trophy hunters

[hunter63]

From the beginning of time, the best hunters, prospered, were important, got the best females, ate better and were the in the upper class.
Involves the risk, difficulty, skill, physical prowess......bragging rights.

Hunting trophies has evolved and is the same as.... to:.... making the most money, being the best race car driver, doing the most dangerous jobs, being the "first' at anything,

While seemly a outdated and barbarous way of life, the fact is man kind wouldn't have evolved much, if they just layed around and said......Ahw, that's good enough........No need wheel, too much work.

Also be aware that trophy hunters aren't just in the wild life world......It just different trophies....mind set is the same.

I have to think on that. On one hand I understand completely where you are coming from and it's a good analogy. On the other, if you've done your homework and you think the best value for your money is a BMW or your lifestyle is such that the BMW is the Ford Taurus of your circle then it becomes a measure of perspective. If you have the money and like the open water then why not have a yacht?

I suppose, too, that trophy hunting could be viewed as a measure of perspective as well. Except animals are a finite commodity and yachts aren't. When the buffalo are gone they are gone. And what if you are raised in that environment? I tend to think that attitude is taught or learned. Not something genetic. I don't personally know any trophy hunters either so this is just opinion on my part.

Certainly agree with the two quotes you posted. Both were very good.

These are 2 of the best posts I've seen on WSF.

I don't see a huge difference between a BMW and a trophy. Anybody with a yacht or $600 handbag is displaying trophies.

That would make the issue vanity.

There's a local guy, Kurt Keulh (SIC?) Pronounced "cool" who has quite a few B&C longbow records. He's a schoolteacher in the winter and a smoke-jumper in the summer. He eats the meat, and does full skins with the bear. He calls himself a trophy hunter. He wants the biggest bear ever taken with a longbow.

He's not some narcissistic nutjob.

I know another guy, who will remain nameless. He is the best deer hunter around. Fills 6 tags a yr plus some. He poaches.

He does not save the hide. He saves the meat.

His opinion on deer hunting is; "I don't hunt, I'm at war with the deer."

I've never in my life met a killer of animals that wasted the animals.

The BMW example belongs to Winter, but this was what i was trying to say......just to clear that up.

And Rick, animals are a finite prize I guess, deer not being a good example, as they are considered a pest in some places, compensation to farmers is given.


To me the big difference is strictly personnel.......You have made a desision to take a life, one which you perpare for, and have to live with... as soon as the bullet, arrow, spear, rock.........missile leaves you control.....those moments will be carved into your mind forever, good or bad......Just a little bit bigger deal that say signing on the line for a BMW.

The older I get, the desire to 'put out that light' gets less and less, or seems so....and I am lulled into a semi hunter mind set........TILL the 30 pointer shows up, then it's game on.

[crashdive123]

Wild Woman - I have hunted, but am not a hunter so can offer no insight into the why's of the subject other than speculation. It may be worth while contacting these folks to gain some perspective. http://trophyhuntermag.com/

[Rick]

As I said, I get it completely and I thought it was a good analogy. I just have mixed thoughts on the analogy. I certainly don't support poaching and support poaching for only trophy even less. Winter just offered up some food for thought and it got my wheels turning. Not always a good thing, I know.

[Old Professor]

Wildwoman. I have been a hunter for more than sixty years and have taught hunter safety for fifty years. In my experience, the word "Trophy" means different things to different people. To a begining hunter a small four point buck is a "Trophy". For some a "Trophy is dependant on what method was used to take that animal. I have a small five point rack that I value because it came from my first archery kill. Likewise, a black bear head mount of my ninth bear kill because the 'Trophy" was taken with a longbow. To many of us, a "Trophy" has special meanig for us, regardless of its size. Now I understand that is not what you are refering to for your story character. I believe that type of person wants a "Trophy" as a sign of status. Some will purchase said "Trophy" from a poacher and pass it off as something that they personally killed. I think another way to look at this is the personality characteristics (flaws) of men and women who marry a "Trophy Spouse". Why do they do that? -- to advance their social status! All too often, in those marriages, they do not really love the spouse, they simply want to impress others with their "catch". In my opinion, that is a serious personallity flaw and a sign of an immature, self-centered individual with poor ethics and moral values. Same thing with the type of animal trophy hunter you appear to be creating as a character in your story.

[wildWoman]

The older I get, the desire to 'put out that light' gets less and less, or seems so....

Yeah, that's an interesting phenomena. I know that from both trappers and hunters.

@Crash - thanks for the link, that's a good idea!

@Old Prof - the trophy wife came to my mind too ... that's interesting what you say about certain animals having more significance and that being the reason why you'd want to have them mounted.

Feelings of sadness or regret don't seem to enter into this at all, it sounds like?

[Sourdough]

Feelings of sadness or regret don't seem to enter into this at all, it sounds like?

Not true, especially not true with European Hunters. They have reverence for the animal. They have a blessing/ritual/prayer they offer to the death of the animal. I will grant you that many American Trophy Hunters do lack sadness and regret. (Note to our newer forum members: I am a retired Professional Alaskan Hunting Guide, with 34 years in the business).

[Winter]

When I lack reverence for the game, I'll stop hunting.

[wildWoman]

Okay, so how does that work in a trophy hunter's mind (and I mean somebody who really just wants the trophy, not the meat) - they revere the animal, have no actual use for it, but kill it although they revere it in order to hang it on their wall?

@ Sourdough: what, in your experience with North American trophy hunters, is a common motivator for them? Particulary when it comes to bears?

[Winter]

Well, here, it's illegal to waste the meat of game animals.

Caribou and elk hunters are required, if it takes two trips, to carry the meat out first and the hide and antlers second.

[Rick]

Winter - When you guys take a moose or elk and you have to hoss it out some distance how do you keep bear or wolves from claiming the parts left behind? I'm assuming your are packing meat out instead of on ATV or snow machine. There's just not a lot of trees in AK to hang the meat from, depending on where you are, and once you field dress it the smell is in the air. I've never figured out how the meat waiting for the second or third trip is safe.

[wildWoman]

Winter - When you guys take a moose or elk and you have to hoss it out some distance how do you keep bear or wolves from claiming the parts left behind?

I don't know how it works for Winter, but we've rarely had problems with that. If we have to do a couple trips, either one of us stays behind with the meat or we leave people-smelly shirts and jackets on the meat. Where we live, there aren't herds of bears and wolves milling around just off in the bushes.
One time on a mountain goat hunt, a grizzly came running pretty much at the sound of the shot, which made for record time in goat field dressing. But we're usually done with with our moose in a matter of hours.

[Winter]

Not an issue for me since we have no moose, caribou, or elk anywhere near me.

We do have endless trees here though.

I'm a good 1000 miles from caribou.

[Rick]

Thanks both of you. I would have thought that bear would have picked up the scent and been on the kill in no time. Slow bears I guess. Thanks!

[wildWoman]

I would have thought that bear would have picked up the scent and been on the kill in no time. Slow bears I guess.

I think it's got more to do with all the people smells at the kill site. The majority of animals is very careful when it comes to moving in on somebody else's kill - getting injured in a fight is something they need to avoid in order to survive. So while a bear or wolf may know that there is a fresh kill and that it seems awfully quiet, and the people smells are already a few hours old, they seem to rather wait another day or two before moving in on it (basically challenging you). And by then, you'd normally be done with carrying the meat out.