No doubt, location, location, location is key for bettering your odds of taking trophy bucks, especially a collection of them. The handful of folks that I know of who have cracked that coveted 900"benchmark have traveled to several states in search of this quest. IL, KS, IA, WI, OH, MO, SKS, ALB.... legendary deer country. I'll admit I wouldn't be spending my money traveling to areas of the whitetails range where theyrarely if everexist. It seems that most, who are truly addicted to the pursuit of monster bucks, would choose to pursue the creatures in the absolute best habitat they could find and not limit themselves to simply one loaction down the road. Learning how to hunt differenet regions/areas/habitats also serves in the making of an "expert" bowhunter, imho.

Gone for awhile and I have alot of catching up to do

Okay, your going to do what Scott has been doing, your going to raise the quality of the deer on you land and I commend you for that. As far as them never being as good as the bucks Scott see's out in Ohio...thats not the attitude to have, your land could very well be as good as any land out there. Hard work, dedication, and knowledge of the herd are what will get your property to that point! You said that you are planting food plots, helping balance the herd, passing younger bucks, and getting the age structure set up. It seems like your going to correct the three major elements that it takes to grow trophy bucks, age (by passing immature deer, which will also help with the genetics), and the nutrition will be taken care of with the food plots. Your land is just that, land, it doesn't matter what state it is in, all that matters is that you get all of the ingredients together and it will produce trophy deer. Now here is the point that I am trying to drive home, after all that work do you honestly feel that you will just be another "average Joe" hunter who gets big bucks simply because of your land? I bet not, you will be proud of all the hard work and dedication that it took, and the knowledge that you gain throughout the entire experience will make you a hunter who stands out.

I can read anything and everything about food plots, land management, and herd management ect.. on the internet and in books and magazines, but the fact is that isn't a fool proof guide for "my" property. It is simply a tool. I could read a book or magazine that stresses about the importance of food plots for the summer and fall, but that wouldn't mean squat when there are hundreds of acres of corn, alfalfa, clover, and soybeans for them to feed at that time. Each property has different needs that can't be fully explained on the net.

I'm not telling you that I know your woods, what I am saying is that ANY piece of property in this country could be turned into a good property that regularly produces large bucks.

I'm not saying that Scott is some super hunter, but you do have to give him credit for being able to consistantly put mature bucks on the ground. One thing that could be said in your "HuntingEd vs. Scott" scenario is that Scott has been able to put more effort and achieve more results with the management plan that he has set up.


I just want to make it clear that I am nottrying to attack you,actually I have rather enjoyed this entire conversation and everything that has been said. I am simply stating that blamming a bucks antlers onlocation can give a skewed perception that it only has to do with the state that you live in. Gaining the knowledge that it takes to correct that and turn the property into a premium hunting ground is something that can't simply be cast off.

Well, I'm off to the bar for a few beers, peace out boyscouts

BM....I've enjoyed the conversation, too.

I mean no disrespect to Scott. I'm gonna let it go....because it seems so apparent to me.

Two guys do the same things.....Scott...and "Bill". They have the same desire.....the same means.....the same knowledge. Scott lives in OH.....Bill lives in Islamorada. What will be the greatest influence on who consistently kills P&Y bucks?

And just think, 25 years ago He only needed 2 of those Bucks to be the Key speaker at any Bowhunter Rendezvous in the Country, today most Bowhunters dont know who he is!

BM,

You're either in love or you're President of Scott's fanclub! [&:]LOL!

I had no idea that he was such an incredible hunter? All these years I've been looking up to the wrong folks as mentors to true Midwest trophy hunting. Imagine, all this time a 20-something who's already a bowhunting legend (in his own mind)! LOL!

All kidding aside, I'm not taking sides here at all but I seriously doubt that Buckeye is any better of a whitetail hunter than Gmmat. In fact, as far as the average animals he's tagged in OH I wouldn't suggest that he is anymore successful than ANYONE on this board from any region. The guy knows hisregionis loaded with mature bucks but would shoot the first low end 3 year old booker he could get a shot at.... that fact alone doesn't seem like the skills and choices of an "expert" in my mind.... especially in a state that seriously limits the number of animals you can take per season! There certainly aren't any hunting legends here..... they have better things to do than bicker with folks on the web.

Have you guys seen that Gorilla treestand commercial where the hunter is sitting up in his stand thumping his chest...... that'sthe soundI hear when I read half these posts! [:'(]

IL-Cornfed



Have you neversaw anyone sticking up for their buddy before?

Bowhunting legend in my own mind???? Please you know nothing about me.

140 inches is a lowend buck eh? When I grow up I want to be just like you. My largest continuous localfarm is 125 acres with30 acres of woods. I mostly hunt public ground so I have room to move arounda bit. A"low end" 3.5 is perfectly acceptable to me. I work hard for what I shoot and could care less what you think about it.

With all your expert advice and downgrading of peoples choices I don't recall you shooting a buck since I joined this board, I have saw some old photos but nothing recent.

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I don't think Scott expects...or WANTS, for that matter, to be looked up to as a mentor by anybody.....I will give him a hell of a lot of credit though for working his tail off for the bucks he shoots. Is he the best hunter there is? Certainly not, but then again.......is there such a thing? I would use several things to describe him, but a self proclaimed bowhunting legend, arrogant, or a know it all certainly aren't any of them....He is a knowledgeable hunter, no doubt about that, but in my mind what makes him even "smarter" is the fact that he realizes he isn't as good as he can be, and he questions almost everything. He is a student of the sport, if you will.

I believe what he gets upset about is the philosophy that location is EVERYTHING.....Maybe the public views it that way, and maybe to some extent it's true....But in his case, he works hard to LOCATE them in the first place, then hunt them smart and he WILL smack one....

This is why corporate hunting ticks me off so badly....It's become a business, and it's no longer a leisure activity. EVERYONE looks to the guy that shoots monsters year in and year out........TV (horn porn, I call it) has brainwashed folks into believing you MUST kill a book buck to be worthy of being called a hunter. WHATEVER!

I give Scott a hell of a lot of credit. Granted, I know him better than most folks on this forum, so I don't mean he's the only one who does this, but he works damn hard for what he gets. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, because while he's good at it, he's also got a level head about him in that he knows he has lots to learn, and he's not the end all of buck hunters....He is always willing, in fact he ENJOYS, sharing what he knows and has learned. He takes an aweful lot of pride in his ethics (both work and play) and IMO that's what makes a successful hunter..........

Alright boys, after reading most of the 7 pages, I had to add up my numbers for the heck of it. Keep in mind I've been hunting since 2000, which this will make my seventh year. No buck in 2005.

6 bucks : 173 / 157 / 180 / 143 / 127 / 126 = 906 gross inches / 151 average.

Nice Job kelly!!! That is quite an accomplishment.

mobo...

I still can't understand why abyone misconstrued what i said....

I'll grant you this....

My original premise (in the "location" thread) was ....you take two guys doing the same things scott does.......and put one in OH and one in FL......what's the determining factor (No. 1) as to who's gonna kill more big bucks? Everything else equal.

Everybody turned this into something it wasn't.