For me no, notching the tag is icing on the cake but really isn't a determining factor to how successful I feel after the hunt. I have hung more than one tag on the wall come the end of the season and will continue to do so in the future. I have gone through a number of stages from just out to get one, to a little better than before, to trophy or bust and now in a stage where I just enjoy every minute I am in the field. If that means taking an animal so be it, if not I am just happy being able to do what I love.

I love the meat and we basically live off it, so I do enjoy pulling the trigger. I am lucky to live in an area where we have excellent whitetail/mule deer hunting as well as opportunitiesfor other game such as elk, moose and pronghorns. So usually having to pull the trigger just to fill the freezer isn't part of the equation for me. If it is I will take a doe or downslide mature buck vs shoot an immature buck.