Big Fish vs Big Critter

5575

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What a great subject!
I've spent allot of my free time in life chasing both. And having always worked a job offering me 1/2 the year off has given me ample time.

Born and raised in ND, but since I was a teenager I've traveled all over the country west of the Missouri river and western Canada chasing critters and walleyes..gas is cheap! Allot of times sleeping in my old truck topper, car,tent or friends I've made along the ways homes. Put many a deboned midwestern/canadian whitetail into coolers in the trunk of my car, rack riding beside me in the front seat for the ride home.
I hunt public lands 90% of the time, places you could draw tags for back in the day every year now take up to 10 years. That sucks.. The internet has been the demise of many a good unit/area.
Majority of my 7 day trips still to this day cost $500-1,000 bucks for everything, tags included round trip. And for that price I can usually put me in a spot that a 150+ whitetail or 10 lb walleye is a very real possibility.
A 10lb walleye these days is a very doable, heck even if you dont want to travel. Put 5-7 days in on the big mo right now and chances are you'd have your whopper. Especially if you can hook up with someone that knows the system well and it wouldn't cost you much at all.
Now if you want to get a couple buddies together to split gas and lodging you could head up to Tobin or Winnipeg for around $500 pretty easy and odds are you'd catch your 10 lber, probably several in 5 days. Been on a couple trips where we've landed 20+ fish over 10 lbs and some teeners, good times!
Making friends in places like Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Kansas,Alberta,Saskatchewan and Manitoba has been priceless. To be able to hunt these places for the price of the tag, gas and food has offered me so many great opportunities and memories. And every so often a beautiful trophy as well.

Bottom line is you just have to take the time to get out and do it. I've never had a problem to take on extra work/jobs to pay for these trips. Helped build a bunk house up in Alberta in exchange for one of the best bear hunts I've ever been on.
Word of advise to you younger folks, if your not building preference points in other states you need to start now! "my boys are pretty fortunate there, been putting them in for awesome elk and deer units since they were like 10"
Good luck to you all and when given a chance take a young person hunting or fishing whenever you can.:;:thumbsup
 
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Retired Educator

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This question could go on forever. For what it's worth in my experience, I know fishermen and hunters that consistently catch a lot of fish and shoot big animals. In both cases they nearly all spend a lot of time in both endeavors. I as nearly all because "all" isn't really possible. In addition, because they spend a lot of time doing either they also know where and how to hunt or fish. I spend more time hunting than fishing and because of that there are areas that I hunt because experience has taught me where I will most likely find what I'm looking for.

Hunting and fishing is kind of like finishing drywall, do it every day and you'll get pretty good at it. Do it once a year on a weekend and it won't be so nice..Now the second part, you do have to fish in water where the population of bigger fish is there, or you do have to hunt in areas that has a huntable population of what you are looking for. Regardless of the posts on here, hunt all you want, but you will have a difficult time shooting a limit of roosters in Pembina.
 

SDMF

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A good friend drew the NR MB Bighorn after 21 points at 60 or so years old. He is in great shape. He got a very nice one was written up in Eastmans. Got a full size mount.


Pretty sure I saw pics of that and got the story as I know someone else who knows that guy too.

21 points would put me @ 67 if I started next summer when points are available again. Unlikely that at that time I'm 67, 21 points will be enough, so lord knows how long it'd be. I'm just going to go ahead and skip that one.
 

buckhunter24_7

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Want big fish? Fish lakes with lots of them there.
Want big bucks? Hunt land that has lots of them there.
Figure that out and you can get whatever you want for a trophy.
 


Captain Ahab

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Try to buy a Missouri Breaks BigHorn Sheep (Best genetics available for that species) or New Mexico Ibex tag and let me know how that works out for you.[/QUOTE]


BTW, I hope you can get a chance at those dreams if you so pursue them.
 

MSA

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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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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.

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.


True, I think I was 30 before I finally caught a walleye over 8lbs.
 

pointer

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I have hunted and fished for over 40 years, never caught a walleye over 8 lbs been in the boat or on shore with a few people that have though , have caught at least 50 to 60 6 to 7 .5 lbs, just can't catch a whopper. My niece fished twice in her life caught a 10 lb walleye her second time out ( she was 10 at the time). Back in the 90s caught a cutthroat at the the tailgate that two days earlier would have been the state record, still got a whopper patch for that. I also have three white tails that score 145 to 148 7/8 ths. Just can't make book. I am still happy with my time doing my time outdoors and the memories of time spent with family and great friends are trophies enough.
 

Lapper

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Considering the lack of a trophy of any kind on my wall, both are hard as hell!
 

emerald

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watching sound of music tanight, the von trapps had there shit together

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s-l200.jpg
 


Sotaman

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I have read the first two pages and I haven't read this argument yet. So if it is later on I am sorry but fishing most of the time the trophy is thrown back and left in the game. Where as a big game animal there isn't any catch and release. I think a true trophy mammal is more special than a fish and it gets much more attention.
 

NDSportsman

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This question could go on forever. For what it's worth in my experience, I know fishermen and hunters that consistently catch a lot of fish and shoot big animals. In both cases they nearly all spend a lot of time in both endeavors. I as nearly all because "all" isn't really possible. In addition, because they spend a lot of time doing either they also know where and how to hunt or fish. I spend more time hunting than fishing and because of that there are areas that I hunt because experience has taught me where I will most likely find what I'm looking for.

Hunting and fishing is kind of like finishing drywall, do it every day and you'll get pretty good at it. Do it once a year on a weekend and it won't be so nice..Now the second part, you do have to fish in water where the population of bigger fish is there, or you do have to hunt in areas that has a huntable population of what you are looking for. Regardless of the posts on here, hunt all you want, but you will have a difficult time shooting a limit of roosters in Pembina.
Well duh, everyone knows Neche is the hot spot for roosters!
 

JayKay

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Took me over 45 years to catch a 30"+, 10 lbs + walleye. Several that were close (27" to 29.5").

It's safe (for me) to say I'll never harvest a big white tail.

I like what MSA says though. Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.

I can't remember who originally said that, but it's as true today as ever.

That being said, I'm going to whip the water at the tailrace tonight!
 

Wags2.0

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Want big fish? Fish lakes with lots of them there.
Want big bucks? Hunt land that has lots of them there.
Figure that out and you can get whatever you want for a trophy.

truly enlightening advice!
 


buckhunter24_7

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Not saying it cannot be done at a normal spot, but if you live on Erie a nice eater walleye is ten pounds and we all know of someone that has a honey hole for deer that only they can hunt and a 150-160 is a nice average deer for that person
 


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