I have always wanted to open this can of worms and I think this is the perfect place for it. First of all I am from, and hunt in the Florida panhandle. Believe it or not hunting is as big of deal arond here as it is in most other places around the country but with that said, we are not famous around the country for growing 200 inch bucks. If a 130 incher is killed it is big news. But a few local people have the illusion that this is like Iowa and look down on someone for killing a 90" 8 point (wich is probaly an average good mature buck for these parts.) First of all let me say that I do believe in QDA an even practice it on a realistic basis, but what I would NEVER do is look down on or belittle another hunter because of the size of his or her deer. To me this is not what hunting is all about. It is about your heart beating out of your chest before the shot. It is about almost hyperventilating when that deer walks out. It is about being so proud of that deer that you ride around town for two hours after the hunt with your tailgate down. Now what kind or size deer it takes for me to get that feeling might be different than you but the way I look at it is that if you are proud of it I am proud for you. In my opinion nothing good comes from another hunter telling you that he wouldnt have shot that deer or that I let one that size walk the other day. A trophy (in my opinion) is in the eyes of the hunter so if you are one of those people like some that I know I would just like to tell you the old saying I was always taught. If you dont have something nice to say than just stay quite. The reason I write this is because my wife shot the biggest deer she has ever killed this season (a short tined 10 point) and over heard another hunter at the store talking junk and it really hurt her feelings. Fell free to let me know if you agree or disagree.

A trophy is given to the winner of a contest.  Sometimes one trophy is given to a full team for coming in first in the same event.

 

With that said...A trophy to one person most likely will not be a trophy to another person.  Taking the deer is 90% of the trophy.  The time spent in preparation, the time spent on stand watching and waiting.  The moment of truth when you have your crosshairs on the target.  The brief moment of bittersweetness when you close your eyes and thank God for letting this deer give it's life so that you could feed your family. 

 

A trophy deer to me is one that was taken cleanly.  The size of the antlers do not matter to me that much.  I get the adrenaline rush when a doe comes under stand just as much as I do when a buck does.  It is at that moment that I know that I have entered their realm and they don't even know I am there.  I have let some smaller bucks walk, but only because I know that there are bigger ones in the area.  I have shot small does just to put meat in the freezer.

 

A trophy is a prize given for completing a certain task.  If that task was just to harvest a deer, then your trophy will be that deer.  Don't let anyone take that away from you...chances are, they didn't get their trophy this year and they are just jealous.

 

Just my two cents. 

to me as someone who loves the meat just as much as seeing a rack walk around my stand. Its what god gives you is your trophy i have killed alot of does and some buck but never a monster and i still think of my hunts as my trophy. not everyone has the best of luck so yes her deer is a trophy 

Great topic.....I agree with you all....For me a trophy is any deer or turkey that I harvest ...rather a 3" bearded jake or a spike lol ...For me I was raised a meat eater( = You can not eat the antlers beard or spurs.....I think too many people get caught up in the whole inches of deer specs. For example this year my 09' buck was the biggest buck I have ever shot....I hunted a stated forestry in which I tell you I hunted very hard to get my summer sausage...That was the first buck I seen..And just so happened his rack grew when he was on the ground ( = But when it comes to backstraps , jerkey , and summer sausage its not about the rack for me....A couple years back I did a spot and stalk on a doe...it took 4 1/2 hours before I made the shot, and she was a trophy for me rather than a 140 class 8 pt.. Hunting traditionally with family,friends , and the heritage behind that while eating over an open fire with the amazing meat from a deer you just harvested made  a trophy in my book!

a trophy to me is watching someone harvest a legal animal weither it be a doe or buck esp a little guy or gal that is a trophy all the smiles

i had the same thing happen up here in pa i invited some friends up here and it was my friends sons first hunt for a whitetail ever so all i did for 5 days was deer drives and finally on the last day they where here i kicked up an 8 pt that measured about 100 inches and i called some friends to come and see the boys first deer and all they had to say was that, that deer should have been left for another year i was mad and told them that it was his first deer and all they said was i wouldve of left it walk and i told them that is a great deer for a first deer and if he wouldve shot a 3pt i would have been proud of the boy to me any deer harvested is a trophy from a spike to a 10pt from a yearling doe to 6yr old doe it doesnt matter to me as long as you enjoy your hunt that is the trophy

a trophy is what puts a smile on you're face wether it is a animal or a peice of plastic. It could be any award givin thing or just something that you have built.Any thing that you can charrish and show ,or tell  you're freinds and family about .Bragging rites

Trophy is like beauty, it's in the beholder. The proccessor I use give a coffee mug with the year on it so I have trophys for a bunch of deer. But they don't come close to that feeling builking up to the shot and knowing that I took a good shot and helped to off-set the food budget for another year. I don't begrudge the hunter that is going after that monster buck as it takes work to scout, plan and then wait on that one deer. The main thing is not to demean another hunter for what they feel is a trophy. As long as there're safe, leagal and don't kill just for the sake of killing then bravo on a clean kill and a great trophy.

 

Moose

If a person is pleased with what they have harvested that is all that matters.