RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

To each his own. I set the bar higher than most, lower than some. That's my perogative. Kill what you want respect what you kill. If anything, threads like this sure do separate the guys I would enjoy hunting with from the guys I would never hunt with.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I am anunapoligetic trophy hunter, but I have much respect for those hunters who take a doe, cow or ewe most years instead of an imature male animal. I cant tell you how many times I've met hunters who kill the first legal animal they see every year, and have the gall to wonder where all the trophy's went.
When I was a young boy, I couldn't catch a fish. By the time I hit my teens, I had figured it all out, and caught and kept thousands of trout.
Now at 50 I practise catch and release with a fly rod, but am starting to think that I should eat what I catch and only catch what I eat. We definately change as we grow and learn.
So now I love to hunt and but take little game., if a mature animal presents itself I will probably take it. But then maybe not if it is too early in the hunt. Calling a big bull into range for someone else is as much fun as hunting for myself. Having fun is the best part and hopefully teaching your kids to respect the outdoors is part of the hunt.
Happy Hunting

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I wonder if all the guys preaching here practice what they preach in every aspect of hunting and fishing..........or is it just when headgear is involved??

Do you all only shoot the biggest, most mature turkey in the woods and encourage all others to pass on anything but??

Do you only shoot the oldest and most wise squirrel in the area and tell everyone else that shoots younger squirrels that they aren't really "hunting"

Do you only catch the biggest, oldest fish in the pond, stream, lake or ocean??

When rabbit hunting do you pass on anything that isn't a "mature" rabbit and just let your dog run and run and run until he finds you a "mature" rabbit?? Do you also encourage everyone else to only hunt "mature" rabbits??

On a pheasant hunt do you hold off on the trigger when a bird takes off to examine him and be sure he is "mature" enough for you to shoot??.........and tell everyone else to do the same??

When duck or goose hunting do you sit in your blind and let flock after flock and bird after bird go by or just land and sit by your decoys until you see a bird that is "mature" enough for you to shoot??...........imposing the same rules on everyone else of course.

Anyone who traps or kills predators...........do you wait and let yote after yote go by until you get that special "mature" one to come into range??........do you only set traps that will catch the wise old animals of the woods??........and do you press others to do the same??


Same thing right??...........if not, please explain how.


If older deer didn't grow bigger antlers you would NEVER hear a peep out of anyone about QDM this or "mature" that.............all the noble herd health, genetics, and ratio BS would not even be an issue.........because no one would plop down thousands of dollars for an ego trip if they couldn't bring something home to show everyone else how great they are.

All this "mature" BS and "challenge" garbage is so laughable...............without the headgear it all goes down the drain. How many guys do you see every year talking about "mature" does??........almost none.....even though they are harder to kill then a lot of the bucks taken every year. So much for the "challenge" theory

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

You're right on Atlas! My thoughts exactly

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Heres a question for all you advokates of QDM. Say you get one buck tag. A 180 pound mature 6 point walks within 20 yards. He is definitly a mature deer, but he has a basket rack. Do you shoot? Or do you wait for a larger racked mature buck.

And beleive it or not, the majority of mature bucks in most areas do NOT have great headgear. So do you shoot these deer also because they are mature, or do you continue holding out for the deer that will break that score your wishing to acheive.

Heres my take. If you shoot this deer, then yes, you truely care about the herd and are practicing QDM.More power to you. If you let him pass because his antlers arent big enough, then you are a trophy hunter pure and simple. Dont care about the herd, just about getting a buck bigger than your friends. After all, its quality DEER management. Not Quality bucks growing super huge antlers management. And that mature basket rack 6 point is a quality deer in my eyes, and one that I'll gladly take and take pictures and post about it. JMHO.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

It all depends on which public hunting area I hunt. If it is the smaller more pressured area I will take a doe first and a smaller buck second if the oppurtunity arises. But in the larger areas in the southeast part of my state I definitely pratice QDM and go for the larger more mature deer because I know that in this area there are big bruisers and I have to be patient to get one.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

It makes me mad that every year( for about 10 years)a group of guys come down and hunt a neighbors piece of land. Every year all they shoot is little spikes. Then they complain that they never shoot a big buck. How much brains does it take to figure that out. I will always shoot a doe before i ever even think about shooting a spike.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

What about the little buck that would have likely have been born in the spring had you not killed his mother? That's a button that won't be there next fall and a 1 1/2 year old the year after that etc that has surely been eliminated. Just curious...

