Why such a to-do about antlers? You can't eat 'em.

[artrepro]

Artrepro, congrulations on your deer, as I stated I am not a doe killer and have no qualms with those that harvest them, but something to think about, A young doe will breed her first year of sexual maturity and probably have a single fawn, the rest of her breeding life she will have twins, maybe a set of triplets or maybe a single fawn, now lets say she makes it too six years of age for a total of perhaps 10 fawns of which if we are lucky half of those will be buck deer. I have watched deer and do prior scouting a lot as mentioned bye others, and over the years have learned a lot of deer behavior in the area I hunt, some of the deer are familiar and then there are what I call the cruisers,. For example the 7 point this year I shot during regular rifle season never seen him in the area. If I was to harvest a doe it would be a old doe that I figured was beyond her breeding days. I have often wondered of the smaller deer that are harvested as a doe but turns out to be a button buck the numbers involved. Do not get me wrong a old heard leader doe is a very smart animal, at times I try to see what I can get away with such as movement, or a slight noise with one of those old girls, for me it is a learning experience and at least I think adds to my hunting skills. As I have aged it is now about the horns, When younger it was about if the deer had horns it was dead. The state I hunt has for the last few years put a antler point restriction and harvestable bucks must have at least 3 points on one side, There are starting to be some nice bucks now. As Eric said my shop walls are covered with horns some small, some large there are deer heads mounted in my home each has a story behind them and for me all are trophies. If I need a knife handle or something made from deer horn I will buy the horn, never cut up one that I shot. Happy hunting.

Around here most end up laying on the side of the road, have seen more on the road this year than any other time.

chuck40219

 

[Ames]

Lots of garlic. I make bean and cheese burritos and freeze them.

I have over 1200 garlic sleeping under the snow right now.

 

[Carbon 6]

I have over 1200 garlic sleeping under the snow right now.

I have about 1/4 of that sleeping.

 

[Skychief]

2000 views in 2 days...

You know how to start a campfire Spence!!!!

All the best, Skychief.

 

[Jim Wag]

You guys must be Southerners.
Northerners already know they make long Johns that are like leotards or hoes. I'm wearing some right now. Ooooh silky smooth.

Arizona born and bred
Moved back east
A few years ago
Now in New Mexico

When it gets really cold
I wear red flannel pj bottoms
Under my pants

Jim in La Luz

 

[Spikebuck]

2000 views in 2 days...

You know how to start a campfire Spence!!!!

Since Spence said the direction of conversation isn't what he intended, perhaps it's the campfire that got out of control and started the forest on fire!!!

I haven't seen your response yet Skychief....I've been anxiously waiting....but then you are a lot smarter than I am to just stay on the sideline.

In all seriousness though...we're all brothers/sisters in the woods. These kinds of conversations always bring out lots of things to think about. Best of luck to those that are still out there and especially to our Pennsylvania brethren that get the great opportunity to have a flintlock only season.

 

[Robby]

Last day here, and I feeling horny!
Robby

 

[Squatch84]

I hunt mostly for the hunt, I don't mind taking a spike if it means meat.
This year all I got was a 4 point and that's good enough for me. I just enjoyed being out there and being able to make some bologna was the best part.
That said big racks can be turned into more items that are usable.

 

[Jay]

My brother taught me how to hunt and he said we only shoot ones with handles on the heads and I have known guys who hunt for horns Only and I’ve noticed they prefer to eat tag stew You have to be careful when you’re making that stew if you cook it too long the ink separates from the paper and paper just doesn’t taste right

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

I guess I am to simple of a man.. I was taught the only need of the animal dying is straight out to feed, eat. Dad told me if a "TROPHY" was my search go to a ball game. No need for a waste of life for a photo op or a stinking trophy. He had more colorful language added. When he was a teen he had a job at a Land fill where during hunting season the deer were stacked 10 feet high, missing just antlers or head. I use as much as I can from a carcass antlers Used for rattling, Knife handles or even gun racks. It is food hunting I do. As I pass to my kids what dad taught me.

 

[Sam squanch]

Another benefit from hunting only big bucks- an advantage in warfare. I knew a man who was in army ranger school, swore his experience in getting the big racks was a huge advantage in his profession. Now when I say “ big racks” I mean deer. He was also good at getting the other “ big racks”!

 

[Spikebuck]

When he was a teen he had a job at a Land fill where during hunting season the deer were stacked 10 feet high, missing just antlers or head.

So many, many years ago, before there was really any kind of trophy whitetail craze, and when in most parts of the country deer were really pretty scarce, there were piles of headless deer thrown in the landfill.

This kind of BS just fuels animal rightists who read around hunting forums to get fuel for their fires, actually believe it, then spread it. I don't know of anyone, other than poachers, who are just cutting off heads or antlers and throwing the rest away, although the hunter-haters would love to have the general public believe that. I believe it's even illegal wanton waste in most if not all states. Even the TV killers doing it only for the video and money donate those deer to food banks. Can it happen? I suppose it has, but I would not believe it is in any quantity to speak of. Any amount is not acceptable, but I highly doubt there was or are piles of headless deer anywhere, unless, again, it's a poaching ring only after antlers.

