Eyes of the Beholder

[Trigger50]

A trophy is in the eyes of the beholder. When I walk by this little basket 8 pt I shot last year in the Black Hills...I pause and smile. I value this deer more than most of my bigger deer. Its been a childhood dream to hunt the Black Hills since my family vacationed out there every summer in my childhood.

 

[FairWeather]

I can’t speak much from experience, but it seems to me it’s not the size of antlers that makes it a trophy, but rather the story the goes with it.

 

[grizzly63]

Beautiful place to hunt.

 

[p_ham]

I can’t speak much from experience, but it seems to me it’s not the size of antlers that makes it a trophy, but rather the story the goes with it.

Trophies are relics of the hunt. You can relive your best times and your hardest trials while gazing upon them.

 

[rogerthat]

I can’t speak much from experience, but it seems to me it’s not the size of antlers that makes it a trophy, but rather the story the goes with it.

Yeah without the story the trophy rack doesn’t mean much. I had a buddy that called me one day and said “I’m heading out of town for the day but I left $170 in my mailbox. There is a huge mule deer head mount at the pawn shop I want you to buy.” I thought okay I can do that for you. When I picked it up, I asked what’s the story on this thing. Pawnshop guy had no clue. This was a deer the size of which in Montana I have been hunting my whole life for. Pretty sad. I was thinking what the hell would you buy this thing for. It was a big beautiful nontypical well over 200”s but with no story, it really just made me sad and it seemed like trash. Now of course my buddy later sold it for triple or quadruple his money but I wouldn’t have given $10 for the damn thing.

 

[Luis]

I found my deer mount at a 2nd hand store that my X sold at her yard sale. The owner asked if I could prove it was mine. I brought photos of me holding it in the field along with photos of the plaques I had in the garage that matched the buck's plaque perfectly. He said I could have it back for what he paid.
That rack isn't the biggest, but it has a great story, now.

 

[NEWHunter]

Well done. Nice deer. I’m looking forward to giving the hills a try some day