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Okay, I am a wildlife biologist, even have the little white piece of paper to prove it. I do not intend on being combatative, and on the QDM issue all I can say is that there are times and places for it, as well as times and places it will probably never work. The good news is that you are held by no laws except the laws of the state in which you reside and can be free to participate or not. You are bound by the traditions and ethics you believe in and that is good enough for me, NO MATTER WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON.

I do however, have to take issue with the whole "manage deer like trout or pheasant" outlook. Different species have widely variable habitat, forage, and population balance needs. Their reproductive strategies are highly variable to say the least and cannot be managed in remotely the same ways. Doves, for example, have an approximately 80% mortality rate for fledgelings (1rst year) whether they are hunted or not. Bag limits are set to keep the population levels within reason. There are no cock/hen regulations because no one can tell in the air which is which and harvest is random, thereby keeping the population balanced. In predator control most often it is the younger "juvenile delinquents" that are causing stock depredations and so forth. If you shoot out the mature predators that are keeping the juveniles in check in a particular "territory" then often the juveniles go out of control and your depredation problems worsen.

The problem with deer management can be related back to the dove example. If the harvest was random across the board AND ALWAYS HAD BEEN then populations would be in balance. There would be no issue. That is how natural predation works. The old, the young, the sick. No gender bias, taken off both ends of the age structure. We changed all that with years of intensive predator control coupled with "you don't shoot nannies", and "hold out for the big one" among other things. The thing is, everyone is part of the deer herd management effort whether they like it or not. I hear alot about hunting natural deer herds. Hell, there hasn't been a natural deer herd in North America for 150 years... Chances are they were transplanted back in by your local state dept after they were nearly wiped out by market hunting in the late 1800/early 1900s. Once again, I am not trying to fan flames here, but a question was asked (at least sort of) and I am trying to give a valid answer. I apologize in advance if I have offended anyone, but its life as I see it, you may have different glasses...

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Well I think...ooops... king of the hill is on

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I missed all the fun. Away for 5 days and miss 13 pages of one of the tried and true arguments on the board. [8D]

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I really don't care what anyone shoots....there all trophies! For me, in this stage of my hunting experiance, I shoot a doe to eat and then hunt monsters. On our property for 25 years we (our group/party) only shot 1 trophy buck. In 25 years we maybe only ever even saw 3 or 4 trophies. 5 years ago we decided to quite shooting any buck unless it had a huge rack. Lots of disipline! The first couple years we didn't shoot any bucks,but the last 3 years have totally changed our woods.......we see lots of trophy bucks, lots of medium and plenty of spikes and baskets! The last three years, we got4 trophy bucks and see/had numerous encouters with other bruisers. Our hunting has greatly changed. We still take lots of does for meat. Our experience.....let'm grow! If you don't care about big racks...shoot for meat....thats fine too!

Good Luck...enjoy your season!

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I applaud each of you who obey your game laws, practice sound conservation, respectthe land and the animals who live on it, and in every way practice good sportsmanship and ethics. I don't care if you shoot spikes, does, buster bucks or button bucks. If you enjoy the sport and have a truly honest since of pride about who you are and what you do, then I think that is highly commendable.
I also think that with the passion in which you state your cases, probably most or all of you fit in the above criteria. With all of the poachers, "slob" hunters, etc. that there are out there today, I think that guys like all of you deserve a pat on the back!!

