ORIGINAL: Talondale
As far as the more "challenging" aspect, I like a moderate challenge, but I have my limits. As far as trophy hunters lessening their challenge: flawed reasoning. If the trophy hunter had a static size goal that may be true but the trophy hunter looking for the greater challenge will now be hunting a higher class of buck. Instead of the challenge of a 160" class buck he now has the challenge of hunting a 200" class bug. It's a dynamic not a static equation.
Now that is flawed reasoning.
You never hear anyone say......."I want a shot at a 200" deer instead of a 160" deer so we need QDM to have that chance. You always hear the same broken record about how they just want to hunt MATURE deer and with QDM there will be more MATURE deer around for them to go after........in other words it will be easier then it is right now
This is just one big trend of hunters taking the easy way out............it's nothing more then growing deer to be killed. Hunting bruisers is too hard because they are few and far between in most places so the sure way to fix that is just grow them bigger in your backyard. Requires no skill, or hard work..........just patience.
I know a guy that has about 1,500 acres of land that really only him and a couple other guys hunt. They shoot nothing but MONSTERS.........but they are home grown monsters. They just let them eat and eat off the food plots until they feel like they are big enough to go on the wall.......then they whack 'em. These deer aren't magically wise just because they are a few years older.......they can't be too smart because each guy kills an absolute brute every year. Hunting pressure+age is what makes a deer crafty..........not just age. Anyways......these are some of the nicest deer I have ever seen but IMO they are easier to kill then a 1 1/2-2 1/2 yr old that has been pushed all over the county by hunters and has manaed to escape and is now wise to humans.......and how to avoid them.
Now most people would say that this guy I know has the PERFECT QDM setup..........with his food plots, mature bucks and does under control........yet it offers no greater challenge, it requires no greater skill........just a lot of patience. Any person on this forum could go sit in one of his stands for a couple days and tag a very nice buck.........now if that is not easier then most people's current situations......I don't know what is.