Favorite animal to hunt?

[marshman]

Wow, this is a tough one for sure...
I need to segregate:
Birds - Mallards 1st, Pheasants a close second.
Big game - Mule deer hunting solo.

 

[RyGuy]

It seems that my favorite animal to hunt changes from season to season and even week to week. In the spring my favorite animal to hunt is turkeys. I love the challenge and I get chills every time I hear a gobble pierce the still morning air. In the early fall I start dreaming about pronghorn, getting to look at tons of animals and knowing it’s going to take many stalks before I can get in range, and even when I do get in range I’ll probably get spotted before I can pull the trigger. The mild weather, looking through glass, it’s all fun.

Bears present a unique challenge because there are so much less of them on the landscape and I’m still learning how to hunt them. I love the process of learning a new species and their habits. Plus the meat is delicious. Elk hold a special place in my heart because it always seems to be an adventure. Big animals, far from roads, usually a big camp with lots of friends and family. And meat to feed your family for the entire year. Mule deer are like a combination of elk and pronghorn, where I get to see lots of animals but it’s in more difficult terrain. Whitetails are ultra crafty and it’s cool that you can hunt such a small plot of woods and routinely see new bucks you never knew existed. And then there’s ducks. The gear, the calls, the dogs, a cold sunrise as ducks bomb right into your decoys… shooting moving targets. I’ll never stop duck hunting as long as I live. Pheasants and rabbits are super delicious and Working as a team with your dog to find them and get them knocked down is great. Sage grouse are shockingly big and look like a goose exploding out of the sage.

The moose hunts I’ve been on seemed to present a unique mental challenge. Sheep hunts make everything else seem easy in comparison…

Did I forget anything??

 

[Birdbander]

Ruffed grouse top my list.

I've chased them throughout my home state of Michigan for nearly 40 years, the last 20 with my own dogs. A few years ago I started making an annual trip to the North Maine Woods for them.

I'm looking forward to heading west in a couple of years each September to chase dusky and ruffs.

 

[MTLabrador]

Anyone who doesn’t chose elk is simply wrong.

 

[TheJason]

Birds: chukars followed by blue grouse

Four legged mammals: elk followed by bears

 

[SaskHunter]

Top 3 are:

1. Antelope
2. Whitetail deer
3. Moose
4. Collared Doves

 

[noharleyyet]

Mountain: elk and mule deer
Texas: Whitetail and feral pig

Favorite is elk & it's not close...

 

[okie archer]

It's to hard to pick one as a favorite. It's kinda like going to Baskin Robbins and picking out a favorite. Or going to the pizza buffet, I like whatever comes out fresh and hot on the buffet at the moment. I like pepperoni but if it's been there awhile I'll go for fresh hot Canadian bacon anytime.

 

[Randi]

Birds: Sandhill Crane

Big Game is harder, I think my THREE favorites are

Sheep.
Coues Deer
Moose--but need to add--via river rafting

Damn, I feel like a red headed step child. I have not found elk hunts to be as challenging as sheep

and, after they are down and it is time to eat them---crane, sheep, coues however I have never turned down a good Elk or Moose meal

 

[OntarioHunter]

Birds: Sandhill Crane

Big Game is harder, I think my THREE favorites are

Sheep.
Coues Deer
Moose--but need to add--via river rafting

Damn, I feel like a red headed step child. I have not found elk hunts to be as challenging as sheep

and, after they are down and it is time to eat them---crane, sheep, coues however I have never turned down a good Elk or Moose meal

Sandhills? Interesting. I can maybe get that. We have lots of them here but Ontario can't wrap its head around opening a season. They are very wary birds! And I understand tablefare is fantastic. Not much to look at but who cares if they're hard to hunt and taste great.

 

[Sawtooth]

Big Game= Elk in the timber.

Birds= Chukar while behind a good pointing dog.

 

[Nick87]

As far as fun factor goes, calling coyotes.

 

[Happy Myles]

I am not sure i have a favorite animal to hunt. What is important to me is the quality of the hunt. Quality must include adventure, which is enhanced by exotic new environment, tough terrain, great stalks, matching wits with worthy quarry, test of my physical and mental capabilities. All ending with clean kills at reasonable range. Hunting is often a solitary endeavor and somewhat self regulated and I insist on fair chase. Examples of what makes a favorite hunt include elk hunt by pack trip into our spectacular RockY Mountains, strategizing how to get within range of a fine ram either here in North America or in the Pamirs of Central Asia. Whether at home or distant land always above timberline and breath hard to come by. I have been lucky to seek the various subspecies of smart, secretive, bushbuck in several African countries. Also Sitatunga in swamps scattered around East and West Africa. Another is a Cape buffalo always ready to test my mental and physical mettle.

Sitting in a blind is not for me. Bird hunting must include my well trained and best friends, my Labs. When our day is done they are there for me no matter what I did wrong.

i have been a very lucky old man.

 

[Jcs271]

Elephants, on foot, up close, in the bush. In all seriousness, I would forgo all other hunting if I could do that for two weeks a year until my death!

Not even close, but second place is calling wolves in heavy timber!

Not interested in ever shooting another deer/elk.

 

[Huntin' Fool]

1. The dogs and I chasing wild roosters in good native habitat. Many areas can add valley quail, huns, chukars, ruffed grouse, sharptails, waterfowl and even turkeys for a mixed bag.
2. Elk on public ground. Red meat for a year. Can hunt every season in Idaho. A good challenge in awesome country.
3. Chukars. Best eating of the game birds. And again - a good challenge in awesome country.
4. Mearns quail. Been on 2 trips hunting near Nogales.

 

[Muzyhunterv2]

Doves and white tails

 

[HUNT TALK MAN]

ALWYS ON THE HUNT FOR SOME ONEEYED TROUSER TROUT!!!!

 

[SwaggyD]

ALWYS ON THE HUNT FOR SOME ONEEYED TROUSER TROUT!!!!

Trout in the pants!

My favorite is gophers with my dad and his semi auto .17. Explodes em. Pretty gruesome harvest.

 

[220yotekiller]

1) Rifle Antelope
2) Rifle Mule deer
2) Rifle elk
I have found that spot and stalk bow hunting deer is one of the most frustrating things you can do but it sure is fun.

 

[recon6036]

Elk
Whitetail Deer
Snowshoe Hare
Antelope

Grew up hunting Whitetail Deer, Snowshoe hares and Partridge. Snowshoe rabbit hunting provided some of my best memories….loved it; just wish there was as many around as when I was a kid.