With the cost of taxidermy I am slowly becoming a Mature Buck hunter(my rule is if I am willing to shoot it, I am going to honor the memory on the wall). I have not tasted tag soup in eight years but I am willing to give it a try next season. My last three bucks I would guess were 3 1/2 and I want bigger. I don't regret the small bucks, they got me of the "schneid". I have been able to pass on the basket racks and 2 1/2, I need to apply a little more restraint and hopefully it will pay off.

Tom

None of the above. I hunt for deer about 2.5 years and older and kill does if I have a chance. I just have too many opportunities at small (sub 100") deer to find any satisfaction in killing them anymore. I don't mind going several years eating tag soup if that's what it takes. I feel worse shooting a small buck than not shooting any buck.

GregH,
When we were discussing age and I said that I have learned a lot this year, what I meant was I always considered myself a mature buck hunter. This year, however, I learned that my, and I would venture most hunter's, guesstimates of age are wrong. The buck I shot this year grossed right at 150, but he was only 2.5 years old. So, I guess that I was really a trophy hunter who thought that was the same as a mature buck hunter. Now that I know better, I will be doing a better job at actually taking mature bucks. I have to admit that it will be hard to pass up a P&Y 2.5 year old though.

A little word of advice for you people who say you 'cant" really hunt mature deer cause theres very few around need to try something else. Even on public land, which is what I hunt in Va., has more than you think. WV Hunter is right alot of people around here consider a 110" buck a stud. I see your from WV/Va line which is about where I hunt (Bland and Tazewell county) and I see at least a couple of studs each year, that would go above 130", and get trail cam pics of several more. There here you just have to work for them. They dont get big by being dumb around here. Its a 2 and half hour walk to where I hunt and almost 4 miles in. I pretty much have it to my self except for the occasional buddy that goes with me. I see several small bucks and I know that if I let them walk they will survive so its kinda of my "own" land even though its public. I know some people just dont have the time to put in it like I do. Im 27 years old, have 5 weeks vacation, and can take off any day from work that I want. I have the time, patience, and desire. Without those 3 things your chances really decline. I dont consider myself a know it all deer hunter or even a good one at that but I figure I would throw in what I have learned over the last 11 years. Heres some pics of a couple of Va public land bucks. The one in the day is a main frame 12. The pic is a little fuzzy where I zoomed and cropped it plus the sun is directly behind the buck but its easy to see it looking at the original pic on the computer. The next is an easy 130" 10 point. And if you want I can post a blue million 100"-115" bucks.

Nate, I like the pic of that second buck.....his tarsals are BLACK! Think he was ruttin?

I allways use the excuse "I hunt public land, if there was mature bucks around I would hunt them" after looking at some of my logs from past seasons i figured out in 10 years of huntingI have seen 12 bucks that would be more than 3.5 years old, so I will no longer use that excuse...I guess I just really like to shoot bucks, and at this point a 2.5 year old is still a trophy for me....

I'm honest and make no excuses I don't shoot babies but anything else is fair game.

I have been bowhunting for 23-24+yrs and i can remember when a spike would getexcited. But i guess over the yrs i have been challenging myself to do better or atleast try to?

I still take a few doesearly and late season. But as far asbucks go i realize that if i shoot the smaller younger bucks 2 1/2 that i see i will only be hurting myself if i ever want to see more muture bucks.

So for the past few yrs i started trying to hold out and let the 1 1/2 2 1/2 yr old bucks pass.
Although i did take2 1/2yr old buck this yr but i let 3 or 4 others walk.
So i think i am at a stage in my life where things are starting to change
in my hunting.

Like i seadi will try to hold out for 3 1/2+ yr old but if a good 2 1/2 shows who knows?

I guess my problem is I have trouble telling a 2.5 YO from a 3.5 YO.
It also seems that there is not much difference in shooting a BB or a2.5 YO if you are practicing QDM. That 2.5 YO sure has a better chance of reaching 4.5 than the BB.

Are AR's enough of a QDM tool and are the restrictions sufficient to let more deer mature oris every 3X3 doomed. I like a nice little 4X4 but don't see alot of them. I figure they are like girls.. Everyone you pass up is gone forever.LOL. Stay away from the spike,forks, and 6pts and enoughof them should slip thru to maturity

There is something special about drawing and anchoring on a deer you have no intentions about shooting. It's like counting coup!!

For the last couple of years now I've considered myself a mature deer hunter but as the season comes to an end I find myself accepting any deer thats gets in shooting range.