How many guys....
 

How many guys that you know use the excuse "I didn't shoot onethis year because I pass everything under XXX inches"? That seems more like a cop out orexcuse to me more than anything.

What I am saying isif we don't shoot a buck it is because we didn't put ourselves in position to make it happen, no matter the size of buck you are after......or did not execute when the moment arrived...... plain and simple.

Am I crazy for thinking this when I hear people say that line?
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RE: How many guys....
 

I'd bet most people who say that missed one bigger than that.;)

I don't pass on really any deer except maybe on the first day so I've never used it.

RE: How many guys....
 

To me its not an excuse, its a goal. This past year was my third year hunting. My first two year I got a 6ptr(1st yr)and a 100 class 8pt(2nd yr)on my wall. Having accomplished these two achievements this early in my hunting career has allowed me more time to pursue larger and more mature whitetails. This past year I set a goal of taking nothing smaller then a nice 8(in this area thats a 80-100class deer) or a large 6 pt in a similar class. I had my chance to fullfil this goal the first saturday of November of this year when I had a nice 6pt come under my stand, but my instincts told me to hold off, he seemed like a younger deer w/ a lot of potential. So I went this year w/o filling my tag, but I managed to enjoy the sight of that nice buck 2 more times during the season. I put myself where the bucks were, but didn't fulfill my goal. This year I will have the same goal as last year, except I plan on taking a doe first.

RE: How many guys....
 

Hold on......

RE: How many guys....
 

The size deer I like to shoot are very few and far between.... I may see 1 or 2 all season, much less get him in range.... High pressure areas like MS are an entirely different ball game...

I've haven't blown a shot at a buck in over 12 years....

Sure, I could probably get an opportunity every year at a shooter if I obsessed over it, but I have neither the time nor the motivation....The best hunters I know are absolutely obsessed with hunting deer.... They live it and breathe it, sometimes to the point of neglecting family, work, etc......That's not my bag baby....

I just enjoy hunting.

RE: How many guys....
 

I could say that I didn't shoot a buck in 05 because I have personal standards of a mature deer in the 140 class...... But it wasn't because Iwaiting on a 140 class buck to "show up", The reason I didn't tag one is because I didn't put myself in position to kill what I was after.

I believe saying that I didn't kill one because I pass everything under "XXX" inches is a way to place the blame elsewhere rather than to fess up andsay I failed at filling my tag because I never put my self in position to accomplish my goal.
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RE: How many guys....
 

I don't know if I understand completely the intent of the topic.That anybody who say's they didn't take a deer because it didn't reach a certain criteria is BSing? Or are you trying to sort between those who are not full of it and those who legitimately did pass on bucks because of self imposed criteria?
I have had years where I didn't see a buck I wanted to shoot so I didn't.I may have seen 15 plus bucks (a lot for the hard hunted area that I bow hunt in) but if it isn't at least an 8 pointer with certain age characteristics I am not going to take it.
Maybe you could go in to a bit more detail.There are a lot of accomplished hunters who eat their tag because of self imposed criteria.

RE: How many guys....
 

I must not be articulating myself very well..... This isn't what I was saying...

I see we just posted within 2 minutes of each other. If my last reply doen't clear up my thoughts let me know and I will attempt to put my thoughts better into words.

RE: How many guys....
 

I did put myself on a buck, that 6pt was real nice for this part of the state, and would have made for a great season for some people. Other then that there were a lot of spikes and forks that I saw constantly, which hopefully will be shooters in the next 2 years. On my NYS hunting survey that Imail in each year I had 86 deer sightings, granted I'm sure a lot were the same deer on different occasions, but I was seeing deer, and a lot of 'em. The spot I hunt is similar to GMMAT's, its suburban hunting, and there are a lot of deer.

RE: How many guys....
 

I hear that one every once in a while.:D Since we are on the subject,here are a couple others I hear alot:

"It jumped my string" - Most likely your shot wasn't on target.

"I'd neverspendmuch money on containing my scent"& "The Wind Swirled all the sudden" - I seem to hear those 2 statements in the same story a lot!

Of course there are many times where it's true, butin my experience, way overused as an excuse...

RE: How many guys....
 

I haven'tneeded an excuse since 1973. That year I moved to a new state and was starting up a business. No time or a place to hunt.;)

RE: How many guys....
 

