RE: How many guys....
 

I agree 100%

RE: How many guys....
 

Good point, Moho!

Seriously......do you think those type of points have merit?

RE: How many guys....
 

I also agree. I pass up many bucks during a season because I am usually hunting a certain buck. If I dont put that buck in front of me I failed. I have failed many more times than not. It takes nothing away from the expierence.

RE: How many guys....
 

Me too

Either I shot one oreat tag soup.I like a little garlic with mysoup;)

RE: How many guys....
 

Obviously graphic location can greatly affect the outcome of deer size. Kansas has one of the fewest deer population numbers in the country. You see 400 deer in a season, I might see 50.

RE: How many guys....
 

Moho...

You've likely been whereI am in terms of the life stages of a hunter, though (deer). I like where I am, now.....but I'd trade numbers for quality in a minute.....in a couple of years. In fact....it's what I'm trying to accomplish by managing the herd I hunt a little better.

I'd like to get to the point with the herd here......where I see FAR fewer deer....but better ratios. I haven't poken to my biologist about long-term goals....YET. We'll see how the short-term goes, first.

I'm thinking it'll get better and better......and if no more new development takes away their feeding grounds....I hope to have some better ratios and possibly some 130" deer here in 5 years.

That's what I'm working towards.

RE: How many guys....
 

If the buck you are after spends a morning chasing a doe around your stand but never stops or even slows down enough in a spot where you can shoot him, how is that a failure of yours? I would personally chalk the experience up as a success with some bad luck mixed in.

RE: How many guys....
 

I totally agree with you guys. Most of us (including me) have shot deer that we shouldn't have, or wouldn’t shoot again, would probably be more accurate. Most times new hunters do this before they learn about the deer/herd, and learn to enjoy the hunt. Then before they really understand what they're learning they still pop off a few. After a short time, they don't enjoy simply shooting whatever passes in front of them. After all, once you shoot one the hunt is many times over, and that is the fun part. I don't really feel like ending my hunt because of a deer I'd rather not shoot. I’m still picturing the big boy coming out from around the corner at any moment, I mean, I know he’s here somewhere… So we change our goals and our actions. Then the others make statements about excuses... and many times that is what they are. But lets not miss the big picture either. Sure we wanted the big boy, and he didn’t show… failure I guess, but not as much a failure as killing a young buck and feeling guilty about it.

Anyone can go out and kill whatever crosses their path, that's easy. It's the holding out and truly challenging yourself that is hard, but also worth it.

Besides, if it were easy, they’d call it killing; not hunting, and we’d all grow tired of it. Probably, pretty quickly…

RE: How many guys....
 

I had no idea Kansas deer population was that low, I always just figured you guys had tons of them because you always here about the bruisers from KS. I guess the size doesnt have a whole lot to do with the numbers of deer.

but I agree with what most are saying size is not an excuse, neither is geographic region. you have to know your deer and if your not seeing the big boy that your after then its time to rethink your strategy and setup. I on the other hand just simply blew a 25 yard broadside shot at a nice 8 point no excuses just bad shot. I hope he visits my stand this year because I wont make that bad shot again

RE: How many guys....
 

Fran, that could be the understatement of the week. Hunting in PA is an adventure, especially on public land.

You also forgot the group of PA hunters that have inheirited land to hunt and have exclusive rights to farms that nobody else hunts and shoot 140" bucks each year and think they are Mark and Terry Drury. I have more respect for the guy that goes out and tracks down a 120" 3.5 year old on public land than a guy that shoots a 160" out of Aunt Mary's garden that nobody else has access to.

That's not to say that the other guy isn't hunting or hunting hard, but to find a 3.5 year old on public land in PA and take him is truly a feat to be proud of because that is one educated and cagey deer.

RE: How many guys....
 

Or....he was running from one yahoo....and ran into another, haphazardly. Hardly makes the second yahoo Fred Bear.

Generalizations work both ways.....and too many times we think "our" circumstances are like everyone else's.

