I am a hunter (almost exclusively deer). While I only get to go a handful of times a year. I really do love it. I certainly am not a “Trophy” hunter, in the usual sense. There are many reasons why. It may seem odd to have a post about trophy hunting on a prepping blog. However, keep reading and I think it will become clear how this post fits here.
I hunt to enjoy being out in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. Fresh clean air and peaceful quiet is what I look forward to the most. Being out in the woods with no distractions is just plain peaceful. Watching deer truly is beautiful. You are seeing natural animals, moving naturally, in nature. (Man, I sound like a freaking hippy.)
I hunt for meat for my family. Yes, I can go to the grocery store and buy meat like most people. And, for the last three years, that’s exactly what I have done. Hunting does provide very clean meat, with no additives or preservatives, from animals that eat natural foods. Deer meat (venison) is a very lean and clean meat. Harvesting a “medium” size deer (for my area, 120 lbs pre-field dressing) can provide upwards of 60 lbs of meat. It doesn’t take much to fill the freezer. If I were to harvest 3 deer in one season, I would have a full freezer that would feed a family of 4 for nearly a year (rough estimate).
Some hunters kill as many animals as possible in a given season. That’s just not my style. I have passed on SO MANY deer, that the real avid hunters would probably say that I am not a real hunter. On the contrary, I put in as much effort and time as my life allows. I have watched countless deer through the scope on my rifle. But I don’t go hunting just to kill. I go to harvest needed meat.
For me to shoot a deer, it has to meet a certain criterion, more of a personal need vs opportunity thing. When I have meat in the freezer, I get picky about the deer I kill. I prefer large does. An older doe (as the large ones usually are) is a very wary animal that has lived through several hunting seasons. They are intelligent and sly. Plus, the larger does offer more meat in a single animal than the younger bucks and does. When it comes to bucks, I see plenty of the smaller bucks. Smaller antlers for sure, but also smaller bodies. Typically, you’re not going to see a small bodied buck with large antlers, and vice versa. The smaller body is the part that prevents me from shooting them. Again, I’m there for the meat.
That all being said, there are times that I consider a buck I kill to be a trophy. In the usual sense, a trophy is something that exceeds all expectations in regards to antler measurements, etc. To me, a trophy is something that has deeper meaning. As I write this, I can see the only two buck mounts that I have hanging from the wall. One is from a trip with several other guys about 15 years ago. It is no record breaker by any means, but still a nice deer. I was on a guided hunt (the only I have ever been on). This buck represents the knowledge I gained on that hunt. In the four days I was able to spend with that guide, I learned and saw more than I had in nearly two decades of hunting prior to that hunt. A lot of what I saw and learned gave me the outlook I have now. I use those lessons to find the deer I want, not to shoot every deer that gives an opportunity. That hunt showed me all that could be enjoyed, apart from pulling the trigger.
The other deer mount on the wall was all me. Again, no record breaker. It is the biggest buck I have ever killed, and also the last. That was nearly 6 years ago. I bought about 12+ acres in an area I knew nothing about. I bought the property to live there (which I did). After buying the property in early spring, I explored it. While doing so, I noticed several things about the property that told me it would be good for my outdoorsy side. A small pond with fish, a few spots for hunting, and the quiet that I so desperately wanted. I scouted the property for hunting and put in the work to see what all this little personal paradise offered. The first season I hunted, I didn’t see much. Then I had a week off from work that I dedicated entirely to being in the woods. To say I enjoyed being out in the woods would be a vast understatement. The whole week was cold. There were clear skies and a breeze on one day. There was freezing rain and clouds on another. Then, on about the fourth day, in late afternoon, a doe came trotting by rather close to my stand. As I peacefully watched her, I noticed movement about 15 yards behind her. I turned my head to see the biggest buck I have ever been blessed enough to see. His body was BIG, lots of meat. It was the middle of the rut (deer mating time) and this buck had one thing on his mind. A few seconds, and a well-placed shot, later and he was on the ground. I dressed that buck and processed the meat myself. I got him mounted as a reminder of what a trophy means to me. I had put in the work on property that I owned. I used the lessons I learned over the years to increase my chances of seeing deer. I was rewarded with an animal that fed my family for quite some time. I would find out later, from a couple of neighbors, that numerous people (mostly hunters) had game camera photos of that buck spanning several years. Not one of those photos was during daylight hours. They were all during the night. Not only did no one have a photo of that buck during the day, this buck had not been seen during the day. Yes, that buck did have a good set of antlers on his head. I can honestly say that I did not kill him for the antlers. I just happened to be blessed with a buck that I would remember for a lifetime. That mount is not bragging material, it is a representation of many lessons over the years and memories that were so personal, from buying the land to packaging the meat in my kitchen. That is what makes this buck a trophy, to me.
Hunting is a great opportunity to provide meat. Hunting is also a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. You don’t have to shoot the deer with a gun. You can do so with a camera, if that is more appealing to you. Hunting can also help with honing skills, whether it be navigating/orienteering, bushcraft, or whatever.
Don’t just prepare. Prepare to thrive.
