I hunt and have never know a "Trophy Hunter". Even if someone sees a nice buck and shoots it for its horns, they will clean it,skin it and donate the meat.
Is there an objection if I shoot a deer or bear, skin it, clean it, keep the fur or the head or the horns, cut the meat up and give it to the local processor to be donated to the hungry? The whole notion of "Trophy Hunters" in any argument about hunting is just to get ones foot in the door to banning hunting because jut being against hunting is hypocritical for anyone who eats meat.
God is watching
I asked God if it was ok to hunt, because the years of living in Seattle had caused me to feel guilty about it. I always thought "Its fine as long as you eat the meat". One morning I drove around the countryside worshiping God, thanking him for everything I could think of. I told him I didn't care if I ever hunted I just wanted to know what was right. I also told him if I was going to take a deer it would have to be huge, because I knew I would see many deer on my hunt. After hunting all evening I had seen very little and decided to head back. As I walked through the woods the biggest buck I had ever seen on the property appeared to my right. It stomped the ground, danced a bit and bolted and disappeared. I followed its tracks until they mixed with some old ones and I lost his trail (it was only about 50 feet). I looked around and was ready to leave when I saw him about 50 yards away between two trees,staring at me. I knew I had only a few seconds so I lifted my rifle, free standing, no rest (an improbable shot) and fired. I saw white hair fly.
I looked for that deer until it got dark, then I got my father in law and we searched with flashlights until we gave up. The next morning I got early and walked the property, wondering why God gave me that buck but didn't let me find it. After about an hour, about a half mile from were I shot it, I found it caught in the brush, dead. By the time I was able to get a truck and load it up it had been sitting in the Texas heat for a good few hours as well as all night in mild temps. My father in law, who's hunted for 50 years advised we not take the meat because it may be bad, so I cut off the horns and left the body for the buzzards.
When I got back to the suburbs, where I live, I wondered what God was doing, and why this confusing turn of events happened when I had questioned God so directly, but was left still confused.A couple of days later God spoke to my heart and said "You worship the creature more than the creator which is blessed forever" Romans 1. I laughed out loud,repented, thanked God for that correction and haven't cared about it since.
I hear what you are saying but trophy hunting brings big bucks to the land owner in areas where big deer live. There are leases in south Texas going for $20. per acre for deer hunting. The season last only 8 to 10 weeks out of the year.
The landowner can still run cows on the land at the same time. That adds up to a lot of money for someone who owns 50,000 to 100,000 acres of land.
I don't think trophy hunting is going to go away, and for those of you who think trophy hunting is evil because you think the meat is wasted, you are wrong! I know lots of trophy deer hunters and the meat is not left to rot on the ground. It is eaten.
For those of you who think hunting is evil because it is killing defenseless animals, there is nothing that I can say that will change your mind. Walt Disney has already made up your mind for you.
"Trophy Hunting" is the term used by the anti-hunters at the "Humane Society of the United States". They are not to be confused with the local pet shelters. HSUS supports banning all hunting, and also does nothing to support pets. Their definition of sport hunting is ALL hunting, since hunting is to them, unnecessary since meat can be bought at stores.