Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Head Hunter vs. Meat Hunter…

Contrary to what some say or believe, IMO, there really isn’t some type of bad feelings between these two types of hunters.

While they are ideologically different in what they each want in an animal. A meat hunter would almost certainly dump a 190 buck or 360 bull in a heart beat, if given the chance. The ‘chance’ is where our Meat Hunter tires hitting the road are different than a Head Hunters tires.

As Meat Hunters, we usually don’t give ourselves much of a chance, we’ll typically shoot the first legal animal we see, to a degree.

Head Hunters, at least for the largest part of the season are holding out for a predetermined size they want to kill ~ Anything under that size, get’s a pass. All bets are off the last day or two of their hunt. Some might take something smaller, some might not.

What is different between these two types of hunters, that I have seen, is the amount of preparation, self education, and time in the field during the off season Head Hunters spend to identify, study, and follow animals they have targeted to hunt.

They are constantly looking, consumed by maps, overlays of food/water sources, terrain, elevation, and accessible public land…It’s like they have a terminal illness. I think a more accurate description is an addiction. An addiction in pursuit of something special, and the reward in the end for the effort put into hunting the animal.

I for one, admire them for it. Especially, the Head Hunter who’s doing it on public land. (I’m not slamming a hunter who owns bookoo acreage that holds and produces animals with massive head gear) I may hate your ass, but that’s coming from a case of deep jealousy. Many of you actually hunt hard for those bigger animals.

For the many, as Meat Hunters, we don’t spend as much time preparing a hunt as a Head Hunter does, and we shouldn’t feel lesser for taking a legal animal for it’s food over it’s rack size. I can’t believe the amount of excuses we’ll make (I already made one) for shooting a forked horn (Western Antler Math being used) or a spike bull. Like a fork or a spike doesn’t rate as a worthwhile critter.

Here’s my feelings on the matter, as a Meat Hunter. If you can consistently get yourself, family or friends on legal animals each year to shoot. You’re a Rock-Star!

I have no idea what the percentage is for successful hunters versus unsuccessful hunters. But, I imagine the higher percentage would be for hunters unsuccessfully filing a tag. If you’re making meat or hanging horns on a wall, consistently. You are way ahead in the game of hunting.

In closing, to me, Head Hunters, you are the A team in desire and effort. It’s exciting and enjoyable to read about your hunts, knowing the hard work that you put into getting it done.

Meat Hunters, that continue to fill freezers for yourselves and family, hold your heads high, and shoot them Forky’s and Spikes with extreme prejudice.


Elk season starts for me Nov. 12th. As of this moment, we have a date with a nice spike bull. But I’d rather shoot a 7x7.

Good hunting to all!

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Mark, this day and age, there is no such thing as a “meat hunter”. Not even close. A meat hunter nowadays would have a open sighted 22, wouldn’t buy a license, and would drive a $500 truck. Now….. most folks still love the hunt, and enjoy the meat, but, there is no such thing as a “meat hunter”, especially one that posts on the www. 👊🏻

I think you mean ‘Poacher’, JM.


This one looked pretty ‘meat needy’ to me last week.

Lol

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Exactly

Could be a poacher, but there’s a hellava lot more horn poachers than there are meat poachers.

Face it, if a guy hunted for meat, especially you and I, we could eat ribeyes 3 times a day.

I hunt cause I love it, I love new country, the animals, the kill, the meat, the chase, the experience. Always love, and it’s usually the guys that don’t kill shiit, the love the experience of being with Pards, campin cookin etc. hey, I do that shiit the rest of the year. I go huntin, I wholeheartedly expect to kill something.

Ymmv

As far as “poacher”, is it? Says who? Folks have fed their families since the beginning of time with meat.guess it depends how you were raised and where. As for me, if a guy killed a critter and ate it, I’d never turn him in or call him a poacher. 👍

+1

I think you’re going back in time to the days of getting camp meat, or finding an animal to help feed a hungry family during lean years.

I’m not talking about that, or those times. Some of us will shoot a meat dink knowing it will eat good. Some won’t shoot anything under a predetermined score.

One hunts the meat, size don’t matter, while the other is hunting bone height, width, and mass because it means something more than just the table fare.

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Most buck meat I’ll give to guys at work with larger families or make pepperoni/sausage out of. If a guy likes buck meat, shoot whatcha want. 👊🏻

I shot four does last season. I sure as hell didn't shoot them for their antlers. I fill my shed with firewood and my freezers with game meat every year. One saves me money on heating fuel and the other saves me money on groceries. Been doing it all my life.

I’m in the meat department with you anymore Mark but the problem with letting the Granddaughter do the killing is I end up sending the meat home with her. She really enjoys it as well as the family but this year with her on her own tag they got hers and I got mine and am looking forward to eating it.

I bet your ‘GD’ is gonna get herself some of yours, no matter what. Lol

We’ll hook up next week in Tillamook. I got to get you set up to post pictures of your granddaughter hunting.

That kid is a straight up animal murderer.

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My goal is typically to take a mature animal. I don't necessarily care to take the biggest rack and won't spend countless hours in search of a specific animal. I shoot the first mature animal I see. Usually, mature animals will have a larger rack AND they will provide more meat. Myself, I don't have a problem with what others do so long as it isn't creating a problem for somebody else.

She was taught to kill the damn things them eat them and is good at both. I’m sure she’ll eat as much of mine as she can especially the jerky. 😂 see ya next week.

I uh.......uh........go both ways.

If my freezer's empty, I have zero issue shooting a spike or whatever I see that is legal. Other times, especially when flights are involved and dealing with the meat is a total PIA, I head hunt. I do and like both and factor a lot of bird hunting into the equation.

It ain't no sh:t that for what I spend in fuel and tags, I could eat steak and lobster every day at a hell of a nice resturant. Instead, I eat like crap and sleep under a tree a lot. I drink cheap beer by choice though, `cause I ain't no hi-fallutin, proper and refined redneck.

Heading out in the morning to set more wolverine traps and kill more ptarmigan. If I eat at all, it'll be a gas station burrito, `cause I am classy like that.

I generally head hunt similarly...ie, I look for a "good" animal but don't give a damn about inches (of antler at least). The issue here is that lots of strict head hunters do feel you're creating a problem for somebody else by shooting small bucks and definitions of "too small" vary widely. Conversely, by only shooting trophies some feel that makes anti hunters hate the sport more, so again you're creating a problem for somebody else by head hunting. Everyone seems to have a different thought process concerning how critters should or should not be managed. I see arguments about it all the time and am fascinated by so many points of view.

That’s cause your like most of us. I bet mine cost a $100 a pound this year and I’m fine with it the memories are worth a $1000 a pound.

Besides classy, you’re a sexy mofo too ~ when you’re wearing lace panties.


Ribeye for elk camp.











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In theory that sounds reasonable. But theres a big problem with that i cant overlook. Theres folks out here that dont buy deer tags but shoot deer every year on their property, claiming poverty and the need to put food on the table. And yes theyre poor people. The problem with that though, is these poor people who apparently cant afford the deer tag, and therefore also dont worry about seasons, somehow always have a cigarette hanging out of their mouths and a bottle of whiskey close at hand. The amount of money they spend on smokes and booze, they could choke their family on beef. So [bleep] them. If i see them, catch them in the act, bet your ass ill squeal.

And that's exactly why I said in the beginning, NO-ONE, hunts for meat nowadays, especially me or beaver10. Again, if a guy eats it, ill never biitch, especially when, especially in our state, bear, cougar, wolves and every other predator goes unchecked. 👍 bet your ass, ill never squeal.