I know one,..... YOU! ;)

RE: How many guys....
 

So...you mean we need to be accountable for ourselves and quit being cry babies w/ nothing but excuses???

What are we gonna do now.....[&o]

RE: How many guys....
 

If I see a nice buck in range I will shoot it. But I wont shoot a button buck or deer under 2.5 years. It must be a nice 3.5 year old or better. The problem is when pumpkin head season rolls around, they shoot everything.

RE: How many guys....
 

If I see a buck I want to take, I take it. Easy enough.

RE: How many guys....
 

Sometimes it just doesn't happen for whatever reason.

Many let small bucks pass to try for the prize. I dont mind
them saying that if it is honest. Just never got the one they
had in mind to cooperate.

I have a lot of respect for guys that will hunt years to try and get
a particular buck. Sure they have to pass up small ones. That shows
patience and persistence. It is noble in a way.

Butsure, some will say that and hide the misses.

RE: How many guys....
 

I must not be able to put these thoughts of mine into words.....

I didn't say you were not able to put yourself on a buck. If you decided to not take the shotbecause that buck did not live up to your self imposed standards that is great and basically the only way to consistently take animals that do fit your standards (by passing ones that don't). But once the season ended your tag went unfilled because you didn't put yourself in position to make it happen and take an animal of your liking.

This post has nothing todo with what ones personal standard are it could be 50 inches or 300 inches. It's all about yes I did what it took to take a buck of my "personal standards" or no I failed at filling my tag because I never put myself in position to take an animalworthy of my "personal standards".

What I am trying to say is if youdidn't shoot an animal above your "personal standards" it is because you didn't put yourself in a position to succeed.

This is not a bad thing, it is actually a positive asit is taking responsibility rather than putting the blame on an idle variable (the deer that never showed up).

Least Mo get's it [8D]
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RE: How many guys....
 

it depends on the person you talk to...if the person tells lots and lots and lots of stories about monster bucks that mysteriously gave them the slip then it may be just an excuse but most of the time your probably talking to a good and experienced hunter...dont confuse lying fisherman with honest bowhunters!!!;)

RE: How many guys....
 

Exactly, so why not just say I didn't get it done this year rather than spew the old "I didn't get one this year because I didn't have a shot at an XXXer"?

If one does not succeed it is no ones fault but their own. This is all I am getting at, stop pushing the blame on the deer you never saw and put it on ones self for not getting it done.

Like I said earlier my "goal" for yearswas amature whitetail, the last few years it has been a 140 class mature whitetail. Plainly put, I succeed some years and failed others.

RE: How many guys....
 

Yes. If you saw the buck you were after, and you did not kill it, that can be considered a failure.

If you wanted to kill a 150 or better and you did not do it, that can be a failure.It is.

I think what you are saying is when asked "So did you do any good this season" you hate it when they tell you about all of the pass-ups etc etc and why dontthey just say, "No, but there is next season, and he is still out there". Man, that is boring. We alll like stories.

RE: How many guys....
 

the reason is everyone wants to put the blame on someone else...people feel pressured by buddies bragging about shooting deer and then listening to them rub it in your face like all of us have...hunting isnt like other "sports" you can prepare and be a great shot and good at calling and do everything right and still get the short end of the stick and only succeed once every couple of years...where as in other "sports" you can be the best and succeed nine times out of ten. i think a lot of people say it because they want to have something to say when peopel say why didnt you get a deer this year

RE: How many guys....
 

buckeye,

That's because people don't want other hunters to think that they aren't seeing any deer, which could indicate that they are not skilled hunters or not very dedicated. This is even more true of people that wouldn't know that person.

Though not following the logic of that prior statement, I will honestly say that I have personally said something similar (though probably more subtle or with humor) when my cousin is bragging about the 2 runt bucks he killed that year (especially if he starts picking on me). I know I saw better bucks than those and passed on more. Its human nature.

Also, if you are talking deer and there isn't much to say, that hunter might bring up the nice bucks he saw this year, but say he's hoping they get a little bigger for this year or something along those lines.

It's like when women say there are no good men to date anymore. They don't have a man and it makes them feel better. Again, I think its human nature.

Edit: Posted at same time as bballhead44, but he probably said it a little better.

RE: How many guys....
 

