Horns Without the Meat - Would You?

Joined
Jun 5, 2017
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406
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Portland, OR
Saw this article and made me think: https://www.idahostatesman.com/outdoors/hunting/article258314798.html

Would you hunt an animal if you could keep the horns but not the meat (let's say because scientists use the meat for research)?

If it were my job or I lived in the unit and had extra time on my hands, I would. But I would not go out of my way to hunt an animal that I cannot eat the meat.

Then again you are helping with a greater cause of trying to erridacate CWD....
 

Yarak

WKR
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May 24, 2020
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I like many was raised to never shoot any game animal that I wasnt going to eat....I'd have to think about the research thing but will add if i did theyd get the whole thing and i wouldnt keep any part of it
 

KurtR

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Sep 11, 2015
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South Dakota
Cwd been around since the 60’s and thinking wiping while deer herds out is sound science. I can’t believe people acting like this is something that just popped up. No I wouldn’t do that they have enough animals to sample during hunting season. Positive or not I am eating the meat
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
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Hell yeah I would. Don’t be snowflakes…same reason I shoot coyotes and jackrabbits. I love shooting stuff and I love the hunt. Idaho doesnt require you to take black bear meat, so I don’t. Never felt bad or guilty about it. Somebody asks me to shoot a deer and I can keep the rack but have to give up the meat, I am all for it. In the south they have people shooting deer just to keep them out of crops, can’t take the meat, its illegal. Its fun as heck.
 
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oregon coast
I would, I don’t need much convincing to go hunt more, I could easily justify killing for the cause

For those who like the term “harvest” for killing animals, would you still use that term in this context?
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2022
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Southeast US
After decades of taking both antlers and meat from Ohio whitetail, my Dad seems tired of it and opts to give it away for free or in exchange for jerky… My Father in Law on the otherhand can’t seem to get tired of game meat and considers it essential part of the hunt. My Dad also historically sent away his game for butchering while my FiL terrified my wife’s friends growing up by butchering his deer in his garage, so there’s probably some connection there.

I think if there was a reduced price and limited issue “meatless tag”, I’d consider it for the benefit of research and to have the chance to punch more tags.
 

S.Clancy

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If it tests positive I prob wouldn't eat it. But its not like incedence rates are 90%, more like single digits, so statistically its unlikely
 
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A lot less. I mean a lot. No way I would be chasing white tails with my bow 20-30 days a year if I couldn’t eat them. I would kill a few wall hangers And then go fishing.
 

grfox92

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Mar 14, 2017
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NW WY
With the inevitable spread of CWD we might get to a point where everything tests positive.

My mind might change over time but as of right now, I'm not eating a positive animal. I'm sure as hell not feeding an animal positive with a prion disease to my children. My opinion might change in the future but as of now it's a no for me.

I think about this often as areas that have been free of CWD are now testing positive. Not sure how I feel about it but I think about it very often. If an area is high odds for CWD, I'm not putting in for the tag.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 

TxxAgg

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Why did you start two threads about the same thing?

 
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
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Oklahoma
No,but i would gladly go one a hunt if I could keep the meat and donate horns for another tag.Horns are nice but alot of guys just want to fill there ego and not the freezer.
 

z987k

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Sep 9, 2020
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AK
I am strictly a meat hunter. Make mine cows or doe.
I also try to hunt females when it's sustainable. The hunts I actually care about are always about meat. I've never actually brought antlers home. I leave them in the field when I get males. I've never had to legally keep them on an animal I shot, though would if required obviously, though I'd probably never hunt a unit I needed to.
 

Thomguy

FNG
Joined
Nov 22, 2021
Messages
15
It's funny, when I read this I immediately thought, "I would NEVER shoot anything if I could only keep the antlers", but then immediately realized I hunt coyotes and take their pelts without eating them. Not exactly the same, but it does expose a bit of a double standard.
 
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