 

[GAHUNTER60]

We had a problem with someone dumping a bunch of carcasses on our hunting property some years back. The deer in question had the hind quarters and backstraps removed without skinning. The wastefulness was sickening!

We called the game warden, who pretty much told us that unless we saw who did it, there wasn't a whole lot he could do.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Sam, skills learned in the woods at a early age and through out life definitely carry over to other hunting.

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

So many, many years ago, before there was really any kind of trophy whitetail craze, and when in most parts of the country deer were really pretty scarce, there were piles of headless deer thrown in the landfill.

This kind of BS just fuels animal rightists who read around hunting forums to get fuel for their fires, actually believe it, then spread it. I don't know of anyone, other than poachers, who are just cutting off heads or antlers and throwing the rest away, although the hunter-haters would love to have the general public believe that. I believe it's even illegal wanton waste in most if not all states. Even the TV killers doing it only for the video and money donate those deer to food banks. Can it happen? I suppose it has, but I would not believe it is in any quantity to speak of. Any amount is not acceptable, but I highly doubt there was or are piles of headless deer anywhere, unless, again, it's a poaching ring only after antlers.

As I stated it was dad told me, Dad grew up in New York I have been there during hunting season have hunted Elk and Deer there, From what I gathered from others sharing stories of the waste, I do not DOUBT what Dad told me, have I SEEN it YES. Here in Kentucky and On my private land folks poach I have found 5 maybe 6 carcasses this season mainly missing heads or horns. I know the only humans waste in that nature.
so perhaps the BS aint so far from well NOT BS huh

 

[Robby]

Sixty plus years of hunting in New York and I have found exactly, none. What a knack you and yours have for finding poached game, you should work for the government.
Robin

 

[wry]

Spence:

First of all, I want you to know how much I (and so many others!) have enjoyed and been enriched by your presence and participation on this forum! I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year! Couldn't agree more enthusiastically with your post--especially this year because practically ALL of my hunting was lost for me due to a

protracted and nasty bout with Covid. Fortunately I was able to hunt the very last couple of days of Montana's season. A sympathetic friend invited me to hunt on a ranch with extremely controlled access. The enforced stipulation for permission to hunt was that only does could be taken. Believe me, it did not detract from my enjoyment!

 

[Sam squanch]

The idiot who lived behind me was caught deer poaching. He dumped a few remains on my land. Same deal, if you don’t video them, it did not happen. He was arrested with 12 deer hanging in his back porch. And he had paying customers.

 

[Spikebuck]

The idiot who lived behind me was caught deer poaching. He dumped a few remains on my land. Same deal, if you don’t video them, it did not happen. He was arrested with 12 deer hanging in his back porch. And he had paying customers.

I am glad they caught him. Hopefully he got a strong sentence that sent a message.

We actually had a huge ring in my area a few years ago that the Wildlife Officers spent a long time putting together a case to break up. I can't remember the number of them in the ring, but it was something like 20+ guys. They were shining at night and taking big bucks. They were taking the whole deer. Not sure where the markets are for poached deer meat, but I imagine there's a market for everything. I can only assume the antlers were going to China or some place like that, although I thought the velvet was the big thing for the Asian home brewed "medicines."

I can still remember reading an article in Outdoor Life, I believe, many years ago written by a guy that was actually in a huge Texas ring. The ring had law enforcement and judges as part of it. When he tried to finally get out, they killed his dogs with ground glass in hamburger and also he and his family's lives were threatened. This was a serious group! It wasn't just deer, but other game and non-game animals as well.

I do believe that poachers after just antlers will just cut off what they want and leave the rest in the field because they want to get out in a hurry. I don't believe that honest law-abiding hunters do this in numbers. States today have meat donation programs and personally, considering the need for good protein donations to the food banks, I have no problem with people hunting and donating some or all of their game to these programs that help the hungry.

 

[hanshi]

Down in my native Georgia I always shot far more does than bucks. One had to do this if he wanted more than just the two allotted bucks. The meat was always used. Throwing away or leaving game in the woods, small or large, was "wonton waste", a punishable crime! I killed deer and donated them to "Hunters for the Hungry", friends who did not hunt but liked venison and, of course, my own freezer. Taking deer with a muzzleloader was always a constant thrill for me. I consider ANY deer killed with a muzzleloader in fair chase to be a trophy, horns or no horns. The tons of venison that the forests provided was very much appreciated by me and all the others who benefited from it. A few good racks ended up gracing my wall and many "not so good" ones were used in crafting appropriate accessories. The main carved-in-stone rule for my acceptance was "fair chase". If a deer was taken according to that rule it was righteous.