Guest Posts - Do You Hunt for the Trophy?

I was contacted recently by Blake Anderson of Huntertreestands.com to do a guest post article on my blog. I always welcome a guest and I'm delighted to share his post with you today.  Thanks so much Blake!
  

Do you Hunt for the Trophy?

Every hunter has their own unique style in hunting and some years a hunter may go for that trophy buck to hang on his wall while the next year leaves the bucks alone bagging a doe instead. What ever your hunting style is you already know about hunter safety and the buddy system.

Hunting is individual for each and every hunter.  I know that many times I have sat in my tree stand and let the big bucks just pass me by as I watch them, counting their points and thinking quietly of the big old bucks’ life and history of his escaping ending up on someone’s dinner table.

I have watched some magnificent bucks come into range and just haven’t had the heart to shoot them since with their agility and knowledge is old as they have survived many hunting seasons.  These old bucks just amaze me and deserve to live a long life as they are so elusive.

There is always another deer that will follow behind, as when you see one there is one not too far behind the other.  Patience is a virtue for hunters and hunters have patience and must have patience to sit out in the cold for hours at a time barely moving.  The thrill of being in your tree stand waiting, watching and listening to the woods around you is relaxing and peaceful.  Nothing compares to sitting in your tree stand and waiting until your deer walks into view, the perfect view where you can take aim, keeping your breath slow and taking your shot.

Dad always taught me one shot one kill, and trust me, you had better stick to his program when hunting.  We would agree to disagree prior to climbing our tree stand and setting up.  Whose turn was it to take the trophy was always determined by the flip of the coin.  However, more years than not we would leave the old bucks alone and watch them as they walked beneath us to hopefully live another year.

Unless we were in a hunting competition for the largest buck we would generally leave them be.  There is nothing like watching one of these magnificent old ‘men’ of the forest with a 10 or 12 point rack and wonder how many fights he has won to breed the next year of does.

I would rather bag a doe or yearling any day for the sweet tender meat than taking short the life of an old buck that could sit with you for hours around a fire pit and tell you stories of survival. Maybe I am showing my age in telling this as when a hunter is young and starting out it is always the trophy that young hunters want to go for. 

Trophy or not, sitting silently in the trees watching and listening is a special way to become one with nature.  Hunters hunt for meat to feed their families as it should be and waiting for your dinner to walk by and get into your sights can take hours.  However, in the end when you bring that deer home you know you have provided some healthy food to place on your table.