I never said to not BS about what you saw and what you passed...... This is part of what makes hunting so great.Just when someone asks why didn't you shoot one this year fess up and tell them the truth not blame the deer that never showed up. It didn't show up because you didn't find it!

Also lebeau's post

I see a lot of truth and human naturein these posts. All that matters is your firends and families opinions not some random stranger at Gander Mtn and they (yourfamily and friends)know the caliber of hunter you are (as if you need validation anyhow)

RE: How many guys....
 

buckeye,

Maybe its like witnessing for QDMA folks.:D They sense an opening and by telling you of all the bucks they passed they are fulfilling their higher purpose in life.

RE: How many guys....
 

Scott

I am not afraid to admit I've have failed but that never has to do with hunting big bucks. I do everything right. The bucksare the ones doing itwrong by not showing up or notwalking in killing range of me!! ;) :D

Seriously... when I set a goal and don't fill a tag, I failed in filling the tag if I could not get a buck I wantedwithin killingrange.

Last year Tyler worked on a certain bigbuck. He hunted off the ground. He had him well within killing range ( roughly 20 yards and 10 yards )acouple times. Hecouldn't get a shot off due to the buck either fighting with another buck or walking by with a smaller buck inbetween him and Tyler. Tyler didn't fill his tag. Did he fail???

Somethings you can't control.


Tim

RE: How many guys....
 

I'll be the first to admit I have botched some great opportunities on some big deer. Pretty obvious due to the lack of giants on my wall. I do not use it as an excuse though. I have been fortunate enough to down lots of non-trophy bucks and enjoyed every one of them but know I enjoy matching wits with the big boys. I usually shoot 2 or 3 does to fill the freezer and spend the rest of the time looking for ole mossy horns.

RE: How many guys....
 

Here is my excuse for not killing a particular buck I wanted.......shot a huge bodied, mature, but lesser-racked buck seconds before a huge bodied, mature, 150 class rack buck came along.

Putting one's self into position is necessary, but I honestly believe fate, luck, whatever many times plays a huge role. Sometimes things happen to a hunter that he cannot control. By putting yourself into position, that doesn't guarantee anything but will up the odds.

RE: How many guys....
 

I've been on the tee of countless Par 3's I'm an accompished Golfer with a currrent4.6 handicap. I've taken thousands of shots at a hole -in -one. I have the ability, the skill, the desire...I've put in my time on the range..I'vehit the stick, hit the hole..even lipped out..I want to do it, what's missing?? Call it fate, luck, good fortune, whatever..there is more to the equation.

RE: How many guys....
 

I try not to use any excuses. Well before season I set a goal and stick to it. Last year it worked well for me and payed off ina very good way. I set a goal of no less than 8 points. I passed up some really nice 6, 7 and even some small 10s that all had excellent potential. Hopefull this year they will be shooter bucks. My goal for this year is at least 8 points and no less than 125 inches. This goal ends then last week of bow season. If no shot presented by buck of my goal by the last week of bow season then anything is fair game.

RE: How many guys....
 

In my situation....I can only say that if I don't kill a mature buck this year.....it'll be because he isn't there.....or he doesn't offer me the opportunity. I'll be out there.

I have set a personal standard that I will adhere to. If I come up at the end of the season.....and haven't filled a buck tag.....you can rest assured that the deer din't show up. Like I said.....I'll be out there....doing what it takes (both pre-season work and spending time on stand).

I hope to not have to make such a statement.

RE: How many guys....
 

I can't speak for everyone, only me I guess. But I'd have to say in my hunting areas, there are too many hunters that simply shoot anything, which results in less mature bucks. Does that mean that they're not there; No. Harder to get one; sure. But, one of my first goals is to pass on the smaller ones, so, by passing on them, I have achieved one of my goals. Does that mean I've failed, yeah I guess so if the season closes and I don't get a big boy...
However, I get a sense of accomplishment by being selective, but that is just me.

RE: How many guys....
 

Great thread, I think this excuse falls into 2 categories.


The guys who rarely if ever, kill anything, so they just say they were waiting on the big one, so their excuse is pretty much BS.
the guys who legitimately wait on big bucks and for whatever reason don’t get an opportunity at one that meets their requirements. This is legit and whether they say it as “they didn’t place themselves in the right position” or as “one didn’t show up that I wanted to shoot” is just being nitpicky. [/ol]

However, I feel that if you did not get one due to missing, blowing a shot, or having one close that didn’t work out, just state how it went down. No biggie, its not an “excuse” so much as its just the way it happened

RE: How many guys....
 

