Trophy heads - are we falling into a trap or just a marketing ploy?

[Foxyboy43]

Always a tinge of sadness for me when I see pictures of any magnificent beast that has been shot just because of its looks.
Not criticising anyone here.
Ken.

I always feel the same KB - for some reason the Roe does always require a bit of extra squeeze of my trigger, long may it continue to be so…

 

[Apthorpe]

Always a tinge of sadness for me when I see pictures of any magnificent beast that has been shot just because of its looks.
Not criticising anyone here.
Ken.

Likewise, but a closer examination of the facts reveals that to be rather emotive and somewhat misleading.
In virtually every case, it is not a matter of shooting an extra animal, but selecting which one to shoot. Also in virtually every case, they are actually shot for conservation purposes and to provide meat. The trophy aspect simply adds money to an underfunded sector.
When it comes down to it, most objections to trophy hunting are simply bigotry on the part of thst person - a revulsion that a fat, rich American/German/other nationality is allowed to exist, travel and shoot exactly.the same type of animal as anyone else. Pretty odious sentiments on the part of the objector.

 

[countrryboy]

Likewise, but a closer examination of the facts reveals that to be rather emotive and somewhat misleading.
In virtually every case, it is not a matter of shooting an extra animal, but selecting which one to shoot. Also in virtually every case, they are actually shot for conservation purposes and to provide meat. The trophy aspect simply adds money to an underfunded sector.
When it comes down to it, most objections to trophy hunting are simply bigotry on the part of thst person - a revulsion that a fat, rich American/German/other nationality is allowed to exist, travel and shoot exactly.the same type of animal as anyone else. Pretty odious sentiments on the part of the objector.

I think u are spot on just a form of biogotry and class war,
I think with fellow stalkers it is more a jealousy if they actually object to it.
By all means dont do it but dont have a problem with someone else doing it if they want too.

If anything shooting a tropby animal will mean less deer are shot as ur passing up smaller deer.
It may take 2 or 3+ outings to get the 1 u want.
Yet if u were just taking cull animals would be shooting 1st buck/stag u see possibly multiple in a day.

 

[CAVHUNT]

countrryboy said Q "It may take 2 or 3+ outings to get the 1 u want." UQ

Oh how I wish it was that simple. 2 sambar stags...both exceptional plus models and separated by both distance and time...[in years]. Some 3 years chasing one and about the same on the other....unsuccessfully....just a few short, sudden but tantalizing glimpses.

 

[countrryboy]

countrryboy said Q "It may take 2 or 3+ outings to get the 1 u want." UQ

Oh how I wish it was that simple. 2 sambar stags...both exceptional plus models and separated by both distance and time...[in years]. Some 3 years chasing one and about the same on the other....unsuccessfully....just a few short, sudden but tantalizing glimpses.

Aye i can totally appreciate that.
But i was talking about going out with a professional guide in a nore uk setting.
Even highland stalkers wirh a massive beats10s of thousands of acres will have a fairly good idea where the bigger stags are holding.
He may well have scouted beforehand, thats why the clients are payibg the big money.
Still may be no absolute guarantee of grassing quality beast, but the chances are very good in normal circumstances.

 

[Heym SR20]

I think the beauty of a trophy is the memories attached to it. You can’t eat the skin, the antlers or the tusks. But the heads on the wall, or the tusks made into a knife handle, or the piece of antler used as a toggle on a gunslip all just keep the memories alive.

I was sent a picture a couple years ago of a stags head in a lodge up in Highlands. Plaque was from the late 1930’s and it had been shot by my Grandmother. She died 40 years ago.

I shot this boy 20 odd years ago. @billbartlett mounted it for me. I just look at it and I am back in the woods as if it was yesterday.

The rest of him was eaten and then went down the public sewer a long time ago.

I could just his head inti a pit or hedgerow - but that would have been a shame.

 

[Julian S]

For me its down to the persons ethics,if your an ethical hunter then I have no problem with stalking a trophy deer that usually hasn't got older through stupidity,often getting away from you and then processed and if mounted admired for years.
I have some mounts that bring back amazing memories every time i look at them.Too much placating the antis and wokery going on for my liking.If more deer need culling just get on with it

 

[Rafter]

I think the beauty of a trophy is the memories attached to it. You can’t eat the skin, the antlers or the tusks. But the heads on the wall, or the tusks made into a knife handle, or the piece of antler used as a toggle on a gunslip all just keep the memories alive.

