ORIGINAL: Matt / PA
It's easy to sit back and say "you're not trying hard enough" or "you're not looking in the right places," but there comes a point where you are legitimately and routinely shooting the biggest deer around, and you have to accept that you're not hunting in Pike County.Or just realize that you're waiting for a statistical anomaly that might only come along once-in-a-lifetime. If ever.
Statistical Anomaly 9/07
R.I.P.
But if anyone thinks that the fact that me and my statistical anomaly were in the same place at the same time was also an anomaly you'd be mistaken.
What I find intersting is that I seem to get a "vibe" from here that because some of us in underprivilaged areas don't kill big bucks like that regularly we're somehow not looking hard enough?
LOL I find it almost comical sometimes to read some of it...........
You guys ever see the video "bowhunting Pressured Whitetails"? .....I just picked up a copy of this much heralded video a little while back (the pre-season scouting volume) And almost laughed out loud when I watched it. You could have taken a Sony Handicam along with me from the preseason through the first week of the season last year and simply changed the name on the cover of the video. Stuff I learned through 23 years of trial and error turns out to be the "right way" to a T and I have one statistical anomaly to show for 23 years of hunting PA>
Now fast forward to the midwest......I hunted there for the first time in
2003 (Nebraska) and saw an honest 5 bucks that would go over P&Y and 2 that would push Boone and Crockett in 6 days of hunting. I also passed 4 bucks at under 10 yards that would have been 20-40" bigger than any deer I had previously killed in PA.
IN 6 DAYS.
2004 ....more of the same and first time ever in Illinois, I blew a chip shot opportunity at a 160" 10pt the very first morning of DAY ONE after never seeing the leased property before in my life other than some fuzzy airials to start a scouting search. Hung a stand the night before and bingo, (If I didn't spook the doe he was with trying to get into position for a shot
)
Passed another buck that would have been 40" bigger than any I had killed in my life in PA (because of the first encounter) and saw 4 other bucks that would make P&Y without hesitation.
In 7 Days of hunting.
2006,2007.......back to IL. Now hunting with Greg on some established ground he hunts. This is in the right state and we hunt some tough public land bucks. I missed a P&Y buck in the first 3 days of the 2006 season, and saw one other that would make P&Y for sure. 2007 I almost shot a solid 135" buck in the first evening of day one, passed many deer that would have been toast in PA.
So what is the common denominator herethat allowed me to see roughly 14 P&Y bucks (some going close to that magical 170" mark) in a matter of roughly 4 weeks of stand time when I hadn't seen but a single one in 23 YEARS prior in PA?
And my god these weren't even outfitter hunts! These were just a lease, and hunting with some friends on knock on door type properties in unmanaged areas.
You can get blood from a stone but by God you have to squeeze the ever loving crap out of it and it might take 23 years to see a drop.