well, I've been passing up bucks here in the old dominion for the last two seasons only to never see them again after archery. I know what happens to the little guys, they get whacked by the first person that sees them in gun season.
So, I am reading this article on trophies in a magazine the other day and basically, it says that all trophies are relative to the area you hunt, and what you consider to be a trophy. I've always been of this frame of mind. Like I've said, I am passing all these bucks, and altho I would not shoot a 1.5 y.o., I am considering 'lowering' my standards a bit to see where it gets me. I know of a beautiful 2.5 y.o. 18-20" eight I will be hunting opening morning, and a nice two or three and half old six or eight running around where I hunt as well. I believe that I am going to shoot one of these bucks this year if they measure up. I know for a fact that if I do not, someone else will. Anyone feel that this is backstabbing my qdm? The land that the big eight is on is rumored to be for sale and will be plowed under for suburban sprawl next year. the other six or eight lives around me and I highly doubt he makes it till next year, even if I don't pull the trigger. I have only shot three bucks around where I live in the past two years, two of those I regret shooting. the rest are does, of which five of the 14 deer that have fallen to me in the past two seasons.