atlas, I have never suggested imposing regulations on anyone, not sure where you came up with that....

It makes sense for me to pass the smaller bucks, and your term of "popping small bucks for 10 years" is not quite accurate. I started passing shots on smaller bucks in my 2nd year of hunting. But at the end of my week long hunting trip I would usually shoot the next deer to show itself on the last day and usually that ended up being a 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 year old buck. I knew this no longer made sense when I realized that I started enjoying watching these young deer more than killing them. In the last 4 years I have got a tremendous feeling of satisfaction by passing 2 1/2 year old bucks in the 120 range that I know 90% if the hunters out there would have shot. There can be a sense of enjoyment and accomplishment when letting them walk, something most meat hunters would not understand......

And no one, not one person in this thread or any other QDM thread I have read is suggesting that new hunters should be passing on young bucks in their first few years of hunting, another ludicrous statement. Everyone knows that most young hunters need some experience under their belt before they start waiting for Mr. Big. We were very fortunate that my 11 year old was able to take a mature buck in his first year of hunting, it probably won't happen the next few years.