Trophy or Not

Trophy or Not

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
I was reading the paper the other day and in the "Letters to the Editor" section, there was a letter from Odos Lowery, a natural resource specialist, that I found very thought-provoking. In one sense, it goes against a hunter's natural instincts and in another sense, upon reflection, it makes an excellent point. Let me read it to you. "Hunting season is here again and I would like to ask hunters to not take elk or deer with multi-branch antlers. The best meat comes from a dry doe or cow who is a yearling. Enjoy the scouting, the stalk, and the time with friends and relatives in camp. Studies show the extreme necessity of leaving the multipoint males in the forest to breed. The large males call more often and louder, which makes the females gather in large numbers and come into breeding readiness in a more even way. Do not take these proven genes out of the gene pool. What is the sport in calling in a large mail with your bugle when he is in a breeding craze and easy to kill? The meat is tough and full of hormones. Become true sportsman and sports women and take these animals only with the camera. Enjoy your hunt and take home some good meat for a change.

This should certainly apply to hunters who already have a nice trophy mount. You probably don't need two or three mounts to prove you are an outdoorsman.

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