ORIGINAL: GMMAT
You mistakenly (apparently) suppose that hunting isn't fun for us that are trying to manage a herd. I'd profess otherwise. This year will be challenging and fun in its own way. I see what this land and this herd CAN be. I've said it before.....the journey, to me, is a huge part of the destination.
I hope you're having as much fun as I am.
Thats how I see it too Jeff.
I'll take BwanaJim's example here:
If the Jordan buck walks by, who cares! Its just a deer. I don't hunt to flex my ego muscles, nor do any of my true friends and hunting buddies. I have let more than my share of 125"-140" bucks walk, and even had to watch a deer that would have gone near 180" go under my tree. In SC, that would have put it in the top 25 deer ever taken in the state, nevermind with archery equipment.
But....
If I would have shot that deer, assuming I would have gotten to keep the horns anyway (and I know my reputation would have gone in the can), all I would think about every single time I looked at that head on the wall would be the deceitful way I came by it. I would really be ashamed of myself.
As it is, I was really happy to be that close to such a great buck. Call it catch and release hunting. Its one of my more fond hunting memories anyway.
To each his own.