View Poll Results: If you could do only one of the three options, which would you choose.
Kill one really nice buck each year.
14
25.00%
Kill one modest buck and one mature doe each year.
26
46.43%
Kill one modest buck, one mature doe, and one yearling (button buck or doe) each year.
16
28.57%
Voters: 56. You may not vote on this poll
Meat vs. Horns (Revisited)
12-16-2013, 08:07 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
I prefer #2 on the list but we harvest based on numbers. This year numbers are low so we might not take any bucks at all. We have one last chance but i will be hunting a doe or two. I cant eat antlers and with low buck sightings, i would rather let a big mature buck walk atm.
I wont know for sure until we check the cams tomorrow and check the rubs/scrapes. I found lots of scrapes within range of my stand before opening day but they all appeared to be from a handful of small bucks. We had very few pics of any kind during legal hunting hours.
I wont know for sure until we check the cams tomorrow and check the rubs/scrapes. I found lots of scrapes within range of my stand before opening day but they all appeared to be from a handful of small bucks. We had very few pics of any kind during legal hunting hours.
Last edited by Gm54-120; 12-16-2013 at 08:10 AM.
12-16-2013, 08:33 AM
#12
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
With ten members on a 900 acre lease we've had about twenty cameras out since early September, and figured we had pictures of pretty much every buck on the lease. Then last week we got pictures of two new really nice bucks no one had ever seen before. They must be roaming looking for love.
12-16-2013, 08:48 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
With ten members on a 900 acre lease we've had about twenty cameras out since early September, and figured we had pictures of pretty much every buck on the lease. Then last week we got pictures of two new really nice bucks no one had ever seen before. They must be roaming looking for love.
12-16-2013, 08:56 AM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
We have 5-6 hunters on roughly 1000 acres and several prime spots to hold them here longer. A few of those spots are self imposed off limits to hunting. Like the pond and a couple food plots. Trails within 300 yards of the pond are also off limits and so is one well known bedding area. The only exception is for disabled hunts or culling sick/injured deer. One guy's father is pretty old and cant get around very well. He seldom hunts but we built a box stand just for him and for watching.
The closest neighbor with a lot of land does not hunt or allow hunting except small game and turkey. Bow and shotguns only too. He lets his cows roam every year during the firearms deer season for some reason too.
Our two bow hunters are the main trophy hunters and they get first crack every year. They also share every harvest with the rest of the group. They almost never bow hunt our area after the firearms season either. It works out ok but this year nice mature bucks are way down. Ive got some venison now but i would still like my own fat doe.
The closest neighbor with a lot of land does not hunt or allow hunting except small game and turkey. Bow and shotguns only too. He lets his cows roam every year during the firearms deer season for some reason too.
Our two bow hunters are the main trophy hunters and they get first crack every year. They also share every harvest with the rest of the group. They almost never bow hunt our area after the firearms season either. It works out ok but this year nice mature bucks are way down. Ive got some venison now but i would still like my own fat doe.
Last edited by Gm54-120; 12-16-2013 at 09:03 AM.
12-16-2013, 08:57 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
Yep, they roam big time. I know someone that killed a buck that was tagged by dnr...it had traveled over 30 miles. Crazy!
I just got a pic last week of a darn nice buck on my property. He's never been seen or photo'd before. I can only hope he shows in daylight before the season ends!
I just got a pic last week of a darn nice buck on my property. He's never been seen or photo'd before. I can only hope he shows in daylight before the season ends!
12-16-2013, 09:47 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
12-16-2013, 10:41 AM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,482
I picked option #2. I am primarily a meat hunter, but would not mind taking a really nice buck if it came along. 2 deer per year will feed my family, so I generally aim for that number.
I hunt on my family's land - 60 acres, and 2-3 guys hunt it each year. That doesn't sound like a lot of acreage, but the deer densities are very high in that area. We have averaged 7-8 deer per year taken off those 60 acres (since 2002) and the deer numbers are increasing if anything.
However, we don't get really nice bucks in our area. Part of it is due to diet - there is no agriculture in our area, so the deer subsist off of browse, crown vetch and acorns. Also, I suspect the proper genetics are lacking in our neck of the woods. A really nice buck for us in in the 120 - 135 range, maybe more towards the bottom of that range. We've taken maybe 2 or 3 bucks that size in 10 years. So it doesn't make a whole lot of sense in my situation to hold out for a true trophy buck - you'll be waiting til Judgement Day.
Plus, with only 60 acres, it doesn't make any sense to try any sort of quality deer management. We are surrounded by hundreds of acres of leased and private land where the locals blast anything that moves during gun season.
I actually prefer shooting either a 2.5 year old doe or a 1.5 year old buck many times - you get a decent amount of meat, but the meat is still tender.
I hunt on my family's land - 60 acres, and 2-3 guys hunt it each year. That doesn't sound like a lot of acreage, but the deer densities are very high in that area. We have averaged 7-8 deer per year taken off those 60 acres (since 2002) and the deer numbers are increasing if anything.
However, we don't get really nice bucks in our area. Part of it is due to diet - there is no agriculture in our area, so the deer subsist off of browse, crown vetch and acorns. Also, I suspect the proper genetics are lacking in our neck of the woods. A really nice buck for us in in the 120 - 135 range, maybe more towards the bottom of that range. We've taken maybe 2 or 3 bucks that size in 10 years. So it doesn't make a whole lot of sense in my situation to hold out for a true trophy buck - you'll be waiting til Judgement Day.
Plus, with only 60 acres, it doesn't make any sense to try any sort of quality deer management. We are surrounded by hundreds of acres of leased and private land where the locals blast anything that moves during gun season.
I actually prefer shooting either a 2.5 year old doe or a 1.5 year old buck many times - you get a decent amount of meat, but the meat is still tender.