I hunt for the purpose of putting meat in the freezer. Ill let bambi walk, but im not above taging all does. Im also not above shooting a large young buck. Ive yet to get a reciepe for antlers, so they have little value to me. Besides, ive got tons of big racks at the house. Have yet to find a use for them. My trophies came from sports, not hunting. Dont get me wrong, Imlike any hot blooded male, and like a big rack, but im not letting a big deer walk for the pure purpose of hoping he will have a bigger rack the following year.

Call me what you want, I hunt for me and no one else.

Great post Jeff......

Ihad a conversation with youabout this very subject. I've seen some pretty nice bucks so far this year 80-100in range and could have taken a shot on a numberof them. But I'm holding off for a larger one...doesn't need to be a monster butsolidly over 100in is what I'm looking for. I even said toyouif I end up eating my tag so be it.

I've killed plenty of big bucks over the years and small ones too. This year I'm looking for somethingbigger. If I don't connect...it's all good.

Hmm don't know about that "mentality". I've passed on quite a few in past years and more than once afterwards I said boy I should shot that Buck I saw on Oct ??

You always think it's geting better the later it gets and rut nears..but before you know it the small game hunters are running around ruining your well laid plans. I honestly think the first Good Buck that gives me the chance this year gets the shaft!

I won't be "extremely" choosy, either, GR8.....but I won't shoot a juvenile buck just to say I "got a buck". I'd be MORE proud to eat my tag.

Let's just say that I'm awefully glad my buck tags are actuallyANY deer permits.....

Oh he'll be wall-eligible..and mature...just not holding out for mega-buck.

It would much rather eat tag soup than shoot a buck that does not meet my expectations. I can fill a doe tag to fill the freezer.

i aint eatin no stinkin buck tag soup this year!!


one day, i will raise my standards. could be next year...might not be. right now, im 20 and got lotttts more years of bowhunting if im so lucky. i dont have the time, or the number of better bucks to bank seasons on tagging them. this year i muffed up a shot at a little bit bigger buck. havent been in his home for 2 weeks. i like the odds of my seeing him in the morning. do i regret being tagged out? not at all. im not a gambler. my buck is tagged and in the freezer on the way to the taxidermist. but that was my first bowkill.

when i do start hunting bigger bucks, which, i see myself not shooting anything SMALLER than the one i killed this year(maybe ), i aint afraid to eat buck tag soup. i ate it for 6 other years of my life.

Whenever I have the chance to pass on a small buck it makes me feel better about the following year knowing that all he can do is grow bigger. I have my mind on a maturebuck and nothing less. I wouldn't thinkabout shooting an immature buck just to fill a buck tag. It's just not going to happen. The following year will be rewarding enough to see him grow bigger. Tag soup, it's what's for dinner...

This is private land by the way, so my goal is to manage it properly.

Same here...