ORIGINAL: Hunter_59
Thanks Greg, but I don't claim to know any more than any other deer hunter that has "matured" into the sport. I believe it's a natural progression that some, not all,of us go through. I've killed numerous does and small bucks in my time afield, and was very excited with every one of them. As time went by, and seeing someof the big bucks people were bringing in, I decided Ineeded a paradigm shift in the way that I attacked my deer hunting.As soon as I made the "commitment" to let the small ones walk, things took a turn for the better!It's hard toend the season empty handed when all of your hunting buds are showing pictures of their bucks.Your hunting "prowess" can take ahit for awhile, which may be why it's hard for somehunters to let them walk. Once you start bringing in the more mature bucks over the years, you gain a new respect from other hunters, if that is what you're looking for.
While gaining respect from other hunters makes one feel good, I find that the respect I gain for myself is more satisfying. When all the hard work and patience finally pay off, you can't beat that feeling. Unfortunately, I find that for every hunter that compliments and congradulates you, there are at least as many that put you down. There is a lot of jealousy in this sport. This is why more and more trophy hunters are keeping to themselves or to their small group of true friends. Kind of sad.