Trophy chance or smaller sure thing?

[6speed]

Its another twenty below zero morning and I decided to pass the time by posting this question. If you were about to put in for a once in a lifetime tag and the draw odds were about the same for each hunt would you put in closer to home where you could spend more time and have a very good chance at taking an average animal. Or would you put in for an area that is farther away limiting the amount of time you had to hunt but has larger animals. If you can find them.

 

[2rocky]

Too many variables to give a straight up answer. Depends on the species, money, how many I have gotten already in my life, If I am familiar with the distant area, etc.

So it depends....,

 

[6speed]

I will add more then. Once in a lifetime is just that I'm thinking Idaho moose its a one and done forever kind of deal. The money would have to be the same for both units. It would cost more to drive to the farther unit thereby allowing for fewer trips. The closer unit is well known and should be easy to scout. The farther unit is mostly new country. I have been watching moose in the closer unit for years and see a few every year while hunting deer and elk. The farther unit has more record size animals and I have seen big moose there before but I haven't been there in a few years and if they aren't standing in the same valley then I would have to hunt new country.

 

[Goldtip]

For a species like Moose where it's a one and done type of thing, then you sacrifice the time and money to do it right in my opinion and you put in for the area with your greatest chance of taking a "once in a lifetime trophy". You don't cut it short on your scouting trips or on the amount of time spent that you would put in for that tag in another area. Or you don't put in for that unit at all. May seem like a harsh opinion, but there are guys who will do just what I said that are putting in for that other unit, and they won't draw a tag because you did, and to not give it everything you've got, then thats not doing the tag justice. 6speed, not just referring to you, so please don't be personally offended, I'm referring to all once in a lifetime tags or applicants. Just my 2cents.

 

[BuzzH]

I do both...but really its up to the hunter to do with their tags as they wish.

There is no such thing as doing a tag justice, except to the hunter.

 

[6speed]

Goldtip I like your way of thinking I am leaning the same way. If I put in for the tag closer to me my odds of filling the tag are better and I would hate to draw a possible trophy tag and not fill it. Now I have to decide if I am ok with that idea or if I should wait until I have more time and money for the other unit.

 

[smarandr]

Last year I drew a moose tag that wasn't close but had some quality bulls. However, once the season closed I hadn't punched my tag. I mostly blame it on time--not enough time scouting and not enough time hunting. It would have been great if I could have spent the time like Goldtip suggests, but in my world the sacrifice had to be the time spent looking for moose. If the unit had been closer who knows what I could have turned up with a serious time investment. It's not the end of the world though, I figure most Idaho moose units aren't too tough to draw and I'll get another shot in a couple of years.

 

[Brentster7189]

The quality of the hunt can only really be measured by those that are taking the journey. I don't think anyone owe's a tag any justice. They paid for the right to do with the tag whatever they please. Obviously everyones situation is different. It's tough to cough up the amount of time and expense to try and bag a massive trophy, and even doing that won't hold any certainty for filling it, but that trophy is different in everyones eyes, for some it's the rack, for others it's the experience. I guess it has to come down to what you'll feel content with based on whatever other responsibilities you have. You still have the choice to pull the trigger, or try and put in again later in the future.....but getting the tag is the first step.