# If you could only hunt 1



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

As I sit here sipping on the lords juice (Dr. Pepper.) watching my Ribs smoke. I reflect on my past hunting experiences. And the ones to come. With a Arizona elk tag and a Utah bear tag in hand. I can’t help but, get excited. 
I’d like to think of myself as hardcore as they come but, if I had to hunt just 1 animal the rest of my life, well that would be a tough choice.

Naturally, id like to say waterfowl simply because I could hunt 107 days if I desired and it is absolutely thrilling and provides a lot of meat BUT, I am an elk hunter by blood. 
I remember my dad leaving for a week every year for the elk hunt when I was too young to go and I always admired the passion of chasing elk. I have been blessed to have taken several bulls with my bow on General season units and LE units and AZ once before. Something about having an elk within bow range is enough to make your heart throb all the way through your eye balls. The meat is top quality and plentiful. 

I grew up in an elk hunting family. In fact nobody on either side of my family are waterfowl hunters. I am a self taught waterfowl hunter. My desire perked for waterfowl when I was 12 years old and I would watch ducks land in the pond on my grandpas farm in southeastern Arizona while dove hunting.
But, ultimately my loyalty would have to be given to Elk hunting. 

I hope the waterfowl gods did not hear that.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

well, luckily we don't have to seriously answer that question in this state. i'll play along though...

i would hunt elk because i love the challenge and the meat. my dog would vote duck for very selfish reasons. while i like duck meat, it doesn't fill the freezer at the same rate as an elk.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Before and after..


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

My passion is mature mule deer. I like the challenge and the variety of places they call home. Elk hunting is fun too, but I've killed enough of them and don't think that is a life-long endeavor. I'd choose wild pheasants and quail, but there just aren't enough places to do it anymore. The 10 dozen duck dekes collecting dust in the rafters and the 3 dozen goose floaters I gave way show that passion has waned.

But the most relaxed and fun I have hunting is for pronghorn- buck or doe. If I could only hunt one thing the rest of my life it would be a close choice between pronghorns and mule deer. Just might go pronghorn.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Muleelkalope would be my choice:shock:


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Great question!

Hands down, for me it would be elk - bulls or cows - it doesn't matter. I love hunting them. 

Now, if we could break out the 'only 1' by big game and birds my 'only 1' bird would be pheasants. Luckily, I have a pretty awesome place to hunt them - there is just something about a rooster pheasant!


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Elk.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I'll hunt the big solitary mule deer bucks until the day that I die, or when I can no longer go where they live. 

When I moved to Colorado I went after elk. I learned their habits and where they liked to live at. After doing this it gave me elk meat every year for over 25 years, both bulls and cows and a lot of years both of them. I was chasing them with a bow and a rifle. In those years I lived for the elk hunt. 

Then I just decided that I liked chasing mule deer a lot more than I did elk.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Elk! My days are numbered chasing those big animals though so I plan on going big while the getting is good. In my later years (post retirement) I’ll be mule deer hunting as a priority. 

I really need to hunt pronghorn and see how that is. Perhaps pronghorn will be my big deal!


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Mule deer


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I love hunting elk. Especially with a bow.
Deer are fun too. As long as you get a chance.
Antelope are a ton of fun and I'm getting to the point they may be the only one I can handle by myself.

Birds, I'll take grouse. All the fun of pheasants with out the hassle.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Deer for me. Archery or muzzle. 
Do enjoy elk. But if I had to choose.......

Archery speed goat is a close 3rd.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I've loved elk and deer throughout my whole life, but the last few years I've just kind of tired of the killing( very personal thing with me and in no way am I judging those that hunt and kill big game). I still enjoy going out with the younger guys spotting and looking at them and riding around for the hunt although.
Now turkeys on the other hand...I am still like a kid.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Elk....no deer...no elk...deer...elk...dang this would be tough. Probably elk though.


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## silentstalker (Feb 19, 2008)

Elk for sure would top my list but it’s tough to put them above big Muleys, antelope or bear. I just love to hunt.


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## shaner (Nov 30, 2007)

Don’t have to choose one......yet.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Ugh this question sucks. If it is any 1 animal, meaning if I choose a given big game animal then I would have to give up upland, waterfowl and small game...oof. but in that world I would have to go for ptarmigan. Working, training, and hunting with a good dog is just too fun to quit. Close to home my season runs 8/10-3/31, and by driving 6-15 hours I can extend that into mid June. Plus, I hunt ptarmigan in so many different terrains that I end up hunting in the same areas that I hunt black and grizzly bears, moose, caribou, goats and sheep. And success means I only have to pack 10-20lbs off the mountain. 

