The past 5 years I have done exactly what Duke is talking about above (good post BTW), and I have found that the very best bucks on my property that I can find through scouting, glassing, and talking with others in the area are bigger 2.5 year olds and nice 3.5 year olds. Are there odd sightings of a "big" buck that could be older, sure, but I'm not counting on hearsay for my hunting.
In the last 3 years I have shot bucks that would be in the top 10% for size on the properties that I hunt and have access to. So, to me, nothing is stopping me. I'm doing pretty damn well with what I've got.
If someone can come hunt with me on my properties and drag out P&Y bucks year after year I will bow to their hunting prowess. I don't believe that would happen though.
That doesn't mean that I am content either. I'm constantly looking for access to better properties that hold bigger bucks. When I get them I'll raise the bar to hunt the top 10% on those properties. Until then I'll keep working with what I've got.
Very well said and good points Bry. That's my philosophy on the lands I hunt. If you hold out for a P&Y buck every year on land that will produce .00001% of them, well........... you probably won't be killing many bucks. I believe that's part of my problems lately. I've become so dang picky sometimes I believe I'm hunting bucks that arent' there
. Take the top 10% quality bucks you KNOW of and let that be the standard if you've decided to hunt big bucks.......JMO. If you happen to gain access to better land with bigger bucks (which I'm always trying to do) then up your standard accordingly.
After thinking about this I've decided my biggest fault is probably over hunting my main chunk of land especially early in the season. It's like a disease. I just can't keep my butt out of there. I vow to myself next year to not step foot in there until primetime!! Always too anxious to get that glimpse of the big buck you've been watching all summer. I'm really in there way too much early on. Hell on my way to my stand by November the deer and I are on first name basis. We exchange greetings on the way in and out. Next year I'm hunting my secondary lands a LOT more and easing my way into my best piece of property that holds the biggest bucks. I dont' care if I dont' see a deer for 2 weeks I will not hunt it at all. No reason for me to be in there as much as I have been other than my own lack of patience.