Question: Why is so much emphasis put on the "rack"? Guy thing? Is the meat better? Does an 8 point taste better than a 4 point?
That's a good question, and though it is entirely my opinion , I'd say for the most part A younger deer (buck or doe) is more tender and a doe is better tasting than a buck.But, that doesn't mean its not edible or bad tasting. Making sausage ,jerky ,grind for burger or meatloafs,ect.. and you really wouldnt know the difference.Imo.(buck or doe)
As far as racks go,yeah,some of it is "ego",but for hunters , a mature whitetail deer that some of these guys are posting pics of did not get to that size by being easy targets.One can spend countless hrs in the woods and not even get a glimpse.Even if you do,it can be a matter of just a few seconds for a hunter to decide when to move ,when to draw ,and shot placement is of extreme importance.More times than not its freezing cold out, and you spend that time being observant ,bored,quiet and still for hours at a time.Not to mention the time you spent to setup , practice ,pattern and just being aware of things like scent ,and how the wind might give up your presence can be tricky to deal with.
Not to ramble on here , but another thing to note is that there are far more does than bucks , and of those bucks, even less of them are mature 200 pounders.
So yes, part of it is about the rack with meat in the freezer,and a memory made of the time you took to do so.
Just my opinion, passing along my thoughts to you.
-Steve