What Trophy Should Really Mean

An issue I have been hearing from a lot of people who are interested in my hog dogs or also from virtually all of my satisfied customers is: their disgust with the new generation of hunters who are blood thirsty killers, who sacrifice dogs to brag about large boar trophies, and are not satisfied with killing something unless it is "something to brag about." When did hunting become a competitive sport?

What ever happened to hunting for food?

We know we have a problem, and the evidence is clear and ever present. But we may not be able to stop this trend unless we consider that there is a new generation who are perhaps coming out to the camp for the first time in their life. Sitting around the camp fire on an autumn evening, listening to stories, and being initiated into manhood by their father or grandfather.

Too many young men do not know who they are because they are being raised in single family households and there is no father available except every other weekend if that. If you have family, neighbors or friends with young children who have never been hunting or fishing think about including them in your next outing.

My daughter just turned 18 and has asked me to get her a bow for archery season. She has also expressed concern that I would prefer a son than a daughter. I have done my best to impress her with my gratitude of having such a wonderful child, even if she is just a girl!-) I hope she knows it really doesn't matter if she is a girl or a boy. What matters is that I am able to pass onto the next generation, what I have inherited.


My father taught me that killing an animal should never be taken lightly.

When I take a life I must be reflective, or I may become callous and develop into a killer rather than a hunter.

I risk forgetting the life I took was a gift of the land, and when receiving a gift it is disrespectful, distasteful and rude to criticize or refuse it.

As a predator, we humans who hunt, provide a balance in nature that is often out of balance today because we have eliminated so many of the wild big game predators such as alligator, cougar, jaguar, bobcat, coyote, and wolf.

Below is a link to a very well written article on this subject.



What Trophy Should Really Mean

de la Houssaye's Swamp Tours April 17, 2011