Actually, huntingson... it IS a point Don brings up in his book and addresses head-on. He talks about the sacrifices he's made to put himself in the midst of good hunting land, and asks the reader to weigh his options and his own sacrifices he's willing to make -- both to live in prime hunting areas and to obtain persmission to hunt private lands within those locales.

huntingson:

While I agree (to some extent) with your comments.....it always makes me think of the threads asking which state you'd like to hunt. I always say NC. Why? The ONLY way for ME to test MY hunting skills....(and again....this is what "I" choose to use as a barometer).....is to hunt and attempt to take the best deer in the woods "I" have access to. It's how "I" relate EVERYTHING to do with deer hunting.

That being said.....I can see why some would take the stance that they're not going to hold out for something that IS NOT there. That wouldn't be practical. I can also see why some DON'T CARE! Again....NO problems with that philosophy!! I'll congratulate EVERYONE for EACH ONE of their "trophies"!

But....as "I" mature as a whitetail hunter....."I" (again...emphasis on "I") strive to take the best animals in MY woods. People who choose a "similar" philosophy don't hold it against those who DON'T choose to do the same. It just seems disingenuine to put this way of thinking down.....when you have NO INTENTIONS of trying to follow it.....and never did.

huntingson good point

I will say this:

The guys I know go out and find these Honey holes, and it is part of the success. Joe Brooks did a pile of work to hunt where he does. Some including myself try and make the time to find these spots. It is part of equation that is making them succesful. If you read Don's book he mentions the deer have to be there, but what is over looked IMO is the effort Don, Joe and John did to get these spots.

I drove 16 hours in 1 day to scout land in KY, some are not willing to do that to shoot a big deer. Some are happy, great for them, maybe this book is not for them.

I don't think Don or others should be punshied for finding great hunting spots. It's all part of hunting IMO

Greg, I probably should have made a separate post as my comments were not meant to be directed at the author or the book or anyone for that matter other than myself. In fact, I shouldn't have used the words weor usand should have stuck to I.You could pick any one of a million pictures that people have taken with their mounts on the side of a barn. I just saw that particular one and it popped into my head. I apologize for the confusion and to anyone who thinks my comments were directed towards them.

I tend to agree that no one place is the end all for knowing how to get what you want out of deer hunting. I personally just appreciate this book as another qualified reference for research.

I look at this way: If you have to write a paper on a subject, it highly benefits you to build a list of references to help put together a thesis statement (in this case how to hunt deer successfully.) It also helps you to describe what the problem is, an argument supporting why it is a problem, and what the solution is.

There are different kinds of references out there. You could look at Internet blogs and try to qualify them as a viable resource of information, for example. What really helps support an argument is getting scholarly references. In this context I feel Don's book is just that, but again, as already mentioned; it is not the end all of deer hunting wisdom. It is just another reference, and a good one at that.

I personally loved the big buck story due to so many times seeing how jealousy has been a part of deer hunting. I found it applicable and helpful to see that I am not the only one who has dealt with this experience.

I do want to add that I would probably be referred to as a trophy hunter. I hunt for big deer and have been relativelysuccessful. That is just what I enjoy. What my point was agrees exactly with what GMMAT stated. He hunts the best deer in his woods and where he has access to. Those deer are not as big as the deer I have access to. The 3.5 year old he shot is the size of 2.5 year olds here. But that does not make his accomplishment of killing a 3.5 year old buck last year any less of an accomplishment than the P&Y 3.5 year old I killed last year.I am not a better hunter because mine was bigger. However some would view it as such. I am just saying I think that is wrong, andthat is all.

And you said NOTHING that I disagree with.

If your goal is to shoot the best deer in your woods.....and you're successful in that endeavor.....YOU ARE A SUCCESSFUL HUNTER. (everything's relative)

If your goals differ from mine.....more power to ya.

I agree, I take a 110'' deer from Northen MI anyday of the week

Why I always ask people what was the age of the deer they shot.
Shooting a 9 point 1.5 year old is not uncommon where I hunt. Tobe honest I say great job and move on. Not that big of deal to me.

My neighbor shot a 7.5 5 point this year. He had a 20'' spread

Too me age is a better test, but the antlers sure do look nice

Where did Atlas go, I saw him lurking[8D]

Composing Offline????

The way he puts together some of those long responses leaves me amazed at his dedication to make a point.