In all honesty.....I don't have a clue where the nearest "public" hunting land is. I don't know what it's called......and I know no one who hunts "public" land. Where I live....no one even speaks about it. If you told me I could have all the public land in my county to myself.....I wouldn't know where to drive to scout. Ditto my state!

RE: How many guys....
 

Very true, but I was referring to bowhunting and that is usually not the case. Pressure during bow season doesn't really have the deer running for their lives, usually slipping away unseen. Gun season absolutely! A whole lot of luck going on there, that and good snap shooting.

RE: How many guys....
 

You will get him. If nothing else just the law of averages will be on your side. :DHow's the Hog Meat?

RE: How many guys....
 

"Failure" to some degree because I have had two months prior to the rut to kill him..starting in late August....well before the rut ever kicked in or drug him away due tothe lure of a doe. The rut is my least favorite time to hunt a particular buck for obvious reasons. Now hunting deer or for mature bucks...not a specific buck..the rut is great.

I do agree that during the rut if you have a particular buck staked out so well as to know what doe group he will be tending too, (older bucks havetheir routes) you know him very well and your successful in just putting yourself in the right doe family travel areas...a guy gets about 2-4 days to kill him andbeforehe'll finish up business andmost likely be gonetargeting another doe family. Thats what I've experienced out in my neck of the woods anyway.

RE: How many guys....
 

It's good to see that some of you guys can see what I am getting at [8D]

RE: How many guys....
 

Just because you failed at filling your tag by no means your season was not a success.

Two more excuses :DJeff they are there, you just have to find them.

Who's fault is it if there is a stiff breeze blowing to the outfield and a pitcher gives up a homerun to a hit that in normal weather wouldn't have made it to the warning track?

The pitchers!

RE: How many guys....
 

what about those of us who dont have those huge parcels of land to hunt?? this last season i had access to a 20 acre square of woods. one side had a creek, other side cattle pasture. third side parkway, other side contiuned as woods. can you honestly tell me that it is my fault i didnt kill a buck up to my standards this past year? i couldnt drive, so hunting elsewhere wasnt really an option either.

ill have my license in two weeks so hopefully this next year it wont be from a lack of quality hunting ground.

i do agree that if you have a good place to hunt, there is no excuse to not get a buck or shot at a buck. just gotta put in your time.

i just think there are tooooo many variables to sum up all unfilled tags as you screwing up and not findin a buck of your likings. sometimes it just dont work out.

RE: How many guys....
 

I've been in the "right position" many MANY times, it's just that the buck of my dreams wasn't at that "position" atthe same time![8D]

RE: How many guys....
 

I see what where your coming from now too. I did put myself on bucks, but not the ones I wanted to be on. But now I'm running out of excuses, ummm... the weather was warm and all the bucks were nocturnal, or I think the area was overhunted or.....[8D]

RE: How many guys....
 

If you are up against a wall with your situation, lower your standards. Or do what it takes to find areas that hold deer to meet them.

RE: How many guys....
 

perfect advice.......looking back i should have lowered my standards as far as does go (shoot more) but bucks i have no desire to kill unless they are big in my eyes which is usually 110+ depending on my mood.

i DEFINITELY will try and find new spots to hunt w/o a doubt. maybe adjoining farms or a totally new area. as soon as i have wheels (legally) im going to try my best to find a new hunting area.

RE: How many guys....
 

