skipsbroan

I don't think that you have to fill your tag in order to have a successful hunt (unless you are in dire need of filling your freezer!). I did not fill my tag this year, yet I still feel that I had success during my time afield. I had a buck bed down about 100 yards from me for over an hour, on the same day I had 2 doe within 30 yards and they didn't even know I was there (...even after the wind changed & they ended up directly downwind of me instead of crosswind like they started out!) On the 2nd to last day of the season, I had 4 doe about 45 yards out without detecting me. That was awesome being able to observe the deer at that range going about their normal patterns. I agree that a person's hunting objective changes with age. I remember when I 1st started hunting, I was out to fill my tag. Period. That lasted until after I shot my 2nd deer. I've always enjoyed spending time afield scouting, observing, etc, and I won't shoot a deer just to shoot one. Now I'm of the mindset to shoot a mature deer that meets my qualifications, which for a buck is going to be one with a nice big body, yet the horns will also have to meetmy standards. My husband has a decent set of horns at home that my we both use for a standard "shoot it if the body is big" unless we need some meat in the freezer. Then the antler size doesn't matter as long as the body size is good. Now, the buck that I had bedded down that I spoke of earlier, would have been a shooter if I needed meat in the freezer...I did not shoot him for 2 mainreasons: 1)I didn't really need the meat 2)no shot was offered. Now, I'm not out to trophy-hunt every year, but I think it is more of a challenge to shoot an older, mature deer, buck OR doe (those doe aren't stupid!) than it is to shoota young 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 year old deer, and therefore more exciting to pit yourself against nature's best as you gain more information as you age.