Learning on taildraggers certainly won't make you fly better - once they're off the ground they are both the same. But if you want to make the bit between dispersal and getting airborne more difficult then go for the taildragger.
Taildraggers are an inherently unstable design, hence why they are very rarely found on modern military or civil aircraft these days, but if your goal is to fly off bush strips and the likes in a C185 then it is obvious which way should lean.
I would say go with a trike until you find a NEED or develop an overwhelming desire to fly a taildragger. If you decide you just want something to get your feet moving and make you a better pilot then do an Aerobatics rating - this will greatly assist your hand eye coordination as well as your ability to handle an aircraft near its limits while AIRBORNE! In my opinion this would be far more useful!