I havn't had time to type out an extended reply until now.I understand the intent of the thread,where I didn't completely before.I don't think about my not killing a buck that meet's my criteria for taking as failure.Do I hold myself responsible for my results,yes I absolutely do,but that burden is not a heavy one! I hunt to enjoy myself and I give it every thing I have for the time I am able to commit to it.My family comes first,my business comes second,and some where maybe fourth or fifth comes my practicing,scouting and hunting time.I hunt for my own enjoyment and satisfaction not to bolster my reputation as a competent hunter or one of my area's best.
I enjoy every aspect of it and am continually fascinated by every aspect of it and as a result I am always learning and looking to improve my effectiveness.
At one point in time it was important to me for my standing in the local hunting community to be succesful every year on better than average bucks.Embarrassing to admit but true at the time.Whether that was part of the maturation process for me as a hunter,I don't know it seems likely it was.When I let go of that and just allowed myself to enjoy every moment of it without the self imposed pressure my successs and enjoyment sky rocketed.
The bottom line for me is that I give it every thing that I have with the time that I have to devote to it,and what ever happens happens and I am loving every minute of it.I may experience dissapointment in not realizing the taking of a particular class of buck but never failure!

RE: How many guys....
 

No offense, Buckeye.....but this is bull****. I really don't care what someone 3-4 states away thinks about my deer season. I used to.....I just don't any more.

I can legally hunt about 72 days (+/-) in my zone of my state. Given that I have a wife, a child and a career....I hunted many of those, last year. Throw in daylight savings time departure.....and I get to work before daylight and get home after dark for many of those legal hunting days. Still....I scout what little time I have some mornings, before work....sometimes hunt for an hour on those mornings (when daylight allows).

IF a buck is THERE......I'll eventually see him. If he doesn't allow me a shot opportunity.....it'll be because he either simply doesn't.....OR...I don't have the time required to know exactly where he'll be, that particular morning at that particular time.

What you call "excuses" and 'failures".....I call "priorities", "responsibilities" and "life". When it's all said and done.....I'llsleep, just fine.

RE: How many guys....
 

Touche. Great points. I can't argue with that.

RE: How many guys....
 

*YAWN*........ I wish I knew everything 2 years into my deer hunting "career" like you do.

RE: How many guys....
 

*YAWN*..... The "Great One" has spoken.

RE: How many guys....
 

*Yawn -- I wish you knew how silly it looked for someone from3 or morestates away to pretend to know why everyone is or isn't"successful".I killed tha largest racked buck in my woods, last year. When you do that......come back and talk down your nose to me about "success" and "excuses".

RE: How many guys....
 

I do have a 162 inch 12 pointer hanging on my wall right next to a couple other P&Y whitetails ;)

How do you know it was the largest racked buck in your woods anyhow? Must be your two years of excellence and know how :eek:

Claiming that if "I don't shoot a mature buck it is because there aren't any there" is about the poorest excuse.... especially from someonethat has exclusive permission to a decent amout of acreage.

RE: How many guys....
 

Buckeye....You live in OHIO. Never lose sight of that fact when you talk to the rest of us about why we're not successful (or your theories about why we don't fit your criteria).

For those of us not living in Ohio......isn't the size of a particular buck relative to the state and even the woods we're hunting? there was a 130" deer killed about 10 miles from me, last year. Besides that deer.....I'm telling you that I didn't see.....either on the hoof or harvested (lots of guys share photos at the bowshop) a bigger racked buck than the one I killed.

I used to liv ein Charleston, SC.....and I fished a lot, there. Do you think you and I want to swap "Big Fish" stories?????

And I never said I wouldn't shoot a mature buck. There ARE mature bucks in my woods. I shot one, last year. If I want to, this year, I will.

RE: How many guys....
 

RE: How many guys....
 

A mature buck is a mature buck.... I never said a buck has to be XXX inches big to be mature. A racks size is relative to where it is from.

If you reread this post it was about placing the blameon ourselves rather than something else if we don't fill our tag. Not about you or anyone else shooting a mature buck with a big set of antlers.

RE: How many guys....
 

Scott....

There's so many things wrong with this....I don't know where to begin. If I want to shoot "A" mature buck, this year....I'll do it.

If I don't shoot "THE" mature buck.....it'll be because he isn't there....or he doesn't offer me the shot opportunity.

I'm not going to compromise my standards to shoot "A" mature buck. This is exactly what I was talking about. I could shoot a 3.5yr old deer this year, I would think. But if THE mature buck I'm after (and I've let it be known the one Im after) isn't taken by me....well....you know.

