Big Fish vs Big Critter

Sluggo

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I am more of a fisherman these days but I know a little about hunting. The big deer that was arrowed recently in Yankton got me wondering.....is there more luck/skill involved with shooting a big critter or catching a big fish?
 


Kurtr

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more luck in fishing. with animals you can make your luck by putting in time to know what they do and where they are. the big fish i have mounted were luck the deer were a result of alot of time and effort and knowing the deer where there and when they would be there
 

guywhofishes

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in the past I would say hunting took more skill

nowadays it is possible to "grow" trophy deer by feeding them - high fence or not - QDM type stuff

these days it's about a wash in my opinion - if you have $$ and time you can achieve both routinely
 

MSA

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Answers will be biased toward how much time is spent by that individual chasing one or the other. I'm a fisherman and hardly hunt anymore, so I'd say I know where and when big fish are gonna be feeding, but haven't a clue where to start on a big buck.
 

guywhofishes

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I would say the trophy deer take way more time and resources - with trophy fish you just have to get in the right places at the right time - and none of that involves having to buy water to fish, food for fish, cameras to track, equipment for food crops, etc.

obtaining trophy deer is therefore "harder"

as for the actual act of taking the animal... it seems catching a lunker is harder than killing a deer

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fascinating topic OP

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Answers will be biased toward how much time is spent by that individual chasing one or the other. I'm a fisherman and hardly hunt anymore, so I'd say I know where and when big fish are gonna be feeding, but haven't a clue where to start on a big buck.

Keep in mind that MSA has spent 1000s of hours cold, wet, tired, windburned, and often times getting skunked to get where he is with big fish knowledge. Like Ahab, etc.

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OK - as you can see - I am officially on the fence with regard to the topic

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Maybe the place to look is at how often young anglers/hunters score trophies.

It seems like I see a lot more "12 year old bags 2nd biggest whitetail in the state" type stories than "12 year old catches 2nd biggest walleye in the state" type stories.
 


ShootnBlanks

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Interesting thread. Definitely gets a person thinking. I'd say hunting is skill, fishing is luck. Only based on my own dumbass experiences.
 

SDMF

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I'm going to guess that there are many multiples of big deer and big fish that are caught and we never hear about due to not wanting to subject oneself to the inevitable shit-show that surrounds all trophies in the digital age.

Poached, snagged, photoshopped, blah, blah, blah.
 

guywhofishes

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In the act of taking the animal - effort put in to achieve proficiency is vastly different.

I contend that it's easier to teach a person to shoot a kill zone target with a rifle than cast/present a lure/jig properly. Bottom bouncers excluded.

Archery is another story - gets closer to angling with the amount of practice it takes.
 

JayKay

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Knowing VERY little about hunting, and just slightly more about fishing, I'd agree that hunting is harder.

I don't necessarily buy though, that you have to spend more on hunting. I mean, that you HAVE to.

Boats have gotten really really expensive. Add in a big pickup to pull that big boat... probably have to have a camper..

Anyhow, whomever thought of how well youngsters do, versus old crusties, is probably pretty well on point. I have to guess though, the youngsters who bags a state record mammal, probably has an old crusty standing just to the left or right.
 

Bfishn

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I would say Fishing is more luck than hunting just based on the fact tat no matter how much you know or how much time you spend you never know for sure where the fish are and you cant make them bite. To a certain extent, fishing is still up to the fish as far as results go.

If you have access to the right land getting a big buck really isn't all that hard and is pretty much just dependent on how much time and/or money you have available. Now if we are talking public land monsters that does even the playing field a bit.
 


BP338

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I believe that time and money play a big factor into it. This includes assets such as land and boats that could also play into it. I've seen some big fish caught from the shore by someone who doesn't usually fish. To them no big deal. Seems that there are more "casual' fishermen out there that catch big fish than casual hunters shooting a big animal. UNLESS there's money involved. Some skill is required by both, not much though if you have money/assets.


I believe that the experience of putting in the time, developing the talents AND THEN bagging a big animal or fish is the most rewarding. Have you ever been fascinated by a hunting story where a person, who has never hunted before, shoots a big buck by the side of the road? Not me anyway. And if you pay close enough attention, those kinds of bucks are being watched by someone who puts in the time and effort to get the big one. It's the whole experience of getting something big that makes it worth it. The smile on that guys face from SD that shot the 200" buck says it all.
 

Captain Ahab

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I think it is pretty equal. You can luck out either way if you are hunting/fishing in trophy areas. Hunting takes way more BS as far as access unless you just bring out the checkbook. Hence, I prefer the unposted waters. To take either on a regular basis you need to put in a lot of time and a good dose of $$. The thing that helps hunting is you can actually see the thing with your eyes and trail cams. The thing that helps fishing is that you don’t have to reach into your billfold or flirt with old aunt Mavis to access the lake.
 

fly2cast

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I have hunted and fished for over forty years. I have never gotten a trophy walleye. I have taken what I call a trophy buck, about 162, but it was complete luck that I found it. To catch or shoot those trophies consistently is definitely a skill that takes patients, time and usually money. Anybody can get lucky like me getting that buck but my hats off to the people that can get them regularly. I've caught thousands of walleye in my life but never one over 8 lbs. But then again I think my problem is that I settle for quantity over quality but if I knew how to catch quality, I would do it. I've never figured it out and it's kind of pissing me off.
 


BP338

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I think it is pretty equal. You can luck out either way if you are hunting/fishing in trophy areas. Hunting takes way more BS as far as access unless you just bring out the checkbook. Hence, I prefer the unposted waters. To take either on a regular basis you need to put in a lot of time and a good dose of $$. The thing that helps hunting is you can actually see the thing with your eyes and trail cams. The thing that helps fishing is that you don’t have to reach into your billfold or flirt with old aunt Mavis to access the lake.


Could you introduce me to this Mavis? LOL!!

I agree, money, time, talent, luck all play a role. Sometimes you need a little more of one to be successful, but they all play a role. IMO
 

guywhofishes

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Hardest feat?... an archery take of a trophy deer/goat/antelope/elk with longbow and spot/stalk

the kind of thing natives did routinely until Columbus ruined everything
 

Captain Ahab

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Hardest feat?... an archery take of a trophy deer/goat/antelope/elk with longbow and spot/stalk

the kind of thing natives did routinely until Columbus ruined everything

Or a trophy eye with a rowboat and a Popeils Pocket Fisherman;-)
 

KDM

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If you ignore large sums of money and just focus on the average guy going to do either one, hunting is WAY harder than fishing to obtain a trophy IMO. Example: The chances this average guy (with boat) can access a lake where trophy walleye (10lb+) can be had are almost guaranteed. Let's say Lake Erie, which is chock full of huge walleyes. With some research on where to go on Erie, when to fish, and what to use, one only needs to spends a grand or so and the time to drive from ND to Lake Erie and fish there. Conversely, the chances this same said average guy finds a trophy (160+) white tail on land he can access, have time to hunt there, hope the deer shows up, and another hunter doesn't take it or some azzhat night shoot it are not so guaranteed. So if we are talking "Luck" as the debatable factor, I submit that it takes magnitudes more luck to find, access, and take a trophy white tail than it does to find, access, and catch a trophy walleye.
 

JayKay

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Or a trophy eye with a rowboat and a Popeils Pocket Fisherman;-)

oooh, the pocket fisherman.. Man, there was a time, when that's all I wanted. As seen on TV.

I had big plans. Was going to mount it on my bike, so I never was without a way to fish.
 


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