Originally Posted by
RUNNOFT
This is typed completely out of respect, not to down any of your opinions or to say that i'm right and your wrong...
Well, I guess i am the exception to the norm. I can't stand to see grown men shoot spikes, or any buck for that matter that isn't outside the ears.
I do believe that children and young men-women, should enjoy taking deer of any size, age, so that they enjoy it and develop a love for hunting. However, there comes a point and time in which all hunters need to become better managers of land and herd. Its better for the herd to let the immature bucks walk and to thin the doe population.
I consider myself a hunter for meat first, trophy hunter second. Every year I shoot plenty of does, and pass on lots of bucks that are not mature, I enjoy watching these smaller bucks walk around in nature almost as much as shooting a mature doe and filling my freezer. I've shot only three bucks in five years, and trust me, I have enjoyed it just as much any of you who shot the immature bucks.
Lastly, all of you have children, parents, friends, (and yourselves) that would enjoy hunting a little more if there were bigger bucks walking around your woods whether you would like to admit it or not. I'm not talking about the "Bucks of Tecomate" size, but nice ones.
I just wanted to post the other side of this topic. Ultimately I have good friends that I hunt with and hang out with that will shoot 4 6 and 8's that I disagree with, but I respect their decisions, they just don't hunt on my land! lol.
I guess my thinking boils down to this... why shoot a young buck when the doe population in any area is more than plentiful, and has just as much quailty meat???? Why????
This actually goes with how I feel about it. In the past I had to kill what I could to fill my freezer. I tried to lay off really young bucks but it was not always possible. Two of my children really enjoy hunting, my son is 14 and probably a better hunter than I am. He buck hunts until I say it is kill time and he can usually kill a doe anytime he gets ready it seems. My nephews and brother started hunting last year. Long story short by the end of muzzleloader season last year I had 13 (I think that many) in my freezer. Gun season I told everyone no more unless it goes on the wall and my son killed a 133" 9 point. My point is now I feel like I can trophy hunt if I want because the younger generation is filling my freezer and allowing me to be more selective. I killed my biggest buck to date this year and have let a lot of deer walk. I have my eyes on a monster and may not shoot unless I see him. You have to hunt to the standards that make you happy and enjoy it for YOU and not worry what others will think. I guess I will try to trophy hunt but only because I would prefer to see the younger generation get to do the shooting.