I was sent a picture a couple years ago of a stags head in a lodge up in Highlands. Plaque was from the late 1930’s and it had been shot by my Grandmother. She died 40 years ago. View attachment 450293

I shot this boy 20 odd years ago. @billbartlett mounted it for me. I just look at it and I am back in the woods as if it was yesterday.

The rest of him was eaten and then went down the public sewer a long time ago.

I could just his head inti a pit or hedgerow - but that would have been a shame.

Yes indeed.
It's a physical reminder of the day, how you were, how the animal was - all of it.

 

[Taff]

But there's folk out there who'll pay mega money to shoot a stag under the conditions you describe above, if he's got bigger antlers than any other stag they're ever likely to come across. It's been done before (although to be fair, the stag has at times been released from it's confinement just before the paying stalking party arrives on the hill, just to add that touch of authenticity), and will no doubt continue to happen.

Ex velvet deer are released here for foreign clients to pay big bucks for. One that is said to be the biggest red head ever ( it was hideous) would eat out of your hand.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Ex velvet deer are released here for foreign clients to pay big bucks for. One that is said to be the biggest red head ever ( it was hideous) would eat out of your hand.

Sadly a practice not confined to the Southern Hemisphere. “Trophy Ranches” in the US; “Game Compounds” in Africa; Billy Goats - sorry Ibex in the UK and Ireland, etc.
Interestingly in a post-shoot chat the viewpoint was that they are no different to what any local game shoot does….
Class (further) discuss…..

 

[Taff]

I would say the difference in game shooting is you make it as difficult as possible to hit the birds, with arranged trophy hunting it is generally a guarantee.
Having a mount does not mean it has to be a medal head.

 

[John Gryphon]

...both exceptional plus models

lets have a look at them cobber.

 

[countrryboy]

Sadly a practice not confined to the Southern Hemisphere. “Trophy Ranches” in the US; “Game Compounds” in Africa; Billy Goats - sorry Ibex in the UK and Ireland, etc.
Interestingly in a post-shoot chat the viewpoint was that they are no different to what any local game shoot does….
Class (further) discuss…..

But thats hardly the norm in europe and be very very rare in Uk.

The problem u have grouping that type of hunting which is fairly rare in with normal fair chasse 'trophy' hunting is it effeects everything.

I have absolutely no problem with someone shooting a park deer, they need managed just like any other deer.
As long as treated humanely while it lived.

Each to their own but as almost everyone has said no matter the size of the trophy, it the memories it brings back weather, stalker, ground, and the stalk.
Hell i can bring a bit of meat out freezer read the label and quite often remember sim7lar things about where i shot it.

I cant imagine a oark deer will inspire any of those memories or atlwast not to the same levels.

Trying to pass a more 'canned' hunting as normal trophy hunting just confuses things.
I bet in uk its a tiny tiny fraction of 1% if even as high as that

 

[Freeforester]

Always a tinge of sadness for me when I see pictures of any magnificent beast that has been shot just because of its looks.
Not criticising anyone here.
Ken.

Indeed, but is it better to see deer that have been shot and photographed which haven’t had the chance to fulfil their potential?

I recall seeing an all white roebuck gracing the pages of a European country’s hunting association magazine, it was no more than a yearling, two at the most. At moments such as that, I am somehow ashamed to be pigeonholed with other ‘hunters’.

 

[Deermanagement]

Good post ^^^

Agree

 

[Taff]

Indeed, but is it better to see deer that have been shot and photographed which haven’t had the chance to fulfil their potential?

I recall seeing an all white roebuck gracing the pages of a European country’s hunting association magazine, it was no more than a yearling, two at the most. At moments such as that, I am somehow ashamed to be pigeonholed with other ‘hunters’.

Struggling with your logic, a white roe buck ? Not normal under your first logic it should be culled, as to reaching full potential, it’s probably why you are overrun with deer, in the uk allegedly.
I have nothing against trophy’s, here we see the biggest wild stags shot during the roar, as that is when it’s easiest.