PERSONALLY, I love hunting for does and mature bucks. If they are 4-5 yrs. old or older, it does something for me I can't explain. Has nothing to do with ego, but everything to do with respect and admirationfor the "ancient warrior". And score doesn't matter either. Just icing on the cake.It really makes me tick. It's my thing. I don't need anyone's approval for it and I'll never make any apologies for it. Butthat's justme.
All I care about as that we love and enjoy the sport of bowhunting.

My hat'soff to all of you, regardless of your personal feelings on this matter, so long asyou obey the law, and leave it better than you found it.

Good huntin'! - cap.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Cap'n, I'd say that post deserves an H.R.A.O.P.!! (For the non old-timers, that stands for Honorary Rack Award for Outstanding Post... something that used to be handed out from time to time, and rewarded thought-provoking posts and discouraged those who love to chime in with two- and three-word answers to run up their post count!)

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
THE END

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I'm all for you guys all "letting them go so they will grow".

Good idea, keep up the good work.

Just one question, does it seem like a big waste of time and effort to pack that gun around and just watch 'em walk by?

I hope not but I don't plan on finding out for myself.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I agree!!! When was the last time we've seen an HRAOP handed out?:DIt's been awhile.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Hi Cloud nine - Thanks for your post. Your post says it all from my point of view. If shooting the first deer that comes your way is what appeals to you and makes for a memorable hunt then by all means, take your best shot.

Like you Cloud 9, when I first started hunting the piece of property that I now hunt (10 years ago) there were very few if any mature bucks running around. The previous owners and neighbors shot everything they could and most deer never had a chance making it past their second birthday. That has all changed now. The neighbor and I decided to try letting the smaller bucks walk, while at the same time taking olderdoes for meat. The results in only 10 years has been dramatic. Seeing mature bucks during hunting season is almost a given. Of coarse, the property is surrounded by corn fields and the enviroment is perfect for this outcome but could only be achieved by letting the small deer walk.

Not long ago the previous owners stopped by to visit. When I showed them several of the deer we have killed in the last 5 years he said "Man, we never had deer like that when we lived here". Ireplied "thats because you killed everything that walked by and didn't give them a chance to make it to that size". He kinda smirked and said "Ya we killed a lot of deer outa here".

I have tried not to offend anyone with this post. I have just stated what I have experienced first hand. If you want to shoot every deer you see, more power to you. If you want to see and kill mature bucks then you have to let the younger ones walk.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Here is the part that I don't understand...............I thought it was about the "challenge" and getting close to a elusive "mature" deer??

Read the posts on this page alone..........written by guys who say when they started hunting their land their were no big racked bucks.......for decades in some cases. Now that they don't shoot smaller ones and grow them bigger they are seeing bigger bucks all the time and shooting them on a regular basis. Seems to me it was more of a "challenge" to get a big buck when you weren't passing them up and all you have done is make it easier for yourselves.

Just proves what many people have said here 1,000 times............passing on younger bucks makes it easier to kill bigger bucks.......not harder.......which goes against what drives most big rack hunters (or so they say).......the "challenge" is decreased.......not increased.

Couldn't be a more clear case of it on this page alone........35 years of hunting with the number of "trophy" bucks taken and seen in the single digits........now multiple "trophy" bucks are killed each year and seeing a bruiser is a "given" during hunting season.

Now tell me again which scenerio makes it harder to kill a "trophy" buck??

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

The insinuation that big bucks are easy to kill I don't agree with!The fact that they exist or exist in greater numbers increases the liklihood of having the opportunity to kill one.That is a function of probability and can not be refuted.But easy to kill,no way no how!
A buck that reaches 31/2 years old is an entirely differently animal from the rest of the herd and that only is magnified with each additional year that goes by,with their cunning and awareness.
With the logic that you are suggesting to really challenge ourselves we should hunt where very few animals exist.
Any one with any degree of intelligence can make an argument on either side of this topic.My thinking is basedon free ranging public land whitetails.
I believe that killing is the easier part,the finding and putting yourself in position to kill is the much harder part as it relates to big bucks.Any one who consistently kills big bucks on public land is doing a lot of things right to think otherwise is delusional!

