The reason I've increased my goal to 145+ is because they are there. There are not nearly as many of them, but they are there. I may see between 1-3 per season. To me, it is another step up the ladder just as it was when I started holding out for mature bucks from 125 and better. I know it lessens my chances but it has also taught me patience. For the last three seasons this patience has paid off with 147, 126 and a 173 (gross) bucks. In '06 I had my chance at a solid 150+ 8 pointer but missed. I mistakenly shot the 126 (weird double beam 9 point) later in the season thinking it was a clean 5x5 I'd been seeing. I'm still very proud of this. I have to be.......I vowed to myself a long time ago that I'd be proud of any buck I killed. One time, 16 years ago, I felt sad that the buck I killed wasn't as big as I thought it was. I immediatly became ashamed of myself and swore to never let that happen again.
That's just an incredible little woodlot. Kudos to you for getting in there. I think you said you saw 7 bucks in one sitting int here, last year. That's incredible (comparatively), to me.
IMO - It has nothing to do with antler size and EVERYTHING to do with age class. I didn't realize this until I really did get to hunt areas that had a complete age structure of bucks. Inow knowwhy guys who grow up hunting in places like Illinois and Iowa consider a 120-130 class buck a non-trophy. If anyone has seen our video - you see how many 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 bucks I had the oportunity to shoot last year. That isn't a challenge for me when I'm hunting killer areas.
Refreshing to hear someone say this.
Only saw a total of5 bucks this season that were 4-1/2 or older in 60 days on-stand.
I only saw 4 bucks in 48 sits (total # of bucks....ALL age classes). Again....incredible. Kudos to you as well for having such a great place to hunt.....and sticking to your guns.
I begrudge NO ONE for what they shoot or their grounds. I compliment them on their successes re: harvests AND their ability to gain access to these areas....and I think Todd's (and Greg's) post(s) is/are a refreshing jolt of honest assessment of his hunting area.
Good luck in '08 guys.