If you shot an animal that qualified or was a top 10 would you submit for the books? Was talking with a friend about this over the weekend as he was scoring blacktail.

Yes. Since I primarily hunt for meat and don't pass up chances at good eats the likelihood is small. But if I got something worthy of the "book" I'd enter it.

I shot an elk a few years ago, scores 308 B&C. Have the paperwork but haven't filed it. Very symmetrical, only 1/2" off between the two sides for a nice Roosevelt 5x5. Just knowing was enough, but here really is no doubt when you walk into my shop and see him hanging on the wall.

I hunt for the enjoyment and the meat. I did pass a number of smaller bucks this season for a couple of reasons. I had a multiseason deer tag which really increases my chances. My heart was set on something reasonable because the time (seasons) I had available.

To be less than cryptic, I got a large Blacktail with my muzzleloader. By the green score looks to be well into the top 10 in WA. If i submit does it make it more about me vs the animal?

There are some folks (only read about, never met) who hunt for "scores". They set a minimum score. Guess that's fine but then putting them in the book begins to look a lot like "look at me". On the other hand, entering the occasional animal seems to be more about it rather than the hunter.

Hunting on ranch once, about 50 years ago, and found the carcass of the #2 Barbary Sheep. Head missing, meat left to rot. I don't believe in trophy hunting or trophy fishing. If you kill it, you eat it. If you don't want to eat it, don't kill it.

I don't really care one way or the other even though I don't understand the trophy mentality. To me any mature 4x4 muley is a trophy. I can look at two mature muleys and think that both are shooters while the trophy hunter looks at one and sees a non shooter due to width or crabclaw split or whatnot. I've endured enough disappointment while hunting over the years so I don't see any reason to create disappointment for no good reason.

If I were to shoot a trophy some day I'd probably score it just to be accurate but I don't see any need to submit it.

One of the places I hunt allows me to take only does. No problem. It is a 3 pt or better and I have had a wall-hanger 3 and 4 10-20 yds broadside and two smaller 3's at 10-15. But, if I had permission to take a buck the one I would have shot had the right antler coming across the nose like a facemask. "Everybody" has a 4x4 but how many would have one like that?

I have a 4x5 blacktail that would make B&C.

I've never thought about getting it in the book.

I just don't care.

Thanks for the responses great thing about this is I don't have to rush...

That would be super cool.

or not

But I would fish and hunt some places that others would have a hard time accessing. Would still do most DYI but hey I would be comfortable as my digs would be top notch.