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

It's pretty easy to see the argument that having more mature bucks makes them more easy to kill...unless you have never hunted a trophy animal.:eek:

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

One word. THERAPY:)

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Atlasman

Personally I dont worry about the "challenge" to much. The main reason why people manage deer, especially in south Texas, is to improve the size of bucks, plain and simple. In south Texas if your not killing big bucks year after year then your doing something wrong and you need to take a long look at your managment program. When I go hunting, killing A mature buck is nota hard thing to do, killing an immature buck is a gimmie and my hunt would be over the first 30 minutes in the stand. But the "challenge" comes and the excitement comes when you try to find that ONE special buck. He might be the highest scoring buck on the ranch, he might have a drop tine, he might have alot of trash, he might be a huge 8 pointer, or any number of things that interest you and makes you want to hunt that deer. Even on the best managed ranches in south Texas finding and killing a true trophy buck (170"+) is still not a common thing. I remember back in college we would go out on some of the biggest and best known ranches in the region doing deer captures. We would have helicopters out there, the gunner would net the deer and the students would take information and data from them etc. Each year we caught several hundred bucks. I think we caught about 2000 bucks by the time I got out of college andI bet we didnt catch more then 50 bucks that would break the 160" mark, and keep in mind we where on the best ranches in the state I mean these places where getting $10-$20,000 for a 5 day deer hunt. Just these deer captures alone prove how hard and rare a true trophy buck is,.......

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Button Buck -Can't shoot too young (Could grow to be a bruiser)
Young doe- Can't shoot too young
Doe- Can't shoot could possibly produce a bruiser some day
Spike - 6 point- Can't shoot could be better next year
150 class whitetail- Can't shoot could be a 180 next year.

Basically I sit in the stand all day and wonder what the hell I am doing up there. [8D]

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

if i shot the first buck i saw, i would have been done bowhunting after two hours this year... instead i let those small bucks live and try to find the more elusive and mature bucks. it becomes a great challenge trying to get that one buck that i have been scouting all summer and have caught a glimpse of in the distance while bowhunting.

mature does also present a similar challenge because of their increased awareness. however, unlike that one big buck, there are numerous mature does around every year and that increases the opportunity to harvest one.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Read closer...........no one said they were "easy" to kill.


I agree........which leads to my confusion when I hear so many guys talk about wanting more of a "challenge" and that is why they hunt for "mature" bucks........then in the same sentence they ask for everyone to help them put more big bucks out there to make things easier. Which is it??


I think that is a VERY subjective statement. So many things go into a bucks awareness I don't think a blanket statement like this one can be applied. Hunting pressure, number of does, how it was raised, amount and terrain of land are just a few of the many things that go into a deer's awareness. Deer of the same age can be vastly different depending what has happened to them in those few short years. Their innate instincts for danger are undeniable..........I just think that experience is a big part of the equation as well.

If you are truely out for the "challenge" then that would be correct I guess..........wouldn't it?? Where is it easier to kill a deer??.........where there are 2.......or where there are 2 dozen?? (same land makeup)

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

The proof is right here in this thread.

2 seperate guys hunting land that produced a couple "trophy" bucks (seen or killed)in over 35 years combined.........now they kill multiple "trophy" bucks every year and seeing them is a "given" during hunting season.


Did they suddenly become great "trophy" buck hunters??........or did they just increase their odds of killing one by increasing their numbers??

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

At least you are honest.


Wow........there are a lot of people here that disagree with that. Once again..........thanks for being honest.



I understand what you're saying but I hope you are not offended when I say that sounds a lot more like "farming" then "hunting".........sort of like picking out the nicest pumpkin or christmas tree in the lot.

