how mad would you be
 

Meat hunters strike again. I've pretty muched convinced my neighbors and hunting buddies to try QDM and not shoot immature bucks unless gentically defunct. I've been doing this for the last 6 years and the others have been doing it for 2. anyway, about 2 weeks ago I passed on a 1 1/2 year old at 10 feet that was sporting a beautiful non-typical rack which is rare around here. I could see a lot of stickers off his bases and that he was a main frame 8. On Friday our gun season opened and my neighbor lets this dude hunt his ground and he will shoot anything. "I'm a meat hunter".. After I heard about 30 shots in the direction of my neighbor's ground I went over there to see if they needed any more slugs(no really I was going to see if they needed any help) and out comes this guy with my"freaky deaky" in the back of his truck. He had 16 points on his basketrack with 14 of them an inch or longer! Super potential. I was so mad. Why don't these meat hunters just shoot does! It's not like there aren't enough of them around.

RE: how mad would you be
 

He bought a hunting license. He is entitled to shoot whatever he wants as long as its legal and he's following the rules laid down to him. Trophy hunting/QDMA will make hunting so expensive for the average guy, the sport will begin to die. Congratulate him on an awesome rack, and remember that those genes are out there still from his father.

RE: how mad would you be
 

very true. i may be a little mad but in the end you have to realize that it's that persons choice and you have to respect that. just because you practice qdm and the landowner does, does necessarilly that guy has too. i'm neither a trophy hunter nor a meat hunter but i will pass small bucks in hope for a larger buck but that doesn't mean that i won't take anything other than does for meat. it is best to let little bucks grow but honestly if i saw a basket racked deer with points like you say i would've shot it too most likely. if not all of the other people around me would've. but anyhow. i'll step off of my soapbox now.

RE: how mad would you be
 

I prolly would have grabed him by both ears and gave him four knees to the snout. Followed that up with six karate chops to the neck, three on each side. Seven back fists two head butts and nineteen upper cuts to his sac. If the dang meat hunter was still standing I'd run like hell. [X(][X(][X(]

RE: how mad would you be
 

Why didn't the landowner lay down the rules to what you guys are trying to do[&:]. Blame him, not the shooter;).

RE: how mad would you be
 

This whole QDM thing is a crock of crap anyway, IMHO. But, we're not here to debate that, so we won't go there.

In your situation, I would be upset, but certainly not at the hunter that shot the deer. The only way you are going to make any serious difference is if you own hundreds of acres, if not thousands, and have total control over what deer are shot and which ones are let to live.

In MO, we have antler point restrictions, which, BTW, I don't agree with either, but I have had to let several bucks walk this year and last that most likely I will never see again. You only get so many chances at mature bucks, shoot, even young bucks, and around here those chances don't come frequently enough for me to allow them to walk. But, rules are the rules, and I follow them.

If I was on bordering property to you, and a legal buck presented a great shot, no offense, but I am shooting. I am just not proficient enough in my deer hunting career to not take those shots when I get them. Someday I may feel differently, but for now......I am included in the "meat hunter" category, and proud of it.

RE: how mad would you be
 

mobowhuntr in one of your other posts you said you hunt in southern missouri? how far south. I to hunt missouri. I hunt northern missouri but i was under the impression that those antler restrictions were in place only in northern thru central missouri. Also i can understand your frustration about antler point restrictions but so far they have not let me down. northern missouri had a big increase in mature deer running around this year.

RE: how mad would you be
 

exactally right.

RE: how mad would you be
 

Suck it up and keep hunting the way you choose and let everyone else hunt the way they choose.......

RE: how mad would you be
 

You know, this is good in generality, but the two landowners had an an agreement and with that you cannot hunt as you please.

RE: how mad would you be
 

He should have been notified by the landowner that QDM was being practiced. Not the hunters fault if he was never told. That is a bummer but at least you know "you harvested the buck" so to speak already if you had chosen too.

RE: how mad would you be
 

I'd really be disappointed inside but would have congratulated the hunter on his success at the same time letting him know that I had passed that particular buck hoping he'd make another year or so....

Like most said, the respondsibility fell on the landowner to express the practices on the property...

plus, without seeing the animal myself, I'd be surprise that the buck was only a 1.5 yr old with the antler configuration you described. I'd bet more than likely it was at least a 2.5 year old but we know we can't judge them by antlers alone. Perhaps the hunter was over whelmed when he saw the rack and whose to say it wasn't his best buck to date....without more facts it'd be hard to make a educated reaction.....

But fear not, you'll grow more.

RE: how mad would you be
 

i would be mad i mean hes trying to grow the deer bigger there and some guy just comes up and shots the deer i mean thats like preparing for a hunt scouting and every thing to to your stand early in the morning and some guy is there sitting in it in my opinion

RE: how mad would you be
 

This guy has shot much better deer before on this property. He shot a 14 pt booner a few years ago. And he also knows that nobody else around is going to shoot a buck unless it is mature. I spend a couple of hundred bucks on food plots every year and he shot this little buck 100 yards or so away from one. None of the other hunters around were too happy when they heard about it. I did tell him that I passed that deer a few days ago in hopes that he could grow a couple of more years and that I guess he won't be growing much now. And for the thought of "his genes are still in the area" , I've hunted every day but 8 since Oct. 1 for 3 hrs up to all day and I'm confident that I've seen all the bucks in my area and none have shown any of these characteristics. I'm just really bumbed out

RE: how mad would you be
 

It is a bummer, but now that it has happened I would speak to the land owner again and see if he is really on the same page as you and your other friends. If he is I would politely ask him to explain this to anyone he allows to hunt on his property, but as I just said it is his property and if he has a family member or friend that can only get out every now and then he may be a little more relaxed on the rules for these people. Good luck with the rest of your season.

RE: how mad would you be
 

He wasn't your "freaky deaky" buck. You passed on him. I don't see a problem here as long as it was legal unless you own the property and gave specific instructions not to shoot it. Not all hunters are on the same page so to speak. I've passed on bucks only to see them on another hunter's meatpole. Congrats to the hunter who knows a trophy animal when he sees one.

RE: how mad would you be
 

i'd be a lil envious but not pissed...sounds like a buck most hunters would have taken...at least the guy's going to eat it.

RE: how mad would you be
 

Maybe not the scenerio I'd want, but certainly not going to let it ruin my life. One mans idea of a trophy is another mans idea of a dink etc etc. It's hard enough to control everyone that may hunt the land you do let alone control the uncontrolled across the border. I certainly wouldn't "GET MAD" and bent out of shape. I might let him know how I feel and make a suggestion as to the next time. AND, tell him the landowner and you had a management plan working and he really set it back. That said, congradulate the guy on shooting something that turned him on or just shut up. Don't be getting all mad and bent out of shape. It's a sport to be enjoyed by all....... not controlled for the benefit or by the beliefs of a few. If you understand that you'll know I'm right. If you don't... that guy is probably saying something about the guy who thinks all the deer are his. It wasn'tYOUR Rinky Dinky or whatever you called it. It was A Rinky Dinky. I agree...it's a failure to communicate. The landowner has to set the rules.... AND...lay out punishment for violation fo such rules, "Like if you do it you're out of here forever and don't come whinning to your sister for help".

P.S. A meat hunter is NOT a dirty word. In fact, if everyone were a trophy hunter you trophy type/QDM EXPERTS would find out that others can shoot big deer too. Fact is, most are probably killed as a result of chance encounters, not some super natural talent or skills. Just read about all the world records and state records. Most are chance meetings.

RE: how mad would you be
 

The only rules i have if its a yearling and walks, or a doe with yearlings, or a spike, or fork.