bawanajim

Its only the cream that rises to the top.

Germ

or those in the best locations Sorry could help myself

pjhunts

Location is only a part of the equation. If you don't have the passion, dedication, and knowhow to kill a mature buck, most likely you won't. No matter where you hunt. I live in central Illinois where there are supposedly wall hangers everywhere. Funny thing is, I've lived here for 35 years, and I can count on one hand the bucks killed in my area that would score 160 or better. I have neighbors that have a cuople of hundred acres to hunt and in 15 years or so, have never killed a buck that would score over 120. Granted they don't hunt as seriously as I do, however I hunt ground right next to there's and have killed 7 P&Y bucks since 2001.
Now to end all of the controversy for Atlas, I will put out the challenge:
I'll give you a week here to hunt my areas private or public, then you will see exactly how EASY it is in big buck heaven. Then maybe, with any ounce of luck, we will see the end of these pointless, whiny posts.

bawanajim

Now your just bein mean..............[:'(][:@][][:-]

Germ

I am not saying you are complaing here Atlas, Where you hunt there are no big deer. So try to hunt them is a waste of time.

You have not posted statements similar to they above? Where you hunt not mature deer so to you it is not worth it, plus you enjoy how you hunt.

Here is one from another thread. There are more, they say the same thing as "I don't shoot big deer because of where I live"

All I am saying you don't shoot big/mature deer because they are not there. If you lived where I did we would shoot the same type of deer. Correct?

If Irecall you and your family have seen 2 in 20 years, and it is a good thing you andyour brother are good shots.

Hunt hard and good luck

GMMAT

If you don't have the passion, dedication, and knowhow to kill a mature buck, most likely you won't. No matter where you hunt. I live inNorth Carolinawhere there are supposedly no wall hangers anywhere. Funny thing is, I've lived here forall my life, basically (42 yrs), and I can't count on one hand the bucks killed in my area that would score 160 or better...because I've never heard of one. I have neighbors that have a couple of hundred acres to hunt and inall theyearsthey've been hunting, have never killed a buck that would score over 120....or SEEN a buck that would sniff 160. Granted they don't hunt as seriously as I do, however I hunt ground right next to there's and havenever even seen a P&Y buck.
Now to end all of the controversy for anyone from the midwest that questions my knowledge of my woods, I will put out the challenge:
I'll give you aseason here to hunt my areas private or public, then you will see exactly howhard it is insmall buck heaven. Then maybe, with any ounce of luck, we will see the end of these pointless posts where taking it personally isn't necessary.

hillbillyhunter1

Can they shoot Doe(s) only or anything?...sorry, couldn't resist

pjhunts

As extra incentive let me mention that the bowhunting authority that Atlas loves the most, Don Higgins, lives~30 miles from me as well. Maybe I could try to arrange a meeting.

GMMAT

I just don't think anyone should take it personally. Nobody's saying it's easy to kill big bucks. It's just common sense what's being said.

Nope. Does and any 160 class deer.

pjhunts

I'm not trying to take it too personally, I'm just tired of guys trying to take away from what others have accomplished by saying the only reason that they are doing what they're doing is where they live. Hunting pressure is unreal here just like any where else. Including both gun and bow seasons, there are~25-30 people that hunt in the area of 1 mile of my house. This area is about an even split between fields and woods and we all know nobody hunts in the middle of an open field, so that means there is usually 2-3 people per small woodlot around here. Once again I'll say that they are NOT putting big bucks on the ground and yet they are hunting the same area as I am. Do they just flat suck as hunters, no. They just lack the passion and dedication that I do. I log hundreds of hours in the woods each fall, hunting in pouring rain, and cold and anymore, in the heat. I have a very positive attitude that I will be successful and I believe that I would be successful anywhere I went. I'm not saying that I would kill the biggest buck in the woods but I would give myself65-35 odds of killing a 3 yr old buck or better. It is my opinion that saying there " are no big deer here, so I can't kill one" is a much abused and overused excuse. If one were serious about killing a P&Y buck, it could be done. The first step is to quit shooting immature bucks because you "know without a doubt" there are no better deer in the area. If it were me, and I knew there were no better deer in the area I would hold out hope for a roamer to come through at about 11:45 when everybody else is at home eating lunch or taking a nap. You have to be willing to eat a few buck tags now and then and just be happy shooting does, I know because I've been there. It's kind of funny, take a look through magazines like North American Whitetail and see the freak monsters killed in states that aren't supposed to have big bucks. I'm sure if you asked people who lived in those areas and they would say there are no big deer there either. I could go on forever about QDMA but it would do no good because it is way to easy to use the excuse that there are no big bucks where I live. I will leave you with this, All of the big buck slayers that I know of have read about are extremely disciplined and dedicated to taking big whitetails. I know that this is not for everybody. I think we as hunters for the most part go through a growing curve and a great percent stay in sections of the curve because they simply don't care about what the shoot, if it makes them happy they shoot it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just don't use the excuse that the big boys aren't there.