I am NOT knocking it........it's just worlds different then anything I have come to love about hunting. If I grew up in your area I would be embracing your style as well I am sure........I doubt I would ever try and pressure others to follow my lead but that is a different story ;)



That was then............I don't know your age but I would guess that today's world of "growing" deer via nutritional supplements would have those figures skewed differently.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

So if things were to change and there were numerous mature bucks just like the does then you would have increased opportunity to kill one also right??

There goes the "challenge" you like so much. I guess you are against QDM then correct??

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

What you are missing here is the definition of "challenge"

Of course more mature bucks in the woodsincreases ones probability of seeing them. That is a good thing, isn't it??? You can't say most hunters don't dream of killing a slammer buck. If one wants to see and have the oppertunity to harvest mature bucks it goes without saying, let the little bucks grow...

The "challenge" isn't finding and hunting a one in a million mature buck in any given area. This seems to be where you keep getting stuckin these conversations.

The "challenge"is outsmarting and out maneuvering a mature buck, who has been around a few years and who is in most cases wise of the hunters. "Challenge" one's selfto hunting mature bucks instead ofannihilating young naive yearlings whoare most likelylost, vulnerable andsearching outa new core area after yearling displacement without the protection and guidance of their mothers for the first time.

I have said it before and will say it again. IMO the yearling buck is the most naive and most susceptible to fall to a hunter of any age class or sex in the herd. Now once again I am not talking about sheer numbers in comparisonof yearlings to does and fawns,but the vulnerability of a yearling buck.

I believe one should shoot what makes them happy. I choose to hunt mature bucks, others don't. That's fine with me. I choose to air my thoughts and feelings when these conversations come up. If someone reads it and says, hey I am going to pass the yearlings this year and set my goals for a mature buck that's great. If one reads my post and says that is the dumbest thing I have ever read that's OK too. To each their own.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

TURTLESHELL.. ..I DONT KNOW WHO YOU ARE OR WHY YOU TAKE PLEASURE IN BADGERING ME...I DONT BADGER YOU..DO I? SOME OF YOU DONT KNOW WHEN TO STOP...YOUSIT ON YOUR THRONES BEHIND YOUR PC AND THINK YOUR SAFE TO LOK DOWN ON FOLKS..YOU THINK YOU ARE GODS GIFT...DEER ARE GODS GIFT AND YOU KNOW HOW THEY GET TREATED....I TRY TO PLAY FAIR..BUT DONT TAKE THAT FOR WEAKNESS.
THESE MODERATORS HAVE LET SOME OF YOU GO OVER THE TOP WITH ME.............TALKING ABOUT MY FAMILY ETC. TOTAL DISRESPECT...THEY HAVE SOMEHOW MADE SOME OF YOU FEEL SUPERIOR.........FEEL AGAIN!!! ......AND THRU IT ALL.....MY EARLIER THREADS........I RAISED GOOD QUESTIONS AND GAVE GOOD FEEDBACK..JUST BECAUSE YOU DONT APPROVE OR DONT COMPREHEND IS NO REASON TO BE NASTY/INSENSITIVE...TO ME..OR ANYBODY FOR THAT MATTER...
TO YOU MODERATORS.......IF YOU WERE ON THE BALL.....I WOULDNTBE HAVING TO TYPE THIS. IVE NEVER BEEN NASTY AND INHUMANE TO ANYONE HERE...COUPLE OF HEATED DISCUSSIONS usually due to MISUNDERSTANDING ..BUT IT WORKED OUT IN THE ENDCAUSE WE TOOK THE TIME TO THINK AND NOT JUDGE OR DISRESPECT.......IVE HAD MY FILL OF ALOT OF YOU>>YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE>>>OTHERS OF YOU I WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND HUMOR AND WISDOM... I HOPE SOME OF YOU WILL READ THIS AND SEE MY POINT...I KNOW SOME OF YOU WILL JUST DO YOUR USUAL!
LOVE FOR SOME, ANIMOSITY TOWARDOTHERS
HEEZE

ALL MY LATEST REPLIES ARE ABOUT KILLING AND DEATH HELL... THATS WHAT HUNTING IS ABOUT .....NOT REALLY SAYING ANYTHING IN MY REPLIES ...CAUSE I DONT NEED THE HASSLES AND ISTILL GET SOMEGUYTAKING CHEAPSHOTS ATME.......