And if you'll reread...you'll see what everyone else does. You've got a burr up your ass where I'm concerned....and you'll pick any nit to try and make me look the fool.

Why?

RE: How many guys....
 

I never suggested you do this...... I am not sure where you are coming from here....

As I said the whole purpose of this thread was to see if any other guys / gals here also felt that people place the blame of not filling their tag on an animal to their standards elsewhere rather than on themselves.

Like I said in 2005 I didn't fill my tag... I had many opportunities at decent bucks in 05and I know full well there were good mature bucks in the area (from stand sightings and even a couple I videoed out of my stand) I just did not get it done. I was almost in the right setup to capitalize a few different times but never closed the deal. Whose fault was it, the whitetail's that didn't cooperate or mine????

100% my fault.


I will tell you even thought I failed at filling my tag I have some of my fondest memories and best lessons learned from that 2005 bowseason. I failed at filling my tag but my season was a huge success.


I'm not sure what you are getting at with the beginning of this quote. As for the second question......

A lot of your posts are very arrogant and cockyand for some unknown reason I let some of them get under my skin. Although, I do not try to make you "look the fool".

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RE: How many guys....
 

Let me ask you a question, Scott....since I'm still learning. If I told you I spent thesame amount ofquality time on stand that you did back in '05...in my '07 (upcoming season)......and I DIDN'T see a buck bigger than the one I shot, last year. Would it still be my fault if I didn't tag one? I know we hear "I can't kill what isn't there" a LOT. I'm aware of that. But....every once in a while....it's true. YES....there are mature deer in my woods. I know that, but not "the" deer that many might think. As much as I hunt.....and as little as I hunt some places.....I just think I know my woods.

My "gut" tells me there's abuck out in my woods that I'd be proud to harvest. I already know, though....that I'm doe hunting, this year. If I get that buck, this year....BONUS.

Because of the approach "I" have chosen, THIS year....."I" will take all the blame if I don't get the big boy. But.....I can tell you with ALL sincerity....I hunted and scouted hard, last year. I put the time in. When I tell you I don't think there are large racked bucks (abundant)in these woods.....or larger racked bucks than the one I shot, last year......I don't know why one would choose not to believe me.

I trust what you've told me about your season 100%. I wasn't there. You were.

Good luck, this year.

RE: How many guys....
 

Let me ask you this.... You always say you want to take the biggest deer in your woods, if the buck you shot last year was the biggest deer in your woods last fall.... Why would this years have to be bigger? It should only have to be the biggest one currently available to hunt?

I never said or implied that I did not believe the buck you shot last year was the biggest one running around your hunting area. I would be foolish to say as I have no idea... I only asked how you knew it was the biggest.

I have shot the biggest whitetail that I saw during a particularseason a few times.... But I cannot say for sure it was the biggest one in my woods each of those years. I can only say for certain that they were the biggest ones that I had seen.

RE: How many guys....
 

I have not been hunting long enough to have any good excuses, thanks for the tip!:)

RE: How many guys....
 

Dang, I thought I was the only one that could start something like this here!

Success is in the eyes of the beholder.

RE: How many guys....
 

I think I finally undersand the Buckeye's point. It's not so much that everyone should be shooting big bucks, it's that if you don't shoot one, just say "I didn't put a buck I wanted to shoot in front of me" not "oh, I saw plenty of 120"s, but I wanted a 130." Bottom line if that's the case you didn't put a 130 in front of you.

Am I right here?

RE: How many guys....
 

I think so:D

Kind of like me saying I did not make the NBA because of my height. Well no because of desire, I did not have it.;)

Same thing you either put the time in to shoot what you want. If you did not get it done, so be it. I been there before and I will be there again. What is funny is I tend to learn the most for those seasons. I feel you have to have them to become better, so you know how not to have them;)

RE: How many guys....
 

You are 100% spot on with what I was trying to say!

Very nice and worth repeating.... [8D]