120lb doe, we had mounted and his widow still has it in the front room beside his bucks. We knew it would be his last as he had been advised he only had 2 months to live. Just like the old adage "one mans trash is a another mans treasure". Good luck all no matter what means a trophy to you.

[fisheater]

I have 48 acres that I own,approx. 20 of it is mature hardwoods the rest is pasture and fields with acre or two yard.I lease 840 acres that joins my property on one side and have access to approx.140 more acres on the other border that I hunt for free by keeping it posted and watched over for the landowner.I have taken alot of deer on all of these propertys over the last 20 years but there is something special about taking deer on my own little patch of woods just out my backdoor that doesnt compare to taking deer on the leased property.So any deer I take here is a trophy to me that way.I grow my own vegetables,grapes,figs,apples and pecans,raise beef and chickens for eggs and meat.In the fall I am in the woods gathering hickorynuts,persimmons,locust beans and summer its blackberry picking and fishing in the creek for bullheads,frog gigging,setting cooter hooks.Its a way of life I learned from my Grand father.The ability to be self sustaining is very important to meand the deer comming to my property is a part of this cycle.Just because they come to bait or food plots does not take anything away from the trophy value what so ever.Its just the way its done here.And for the record I am far from being wet behind the ears.

[mywaynow]

A trophy is to me, variable based on who and where. I am in my 40s and hunt NJ and Maine. A NJ trophy is going to carry no less than 7 points and the fewer the points the wider/heavier it must be. I have one buck that made Pope/Yound; a 2 1/2 year old 10 that netted 129 5/8. I have not taken a buck in a couple years in NJ, because I did not have a trophy in front of me. I passed on many small 8 pointers in that time frame. In Maine, we consider the wieght of an animal as well as its antlers. My best buck grossed 154 and wieghed 215 dressed. No doubt the trophy status of that animal. Even in Maine, there is a distinction of a trophy within the state. Just getting a buck in the North Woods is an accomplishment (with the exception of skippers, because they are dumb at 2 years old). The southern portions of the state are more densely populated with deer and finding a buck is not as hard. I have hunted 2 successive seasons in Northern Maine and seen a total of 1 deer.

This is how I determine a trophy for me....... not for anyone else. As long as the person making the decision to take the animal is doing it legally and ethically, they are in charge of wether or not it is a trophy. Beyond that, you would have to defer to Pope and Young and Boone and Crocket for benchmarks.

[Cottonport]

a trophy score for me is the one I can put in the freezer,........I never really developed a taste for antler.

[Darkside42]

125'' by bow, and 140'' by gun.

[tatonka]

Wow.....talk about getting defensive... HMMMM..... Looks like there are a few yahoos here who are still wet behind the ears. Have at 'er... If it makes you feel good shooting bucks artifically raised to be big, go for it.

Rather than just chalking it up to us being defensive answer me a couple of questions, have you ever hunted anywhere other than Montana? If so where? Just asking for general info.

Yes.... I was born and raised in Vermont, so I know all too well how tough hunting can be. In Vermont you are lucky to see any legal buck....anything brown is a trophy. A spikehorn in Vermont is more of a trophy than a 10-Pointer in Montana.

[backwoodsman]

Youngbowhunter Im sorry, I missed your post I guess in all the confusion and just read it. Ray Norbut in Pike county is good public ground. Hunt it early in October though as it gets crowded during the rut. Most of the guys that hunt it are "good ole boys". I'd suggest climbing treestands. Fewer hunters during the week with Wednesday-friday your best bets I'd imagine(alot of big heavy does come outta there too). Jim Edgar is good too but it does have a 4pt on one side restriction. PM me if you need more info.

[jamieclaflin]

Trophy size to me is all relative to the individual. TV today has taken a lot of the excitement out of hunting, because it gives hunters a warped perception of what they think a trophy should be. If I shoot a deer and I am excited when I see it on the ground, it is a trophy to me. We all want to shoot the biggest wall hanger, but the hunt itself is what it is all about to me. As long as I enjoy what I am doing and get excited about what I kill, they are all trophies.

[backwoodsman]

I agree Jamie, TV/DVD hunting shows are a double edged sword. The publicity/exposure is good but some of their methods and success's leave alot to be desired and help with the misconceptions some of our younger/beginning hunters have.

[ironhead]

Call me old fashioned,,out of touch whatever,,i dont really care,,but to me ANY deer or turkey i take is a trophy. I am far from wet behind the ears and have taken enough deer that any nearly any man can respect. Every landowner that hunts deer on his property is performing some kind of deer management, if you choose not to shoot smaller deer,,thats your right,,it doesnt make it less of a trophy,,but it does stack the deck in your favor making the odds better,,,not saying anything is right or wrong about it,,,your choice.

[sbmdodge]

age over score!!!!! take a 5 and a half year old deer(buck or doe) and you will see. we all know how hard it is to take a mature buck but does are just the same. let them grow. that 120'' 2 and a half year old would be a hoss at 4 and a half. just my take, let the young deer walk take an older deer. you can age a deer roughly by the body. everyone who has hunted for years knows the differance. i live in tn and here it all the time here if i dont kill him someone else will. true but i dont want that on my mind. here we have a pretty bad buck to doe ratio and are urged to harvest does. but it never fails every year i see these 2 and a half year old basket racks killed. thropy is in the eye of the hunter do the population a favor, let the young bucks walk and take a doe instead.

[TNbuck]

Well I'm new here so I guess I'll jump in the fire right off. Nothing cranks me up faster than one hunter not showing appreciation for another hunters kill. If shooting a buck/any buck was done in a legal manner I say have at it and good for you. I don't care if it's a button buck or the new world reccord if you think it's a trophy so do I.

To answer the question I hunt in Tennessee but in my area it is usually a 3.5 year old deer to get 120 inches which anything north of that I would consider a trophy. I will usually take the first deer reguardless of what it is durring archery and if it's a small buck I then hold out for bigger which is usually something over 100".

[bearhunter01]

Im from Fla.and also hunt in NC.there is a world of differance from state to state.When I hunt NC its still hard but a whole new world.I find it 'I dont want to say easier'but differant woods or differant and alot more deer and less people.In NC you can let the young bucks walk by.In Fl. the deer population aint as good and alot of people.If you see a young buck you better shoot it,cause if you dont the guy that in the next tree will and it mite be the only buck you see all year.Here in Fl. we need some better deer mang. it would make it hard to take a deer for a few years but after a few year it would turn the hunting around with bigger and older deer.We cannot take does on WMAs except during archery and nothing like Ga. were you can take 10 does a season.And as for a trophy anything that goes in the freezer is a trophy.Antlers or hard to eat and dont taste good.

[DouglasSpear]

The more I can eat, the better the trophy. Rack scores mean nothing.

[gogators13]

I'm not sure... Never had them scored....

[esvahunter93]

I live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and there's definately some big bucks around but 130's are trophys around here!!

[cullbuck]

Thing about those big ole bucks, thet ain't as tasty as a younger buck or a doe. If I was hunting for meat I'd shoot only younger, smaller deer. I do take a couple of medium-to-large does a year and put them in the freezer. I had the 4.5 year old 8 point I killed last year processed, and had it all made into hamburger with beef fat and trimmings. It ain't bad if you use it in spaghetti or another meat sauce.

[howtocleanadeerskull]

I also believe that the story/experience for the hunt is a trophy in itself.

PS. a nice 150+ rack doesnt hurt