I remember my first deer. your right,it didn't matter what it was,and still to this day,I hunt for what makes me happy.And it doesn't take much to make me happy when it comes to killing deer to eat!Every deer I see gets me just as excited as the first deer I kill.When I stop getting excited when I see any deer,I probably will give it up.
I tried the whole, pass em up and let em grow crap,and its just no fun. I did that for a few years and it was boreing. I get far much more enjoyment out of hunting by just shooting a small basket rack 8pt than I would by shooting a 150inch giant. Deer hunting to me is the most fun you can have with your cloths on.