As are most things, I think this is just an oversimplified way at looking at a complex problem.I think thatthere is a large amount of luck involved with killing a specific deer. E.G. does he stop in the shooting lane or for some unknown reason just decide to jump through it, does he hang around your stand for 15 minutes and never give you a quality shot, etc. I truly believe that you can do everything right and still end up with nothing, especially in bowhunting. That is why it is so sweet when things do come together.

RE: How many guys....
 

I think that anytime you're dealing with hunting, there are three very distinct camps of guys:

The first group (A)are the guys who hunt like maniacs, logging MAD hours in the stand, hunting away every possible second of spare time they get - rain, sleet, snow or shine. These guys will fill their tags (or at least have plenty of opportunities to do so). When I hear one of these guys say "I ate tag soup because I didn't see any deer worth shooting,"I know they're telling the truth. From my experience, I'd say (around here at least) - Group A comprises maybe 3-5% of the hunting licenses sold.

The second group (B) are the weekend warriors. One day every weekend or two, when the weather is nice, they're out there. These guys have all the gear, but just don't have the obsession. They like to feel like the great white hunters, and they're chock-full of excuses. These are your "passed up 30 bucks in one day" guys. John Rambo, Ted Nugent wanna-bees,they pretend like they're hunting on Buckmasters or something. 30-50% of the hunting population, if I was guessing. These guys always have a big plan, and that plan usually falls flat on its face.

Group (C) are the pretend hunters. They drive trucks covered in big buck stickers, turkey track stickers, hunting stickers, strutting toms, etc... They hunt the opening day of opening day of gun season and the first Saturday. Somebody flushes out a deer and it runs in front of them, they blast it, and they're god's gift to deer season from that point on. These are the guys who hunt 1, 2, maybe 3 days a year, but talk game year round. They're the guys who say "Been out lately?" and you say "yeah, bowhunted all day yesterday in a drowning rain" and they look at you like you're crazy - coming back with some idiotic comment like "deer don't move in the rain, I won't even waste my time." "I went on a poker run on my quad - screw huntin' in the rain - that sucks." This demographic makes up the remainder of the pie.

RE: How many guys....
 

heard that one two many times

RE: How many guys....
 

Dang Fran....

Now you won't hurt my feelings.....but where do I fit in on that list????

:D

RE: How many guys....
 

quiksilver,

You sure left a lot of room between Group A and Group B. I don't fit Group A, but it is really largely a matter of work, family and distance to my hunting spots. I can't be that obsessed right now although I want to be.

But I don't fit Group B. I try to hunt when I can no matter what the weather, post-rut, or deer sightings are indicating. I don't make a lot of excuses (I used to do that more due to youth). I don't go just to hang out at the camp and drink all night. I get up early and have more and more been moving to hunting the whole day. I work on food plots, clearing lanes, putting up stands, scouting, etc. (again, with some of my only free time). Last year I had a 12 or 13 year old bow. I've slowly worked on getting better gear to increase my success.

In other words, I used to be in Group B, but I'd like to think I'm moving towards Group A.

Since it is related to this thread, I had a day last year where I saw 4 nice, non-shooter bucks (one was a 3.5 yr. borderline shooter), I totally loved the experience. I watched them chase a doe, run each other off, lick branches, etc. So of course I told people about that b/c it was cool, but I wasn't making excuses or hanging my head. I made a gamble that an even bigger buck might appear and it didn't pay off. I don't regret that. I will be hunting that same area this year at that time.

RE: How many guys....
 

Jeff, you defy all logic and demographical boundaries. There's no way to quantify the GMMAT phenomenon - it's like the Northern Lights or Stonehenge.

I guess I should qualify my group A, B, C classifications - being as P.C. as I can be - let's just say that Pennsylvania has a "unique" set of circumstances, and hunting around here is quite different than what a lot of y'all are accustomed to.

RE: How many guys....
 

Not the first time I've heard of this. I have to believe you guys, but likely....as you reference.....not what I'm accustomed to.

RE: How many guys....
 

Now lets add the Geographic excuses to the list. :D