But if I were really only limited to big game, I'd take grizzlies. They are crafty, intelligent, and straight up terrifying to hunt. 

But if I had to pick a Utah big game species (and assuming the once in a lifetime restrictions remain the same, because then it would be desert bighorn no questions) it would be elk. Mike deer and pronghorn don't even come close.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Its too painful a question to contemplate.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> ... if I had to hunt just 1 animal the rest of my life...


Easy: I'd fish.

I know that wasn't the direction you were aiming for - but if I were forced to choose between hunting and fishing? That's easy for me. I'd drop hunting in a second, and spend the rest of my life fishing...


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

PBH said:


> Easy: I'd fish.
> 
> I know that wasn't the direction you were aiming for - but if I were forced to choose between hunting and fishing? That's easy for me. I'd drop hunting in a second, and spend the rest of my life fishing...


That was my first thought too, if I could only hunt one thing I'd give it up entirely and just fish.

-DallanC


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## CrayDad (Feb 20, 2020)

Crayfish... can't get enough


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## macanudo (Feb 20, 2015)

Big Game would be mule deer
small game would be ducks
If I had to pick one, it would be ducks.
I just like to pull the trigger more than once every other year.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

goosefreak is a traitor! Abomination!**O**


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

PBH said:


> goosefreak said:
> 
> 
> > ... if I had to hunt just 1 animal the rest of my life...
> ...


I actually thought the same as I was asking the question, if I had to choose just 1. Heck I couldn't do that so I might as well give it all up and just fish..


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

My favorite hunt by far was my sheep hunt last year, but there's no way I'm going to pick that when I have maybe 2 other sheep hunts in my lifetime if I'm lucky.

I'd pick waterfowl 100%. It sure is nice to be able to go any time within a 4 month window.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> Heck I couldn't do that so I might as well give it all up and just fish..


Tossing in the hat and settling for fish? Not me. Fishing trumps hunting. Instead of "give it up and just fish.." I'm more on the side of "finally!! I don't have to waste time hunting any more and can just fish!".

>>O

8)


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Tough call for me as I have a unique opportunity on a semi-regular basis (depending on luck of the draw) in The Land of Entrapment with free range exotics, namely oryx gazella, aka, gemsbok.

Elk first probably and then oryx...


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

For eating? Elk. But they're a ton of work. But they sure taste good, fill the freezer, and provide a lot of meat. We can eat on an elk for almost a year.

For sheer pleasure? I love to shoot roosters. I love my 4 month season. I love good dog work. I love walking and moving and not having to sit still and get cold after hiking up a mountain, sweating, (doesn't matter if I was wearing my birthday suit, I'd still sweat), sitting, and getting bored and cold, needing to walk around to feel my toes, seeing a big critter, and not being able to get to it. And I get to pull the trigger. A lot. Grouse is second. But harder to do when older- at least the places I go. 

For kids? Doves. No cold, lots of shooting. 

For life? Probably fishing. When I'm old and rickety and can't get up a mountain, I'll be able to float tube. Can't float tube? I can park my kiester on a boat. Can't boat? Will plop and wait in a chair on a lake. Frozen lake? Ice fish. I have a lot of great conversations with myself, with heaven, and with good company on a fishing trip. Relaxing, recharging. 


If my wife made me choose between hunting and fishing, then I would have to probably choose fishing. She may not like that choice....I can fish forever.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

My father was a big time Mule Deer addict. He had a passion for hunting those grey ghosts that I have not seen in anyone else for any one purpose. 

It did not pass on to me.

I found elk hunting and immediately became hooked. None of my family hunts elk. I don't know if it was the fact that I like the taste of their meat better or if it's the country they thrive in or what but I do know that when a bull sounds off I absolutely get an ear to ear grin and remember why I work so hard to hunt elk.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I mean, "Waterfowl" would be like saying "Mammals" or "Big Game". That category includes many different animals. Just saying lol. 


If I had to pick ONE animal... It would have been elk probably until this moment. The reality is I love and have always loved mule deer hunting. If I could only do one forever it would be that.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Couse Deer would be a really close second.. Something about sitting on a Plateau and glassing for Couse deer is exciting to me.. Sneaky b a s t a r d s!!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Hunting Fox Squirrel; sitting under a tree in some Illinois river bottoms along a corn field.


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## Natural Born Killer (Oct 29, 2015)

We hear Africa calling, and we must answer. (Well e-mail and facebook)

Myself, 1st - Bull Elephant, and a close 2nd- Cape Buffalo in tall grass.

My wife, 1st -Leopard and her close 2nd- African Lion.


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