For SOME OF YOU HUNTERS WHO HAVE THREADED ABOUT THE DISRESPECT AIMED AT ME......I RESPECT AND THANK YOU....BUT THE MODERATORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FIRST..NOW THEY WILL SHOW UP AND BAN ME.......BUT AINT THAT THE WAY IT GOES ....I COULD GIVE A RATS ASS..I AM STILL A MAN BLESSED WITH THE SECOND AMENDMENT ........HOW ABOUT YOU?
PEACEBE WITH YOU OR WITHOUT YOU

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

[blockquote] [/blockquote]
What you are missing here is the definition of "challenge"

Of course more mature bucks in the woodsincreases ones probability of seeing them. That is a good thing, isn't it??? You can't say most hunters don't dream of killing a slammer buck. If one wants to see and have the oppertunity to harvest mature bucks it goes without saying, let the little bucks grow...

The "challenge" isn't finding and hunting a one in a million mature buck in any given area. This seems to be where you keep getting stuckin these conversations.

The "challenge"is outsmarting and out maneuvering a mature buck, who has been around a few years and who is in most cases wise of the hunters. "Challenge" one's selfto hunting mature bucks instead ofannihilating young naive yearlings whoare most likelylost, vulnerable andsearching outa new core area after yearling displacement without the protection and guidance of their mothers for the first time.

I have said it before and will say it again. IMO the yearling buck is the most naive and most susceptible to fall to a hunter of any age class or sex in the herd. Now once again I am not talking about sheer numbers in comparisonof yearlings to does and fawns,but the vulnerability of a yearling buck.

I believe one should shoot what makes them happy. I choose to hunt mature bucks, others don't. That's fine with me. I choose to air my thoughts and feelings when these conversations come up. If someone reads it and says, hey I am going to pass the yearlings this year and set my goals for a mature buck that's great. If one reads my post and says that is the dumbest thing I have ever read that's OK too. To each their own.

*Sorry duplicate post*

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Button Buck - Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer
Young doe - Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer
Doe -Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer
Spike - Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer
6 point -Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer
150 class whitetail - Shoot it --- Venison in Freezer

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Atlasman:

I'm in my late 20's so I havent been out of college to long. In fact, depending on which ranch, I still go on some of the deer captures to help out because I eitherknow the guys who own the ranch or who manage the ranches. I'll be honest with you, the numbers that I posted earlier still have not changed from when I was in school. The college is still catching as many deer and the numbers of 160"+ bucks are still in the same ballpark as when I was in college. WHY? Because those ranches havent changed their management program in years, they dont believe in fixing something that isint broke. While protein feed, food plots, and QDM is new across most of the country it is old news around here. That stuff started years and perhaps decades ago in this area. The smallest ranch that we went on was 11,000 acres the largest was 825,000. We also did research on two ranches that where both right at 100,000 acres and another ranch that was 32,000 high fenced acres. These places take deer management and hunting serious, they have full time biologist (most of the time more then one) they have strict management plans, feed protein, have hundreds of acres of food plots and spend countless dollars and time managing the herd. Yet these ranches still dont have a trophy buck standing behind every tree or under every bush like some people think. Even on the best whitetail habitat in the world, a true trophy buck is still a rare creature and still a challenge to hunt. Your chances of taking one are better when compared to other areas, but thats just results of good management. But then again your odds of winning the lottery are better then your odds of flying off the top of a building, but just because your odds are better dosent mean its much easier.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

Ok, i got a question. How many of you "trophy" hunters are hunting over a food plot or any kind of bait? just asking, maybe none of you do.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

That's pretty interesting..............cool thing to experience I imagine.




