Where have all the meat hunters gone?

The other day I was on a job site, talking with some guys, naturally the conversation amongst outdoorsmen turned to hunting.  The one guy proceeds to pull out his I-Phone and show off several photos of a ram he had killed last fall.  I will give kudos to the guy for a nice trophy ram, taken on what looked like an epic hunt.  Then he goes on to tell the story of how he killed the animal, note: how he killed the animal, not how he hunted it.  Explaining in great detail how the rams face got to be covered in blood (nobody bothered cleaning up the animal for the photos), due to the Big-horn falling over a 100 feet down a rocky slope.  Now, you may be thinking, "Big-horn hunting often ends with a ram being shot and falling" and so and so...  That is true, however, should this be the part of your hunting story that makes you smile the most?

This guy then asks a few of those around how their seasons were, a few nods and some reciting of antler measurements later, I decide to show him a picture of a mule buck my hunting buddy harvested (having had mostly a "meat hunters" season myself).  Now this buck was a beauty.  Not the biggest one out there by any means, but the story behind it made the hunt, and the trophy, worthy of being talked about.  It was his first mule buck taken by archery, after a awesome rattling sequence (not to mention countless hours of scouting and prep).  I myself drove out that day to the spot to see the results of my buddies eventful morning, and then proceeded to lose 5 arrows in the snow, as all of the deer seemed to be on high alert.... but that is another story.   Anyhow... I show this guy the picture, it is a great pic BTW, animal is positioned just right, cleaned up, very respectful and even melancholy to those who appreciated the feelings of accomplishment that come from the hard work of taking an animal with a bow.  First thing buddy says, "oh.  what did he score?".  Not a question about the hunt, no comment on the quality of the photograph, no care in the world except numbers.  I answered (to the best of my knowledge), and got back a "oh.  that's it?, oh well", and then goes on to talk more about his bloody (literally) ram.

Walking away I am thinking, this is the type of attitude that breeds ignorance and perpetuates the anti-hunter sentiments of those who have a jaded view of the lifestyle and sport.  Why have antlers become
(for many) the sole means of measuring ones success as a hunter?  Now don't get me wrong, I like big antlers, horns, and whatever other means of measuring a trophy animal are out there.  But that isn't the only reason I like hunting.  The "kill" and the "trophy" have become the sole reason to hunt for some, and has turned many of these into a newer breed of quasi-unethical sportsmen/women.  Sure TV is somewhat to blame, who can't help getting hyped after watching a well known TV personality pass up a 175" 6x6 because "we are gonna wait for the big one..."  But does that hype and show really need to become the way of the average hunter?

I recently read an article that spoke of a community, where most of the families were involved with hunting in some way or another.  There was a healthy spirit of competition, but instead of scoring antlers, they weighed animals.  A trophy in their books was a freezer full of meat.  We all need to do a little more of this.  I am not saying pass up a shot on a monster whitetail because there might happen to be an even more monstrous doe also within range, but don't get down on the guy who is spilling over with excitement over his first doe, or spiker buck, or cow elk.  The last thing we need in a sport that is already shed in a bad light by some is dissension from within our ranks.  As sportsman we strive to encourage others to embrace the lifestyle and get exposed to a real outdoors experience.  And encouragement may come from flattery, interest and genuine kindness when talking about somebodies hunt, especially if it resulted in success.  Not success in a record book, but personal success that breeds an addiction to the outdoors, the fuel of our passion for excitement and exploration.

I have to go now my wife is cooking whitetail backstrap....