In a lot of places, the highest goal is in fact herd management, not the size of the deer or it's antlers. To a lot of people, the highest goal is simply getting meat. The idea that a buck is a higher goal or indication of a higher skill isn't true in the places I hunt. Although I totally understand why people want to hold out for trophy bucks, and more power to them, it's not necessarily a sign of higher skill or higher goal. The biggest antlers I've personally seen - moose and white tail - were taken by good, but not exceptional hunters and were just by chance, right place, right time.