The whole point is simply that the more deer there are of the kind you are looking to kill.........it will be easier and you are more likely to kill one then if there were fewer around. That goes for does, buttons, spikes, forks, baskets, big bucks, and monsters. You said it yourself.........it is no problem for you to kill a "mature" buck.

This thread demonstrates that crystal clear...........there are guys here that just let bucks "grow" before they shot them and they went from not even seeing more then a couple "trophies" in over 35 years total to now killing more then a couple a year and seeing who knows how many others. No change in hunting skills.......I'm sure they were plenty capable before, except the only difference now is bigger bucks roam the woods.

Hardly any "trophy" bucks in nearly four decades

vs

Killing them every year and seeing them all the time.


Doesn't take too long to figure out which is more "challenging"

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I just poked at you again on another post, and that was all I was dion the first place was pokin' fun. Now I'll say it again, lighten up man. Jesus....

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

I was going to stay far away from this one, but---some of the attitudes here are really arrogant. Not everyone shares your opinions or your vision of what you call trophy hunting. The whole concept of making an animal a 'trophy' is a little skewed I think. At least in the sense that some of you mean. There are probably just as many , if not more people that simply love to hunt--period. To attempt to shame those , as one said for killing a 4 point or whatever is the height of arrogance. QDM, at it's heart is not about farming the herd into an unnatural state where there are herds of 'trophy' bucks running around to be hand picked for the sole delight of the egotistical, chest thumping elitist 'hunters'. QDM is sound and essential management of the herd for IT'S benefit first. The allowing of younger animals to walk is good sense , overall , for the benefit, long term ,of the health and balance of the herd, but, that said, those that for a number of reasons are content with a yearling or whatever, the only thing that should be questioned or scrutinized is the manner in which it was taken, not whether it fits your definition of worthy of being harvested. For those that take management to an extreme--that's your prerogative, and if you have that goal, and that inclination, then go for it. But, statements, such as getting physically ill over seeing someone take what you, in your humble OPINION, feel is an inferior deer, is absolutely ridiculous.I love to hunt --period, and I want to and enjoy seeing mature bucks, and what most consider trophy class. I have seen many, and killed several nice deer, but I still get just as much satisfaction out of the hunt, and when I take ANY deer. Some people need to examine their motives for hunting in the first place. Why is it that you can only be content with that 'trophy'? Why is it that you look down on others of a differing approach? We ALL need to think about what is best for the future of hunting, and how it is perceived by the nonhunting general public, and I can tell you that, if it comes down to a vote, and the 'trophy at any cost' mentality is prevalent, the nonhunting public will turn against us , and hunting will be a thing of the past. That is a reality, accept it or not.

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

A the link below isa news article, with pic, from Maine last year.

The deer being shown appears to be an 8 pointer.

Some trophy hunters here might scoff at an 8 pointer.

The deer the guy took weighed 277 lbs. after field dressing.

Let it grow, you say ???

Trophy bucks shouldn't be judged solely upon how many antler points they possess.



http://www.newenglandgameandfish.com/hunting/whitetail-deer-hunting/NG_0805_01/

RE: Let 'em go and let 'em grow
 

TURTLESHELL.......OKAY.....BUT WHY POKE WHEN YOU CAN DO BETTER?

I AINT MAD ATCHA...GOOD HUNTING AND SAFETY FIRST!!!


You have seen the nastiness Ive endured....Im only Human.....Hope you can be empathetic! PEACE BE WITH YOU!

Maybe you could pass this on....some folk dont need poking....or free diagnosis.............I hope we can vibe in a more productive manner.. now that we are clear and have come to this MUTUAL understanding

NOW LET THE KILLING BEGIN
TIS THE SEASON