Jim_IV

I am going to quote atlas here as well (very well put btw). I put opportunist but I won shoot anything. If it is a good buck I will shoot it. Every time I kill a buck my standards go up. Therefor one day soon I will be hunting strictly mature bucks.

GregH

I'm not sure about this, personally, I hunt mature bucks. Because Mature bucks live where I hunt is that the opportunity that I take advantage of? By mature buck hunter I meant someone who hunted for bucks at the top end of the species for their area.

Without disecting this word by word, as an opportunist I meant that a person would take a mature buck if one came along but was otherwise content to take what ever offered a good shot, mature or not.

Jim_IV

Not real sure if I understand what you are asking here but here is my answer. If mature bucks live in your area then it would be right to assume that so do younger, "immature" bucks. So if you strictly go for mature buck and pass on immature bucks, then yes I personally think you would be considered a true mature buck hunter.



Then yes, I would most likely fall into that category. But, I don't have the luxury of hunting 5 1/2+ year old bucks. The buck I shot this year was 4 1/2, my oldest to date and the oldest that i personally know of taken out of that area. I could have given him another year but he probably would not have made it through the season. Now, if by some reason I score a great place where the hunting pressure is mild, I will most certainly be looking for a mature buck.

Wheatley

I am an opportunist. I would like to get a mature buck and I try to hold out for them as long as I could. This year I didn't see one and shot a buck on the last day of bow season before the rifle seaon. I could have shot many other smaller deer. One of these days the opportunity for one of them monsters that were out of range last year will be in range and I will make the best of the opportunity.

Hunter_59

Just mature bucks, I don't shoot does. Personal decision stemming from an incident many years ago. I shouldn't go into it here. I understand the population control aspect and the need for it, but I've killed many does in the years past. It's time for the young'ns to step up and have fun.

virginiashadow

I hunt for nice bucks because it is a heck of alot of fun to try and figure them out..that being said I will shoot does as well when a good shot opends up and it doesn't disrupt my overall goal of shooting a big buck. However, I will shoot a younger buck, 6 points or more if I get a great shot and the particular season dictates it.

shadow

Firehawk7309

I personally try to harvest a mature deer, be it doe or buck.

botechboy

I hunt maybe 1 or 2 times a year without my 9 yr old son so i look for meat , and scout them days to help him out but before him 8 points or bigger

Hotburn76

I have had two seasons that I hunted mature deer, them where the same two I had no deer. I now have Four eight point bucks under my belt. Two of which I am pretty happy with. Last year I passed up two different eight pointers because I knew of a real nice nine running around, maybe score in the 130 or so. Last year at gun season I seen the two eights I passed on several times drug out by gun hunters, I do not fault them, they did nothing wrong. So I get frustrated when I pass on deer only to see them get shot by others. This year I started to hunt a new spot pretty hard. A land owner close by says he has seen alot of real nice bucks taken off the land. But when the eight I tagged this year walked by, I could not contain myself. I know That in order to get a big buck, I have to work a little harder, or wait a little longer on dumb luck. I think my biggest problem right now is I always look back at the end of the year and tell myself I over hunted a stand, but during the year I can not stop doing it.

popeandyoungchaser

I have not harvested a buck in two and a half seasons because i haven't been able to get the right one in range. But i am very opportunistic on does. The ones that come within range get a new body piercing Muzzy style!!!