I have no trophy on my wall, although my freezer is full of elk and have eaten elk 3 out of the last 4 days. So I guess I must be a "meat" hunter.

One of these days when Thunder-BullTM walks inside of 400 yards of my sights, I just might be a trophy-meat-hunter.

I'm probably like you and like most hunters. I would love to have a 300-class bull hanging on my wall, but I'm not going to pass up the chance to fill the freezer waiting for The Big One.

I live in Colorado where Unit 61 is a limited draw unit that produces some monster bulls. So, each year I put in Unit 61 as my first choice and a statewide cow license as my second choice (I'm a muzzleloader hunter, by the way). Each year I get the cow license and another preference point (for not getting my first choice).

My preference points are building up and one of these years I figure I'll draw Unit 61. Maybe that year I'll become a "trophy hunter." In the meantime I'm happy to fill the freezer with tender cow meat.

Well, being that this is my first year hunting the big boys...or girls...I'd like to think that I'm just a hunter. I'm just going to go out and do my thing and if I'm fortunate to come across a trophy, then so be it. I'm not going to limit myself to being so selective to only shoot a "trophy." I guess with that being said, I'm a meat hunter first and a trophy hunter if I'm lucky.

Kupe

[ This Message was edited by: therookie on 2003-06-26 09:40 ]

In our family its always been, fill the freezer first! Most years its been cow elk (very good eating BTW!) and maybe one year a trophy will come along. Like you Don everyone puts in for draw areas & is accumulating points, so hopefully one day we will have the monster muley or elk hanging on our wall. But until that time, we're happy with full freezer. We do have a very nice 'lope hanging on the wall. He's very pretty :smile:!

I think whatever your priority is, is how you classify yourself. That would make me a meat hunter. If a spike and a 350 class bull walk in front of me then I'd take the big boy. But filling the freezer is the priority.

As a sidenote, how would the 350+ bull (which I'm assuming is 7-8 years old) be as tablefare? Is a bull that age decent to eat?

I've eaten some pretty old bull meat (not that I took myself, but my uncle has about a 330 bull on his wall and I had some of that). It was "decent to eat," but it sure wasn't as good or as tender as a young cow.

I would have to say that a young spike or cow would be my choice for filling the freezer. But I've gotten a few of theose over the years. I'm putting in and getting points for the areas that the big boy's are in because I want a 300+ wall hanger also. I guess I feel that by the time I get him I will have plenty of chances to fill my freezer with elk and deer so I won't go hungry that year I draw in and just go for a trophy.

On a side note, if it was the last day and in the afternoon and I still don't have that trophy, I will just fill the freezer! I would still want to come home with something if I could. :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: PS350XLT on 2003-06-27 09:37 ]

Bowhunter - we've eaten older bulls and they're definitely a lot tougher, but still very good meat. It ends up in the crockpot a lot or makes great jerky!

since you all are talking about a "trophy", what, in your opinion, is actually a "TROPHY" bull elk????????