It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends.
Good post Greg. I agree with the 0-3 sightings. That's not a lot considering all the hours I'm able to put on stand. You have to go in knowing and accepting that. It's a tough road for sure. Out of those 0-3 sightings you then have to have them in bow range. Then you have to be able to seal the deal. Like greg has said before it's like hunting a different species. That's the truest statement I've ever heard.
You also have to be able to check your ego at the door and not compromise your standards you set out with for anything. I'm on a tag soup stretch right nowthat I'm not crazy about since hunting these creatures. Just haven't been able to put it all together for a variety of reasons. In the meantime though I've passed on a gazillion bucks. Just knowing you put yourself in the right place and were there at the right time to be able to kill the smaller bucks is good enough for me. They are a dead deer walking and don't know it. You really have already "hunted" that animal successfully. The only thing you didn't do was kill it. It's rough at times and frustrating but I've learned more in the last 5 years hunting only big bucks than I have in the 15 years before that. I'm not expert by any means (especially compared to some of the people on this board), but that's my take on it. Mentally and physicall tough.