I would


That very statement sums up exactly the attitude that has developed in a large number of hunters today..........and was a major point of the original post. I feel so bad for people that do not enjoy a hunt or harvest just because they didn't bag a wall hanger.

Hunting is so much more then big racks. I HATE when I see a young hunter clearly not happy with his deer because it isn't big enough [:@]..........who the hell teaches a kid that??

People have to get over this antler obsession because it is a dead end street in todays world. Already the records that have stood for decades are dropping like flies and soon there will be a new world record every year..........making the title all but meaningless. Science has thrown it's hat into the deer ring and people can make money off big bucks..........this combo will result in more and more big bucks until they are no longer the exception, but the rule. The true beauty of a trophy is how long and hard you have to work to get it...........and how few and far between your chances are. When it is no longer a big deal to have taken a 160 class buck.........everyone will want a 180......then 200........and so on until the genetic max of whitetails is reached and then what??

If a 130 class buck is a management buck today, in 5 years it will be a 150 class that is no longer good enough. This Antler race is stupid because the finish line is a dead end. Deer can only grow so big, the only challenge to science is how to get them that big as fast as possible to maximize profits. Once that bridge is crossed there is no where else to go. I guess the only bragging rights left will be how many huge deer you have killed.


I enjoy watching Ted Nugent........he is nuts but I have seen him shoot a lot of does and small bucks on his shows. Each and every one he gets just as excited as he does over a monster buck...........even if it is acting on his part, it delivers a very good message to children. Taking an animal is a great accomplishment and nothing should lesson that feeling........no matter what the head gear looks like.


As far as unrealistic expectations I totally agree that most hunters are unable or unwilling to realize the true potential of their local hunting areas. You have to put your time in and watch an area at different times of the year in different ways to get an idea of what it has to offer. If you cover lots of ground, and do lots of sitting, glassing, and spotlighting you will get a good idea of what is in that particular area.......you aren't gonna see them all, but you will see a good portion of the local herd and it will allow you to make a good guess as to what to expect come hunting season. If you see 30-40 bucks over a year and they are all in the spike-6pt range then I wouldn't set up shop and expect Goliath to trot on by.

The problem has a lot to do with people being lazy and just going in the woods after watching videos all summer and complaining that the deer are too small............when if they had done their homework they would already know that and could either accept it or go somewhere else that better suits their demands.

Know your local area and know your local hunters. If you hunt in a "brown it's down" kinda place then just decide if that is OK with you. If not, find another area that is better for you.

I can't afford to let a deer walk by where I hunt the majority of my time. That deer will just be taken by another hunter 90% of the time. I'm OK with this and me and my family have taken tons of deer out of those woods over the years. We enjoyed them all immensely. We even managed 2 big boys over those many seasons.

I think a trophy is a deer that stands out from the crowd. One that you can honestly say is uncommon for your area. If you see nothing but forks and small bucks all the time this could mean a good solid 8 pointer............if you see 140 class bucks a lot this could mean a 160 class would stand out.........whatever.........as long as it makes people go WOW!!! when they see him.

A day will come that a big buck no longer makes people say WOW!!! similar to the way they treated that 130 class buck in the first post. At that point what thrill will be left for antler chasers??


BTW........another thing that bugs me is when I see a guy on TV letting his little boy shoot a HUGE buck as his first deer...........he is not preparing that kid for a lifetime of hunting, he is preparing him for a lifetime of less fun when he has to "settle" for smaller bucks in the future. That's about as smart as letting him have his first experience with a woman be with Jenna Jameson.........just puts real life in a bad perspective []