How are you hurting the health of the herd to let a mature deer walk? That animal in my neck of the woods is by far in the minority?
We all have a choice as to what we choose to kill.I don't kill deer to impress anyone and don't brag on any animal that I have been fortunate enough to shoot.
You don't need to justify what you choose to kill to me (I bellieve that is your contention) and I don't need to justify what I kill to you.The fellow that started this thread just asked a question,he didn't ask our feelings about QDM.
I know that the challenge of killing a certain age class buck has to do with the experience that animal has garnered over it's life and has nothing to do with his head gear,but to me a great part of the satisfaction of taking an animal such as that is to be able to admire it on the wall for my own enjoyment,not just meat in the freezer and throwing the antlers in a box.

I can give my answer, the 3.5 old would be mature enough, an if his rack was only half there I would shoot the 120, that was easy.

If he has gotten this far an is mature he has outwittedmost hunters in the area more than once, they just do not know it.

So bowhuntert......I'm just trying to clarify.

You're after "A" mature animal.....not neccessarily the "Most" mature animal? That's cool.

And to everyone else.......If a person limited their buck harvests to 3.5 yr olds and older.......would you consider them a "Mature Buck Hunter"?

I won't shoot a fork,I let 3 walk by last year. I will shoot a six up in Wi cuz I want a rack for my buddy's cabin. Anything over a six gets considered. Sloppy half rack last day of the season and I haven't filled a tag yet? Pleeeaaase! I hate tag soup!

Well David..I don't know if you can make a blanket statement and say Ya'll. Cuz I, and others, said upfront that we don't practice QDM or TDM.
It would be foolish to even pretend I do. I Hunt Other Peoples private land and Public land. I wish I had a huundred acres or moreso I could manage what was killed and ratios and such..but I can't. The truth is I can't make a lot of difference by myself on public land and to make someone elses private land my priority to managewould be stupid. What happens when I get the ratios right and the forage right and the herd is thriving with the big bucks roaming..every neighbor or passerby sees this and soon someone drops a wad of bills on the farmers lap and he leases to them??

I'll tell ya upfront..if I'mBowHunting, I'm looking for the biggest set of head-gear on a buck I can expect to find in a given year. Once all the scenerios are played out if I get a chance at him I'll take him. If not I can let lesser bucks go and enjoy the encounters.
Will I pound my chest if my patience pays off..hell yeah. I have a whole pile of the racks that you like topose with..and most are where yours are buried in the basement or at camp under a bunk bed. The ones that hang in my den or are proudly on display at camp either in a shoulder mount or a nice antler mountare the ones that fuel my passion these days! The basement racks were a stepping stone. I don't care if other guys still shoot them.
I try and chase bigger bucks, I'll tell ya that upfront. I don't need to hide behind any philosophy to do so. If you don't like it, honestly, I just couldn't care less about your view.

Im not going to lie....Im a horn hunter!!

My Oh My, all this over a simple question, would you shoot a half racked buck!
Let me ask you this question, If you go to the store with the expectation of getting a T bone and come home with Bologna, would you be upset?
Well heck no you 2 wouldn't, Because you are Bologna men to begin with!
Some of us want T bone, if the store is out,we will wait, or go to another store to get it. So dont try and make us eat your BOLOGNA!

I always try to hunt for mature bucks find what you want and go after it. That is what the hunt is to me. Try to go for the buck you have seen and want to hunt. Thats what hunting is for me. If I can't get that deer I will take a buck that isn't as muture as the one I would of liked to get. I'm always happy with what I get.

No, I think its more about respect for the animal. Who would want a half racked buck on the wallperiod.