RE: How high are your standards?
I agree with many others above, theanswers will indeed varydue to the broad differences of deer size from region to region. I am fortunate to live in Iowa andcalled ina 130-135" 10 pointbuck from across the field just last Friday evening. About 45 minute later he was 5 yards under my tree and spent 15 minutes looking for the deer he heard. He had great mass on his main beams with an 18-19" spread, but short tines. I felt he was an older deer that may be on the decline. Last year I would have likely taken that buck without a second thought but I shot one about 140" so I'm looking for bigger this year. Coincidentally I was late in arriving to hunt that night and had a 150" that I saw a few time last year run across the road in front of me on the way there less than 100 yrds from where I park my truck, so that probably influenced my decision as well. Plus the rut isn't here yet so I know bigger ones will show up soon. In other parts of the country the deer I let walk would be the buck ofa lifetime. It's all relative to where you live, what your expectations are, and what you've harvested in the past.