Well I don't know if I will mount every single buck I kill, but I do limit myself to only shooting bucks at least 3 1/2 years or older. These are typically in the 130+ range for the area I hunt. Of course it has not always been that way and I used to take a 1 1/2 year old buck on the last day before gun season but quit doing that about 10 years ago.

I did run into a dilemma from this though. I went 4 years in a row without taking a deer at all because I was being selective and waiting for a mature buck. I have no problem going without a deer but my problem developed when I decided I might be getting rusty from going so long without taking a deer. So I decided to take a shot at a doe at 22 yards and missed! This really started my mind twirling because all I could think of was how I had spent all this time on stand waiting for a nice buck and how I may have missed him if the opportunity had presented itself. Now of course I was still practicing and was an excellent shot, but there is a lot that goes into staying calm and picking a spot on a live animal. Anyways I decided that I don't want to go more than 2 years without shooting something. I now go for a doe for the meat and also to stay in practice of shooting at a live animal. Back then I was the only one in my family eating the deer meat but now my wife and kids are eating it as well so I am killing 3 birds with 1 stone (meat, staying in practice, and QDM). And I will say that this year the does have eluded me so far. I have passed shots on 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old bucks and several yearlings but was busted by a few mature does. I will say those mature does are some wary creatures and can be as difficult to kill as a mature buck (or more).

Sorry for getting a little off topic but I was curious how other hunters who are selective deal with this.