Hey now we agree on something. If that's all he had, there,....and he took the top 5%.....you're onto something.

Has nothing to do with my "location" assessment (or Atlas's).....but your statement is fine. You guys are reading too much into this.

Location plays a huge role in the size of a buck you can take in a given area. Location is part of the total hunting "Package" you create for yourself. Hunting public land, gaining permission, leasing, buying the land are all ways to get to hunt. Identifying where the monster bucks are (sometimes in other states) and gaining permission to hunt them is a skill by itself. If you are not happy with your current hunting location, look for another. Actually looking for better locations should be an on going activity 12 months out of the year anyway, because as many here know things change and hunting spots are lost, time and time again. Good luck to all in the locations they choose.

Geez thanks I'm really happy it didn't offend anyone.

I can assure everyone that most IA hunters have not killed a 4.5 year old buck. Just as I bet most NC hunters have not killed a 4.5 year old buck. It was a 160" in IA and 100" in NC. Of course size matters fin a record book but what does inches of antler have to do with what people are suddenly insinuating?

It seem suddenly everyone (in the last 2 pages) realised someone else was trying to take thier blanky. How dare they!!! poo.

GMMAT,
There is nothing in the hunting world that you could hurt my feelings with. There is also nothing in the hunting world that you have to say over and over and over, non-stop and drive everybody crazy with. You are not an expert in the world of whitetails. You only have 2 years of experience!

The only reason you keep repeating yourself so much is to try and cover some lame remark that you have made. You sound like a total wannabe that's trying too hard. Gain some experience, then you may actually have some credibility and people will start to believe you.

Whatever you do, please, please stop the crying.

Thanks.

Greg...

If you'll go back....your name was never mentioned in the "location" topic. YOU brought up a snide remark about "sour grapes".

NOW your true colors come out....with your last post.

That's pure bull****. All anyone has to do is mention "location".

Where in the hell did that come from. I happened to mention that there are more big deer in certain parts of the country. Big stretch there....but it leads to comments like this from you. Again.....you're on full display.

"lame remark"? You mean....that there are more big deer in certain parts of the country? Lame? Please. Don't kid yourself.

How much experience would it take? How about .....Atlasman's experience? Matt/Pa's experience? This has nothing to do with "me".

You know, Greg....having an opinion, in and of itself, is no virtue......especially if your opinion is just plain wrong. So tell me....are there more big deer in certain parts of the US? What's your opinion?

Crying? ME???...LOL!!!

The phrase......"Buy him for what he's worth" and "sell him for.........

Nah....too easy.

p.s. I see you made a freind in Duke, today, too huh? LOL!.....

I'll try stay out of the line of fire on this one.I'm with you 100% on the "bigger deer in the midwest" comment GMMAT. I live here, I know whats around. But don't think there are 130+ inch bucks behind every tree. I know plenty of guys that hunt ground here in IL that have never seen 110" deer in their woods. I guess we are back to "location" again.

Your stabbing GMMAT! You best back out and leave alone!!!

Agreed, again....BBM. But common sense tells us there's more of them there than here.

Take care.

Just a reminder what the thread was about.

Not to hard to tell the seasons are over in most places Just a matter of time before the scent lok and whisker biscuit threads start popping up [8D]


So we are debating location again huh??..........this has been going on for ages and will never stop I'm sure. After so many years of having this same discussion it is abundantly clear that what rubs everyone the wrong way is the hidden message in the debate..........those in prime locals feel slighted by the notion that their accomplishents are being diluted because of the suggestion that THEY are not the key to "success"...........and those in less friendly locals feel slighted because of the suggestion that THEY are the key to their "lack of success".This will probably never change.


Maybe the problem is the definition of "success" I shot two 3.5 year olds and one4.5 year old this year.........the 4.5 had the smallest rack of them all........+/- 100" and the other from NY is under 115" I'm sure. I shoot two deer that age in Kansas, Iowa, or Illinois and they would be 140"150" at least.........that is common sense based on what people describe as the "average" big deer for their areas. That is genetics and nutrition more then anything else.......so to compare deer based on racks only is about as useful as a rubber crutch. However, no one takes pictures of a deer's teeth or mounts jaw bones so I guess it's natural..........boys will be boys.


Here are some things to consider when wondering how important location is to putting a big rack on the ground.


In 20 years of hunting NY I have never even seen a deer that would make P+Y........3 days into an out of state hunt I had one on the ground.........you mean to tell me that is a coincidence?? Obviously my skills as a hunter were not the obstacle.

For somewhere in the ballpark of $2,500-$3,000 you can see and have legit shots to kill big deer EVERY year with your bow..........these are fair chase hunts. If you are average to above average in your skills you will have more heads then walls to hang them on. As the price goes up so do the rack sizes. $5,000 and 150" minimums are not uncommon out there.

When people pay the above quoted price it isn't to hunt the coast lines...........why?

Does anyone here REALLY think they couldn't kill a big deer on Hunsucker's land?? (Please don't turn this into an insult against Michael because it isn't)

Why does everyone want to know where greg hunts if location doesn't matter??

Why do greg and his friends (and everyone else with a brain) keep their mouth shut when they have a great place to hunt??

If someone called you tomorrow and offered you a lifelong chance to hunt Pike County would you be happy or sad??

Why do people guard their land so tightly if location doesn't matter??

Would POSTED signs even exist if location didn't matter??

Why do guys spend tens of thousands of dollars on hunting land??

Why are out of state licenses more in states with higher concentrations of big bucks??

Why is it that those who say location doesn't matter are always speaking from a location most would kill to be allowed to hunt??........the opposite of course being true as well.



Location matters...........A LOT.............Would greg and troy kill big deer wherever they lived?? Of course they would. Would their walls look different if they lived in Tampa??.........of course they would. Would I have bigger deer on the wall if I lived and hunted in the corn belt??.......of course I would.

You still have to know how to hunt and find these deer.........trying to find one in Florida is not the same as trying to find one in Kansas, I don't know how anyone could argue that point.


In closing.........I mentioned a few names in this post only because everyone knows them and nothing more. I am only gonna say this once.........I have nothing but the HIGHEST amount of respect for these guys as hunters and men and IN NO WAY included them in my write up to diminish what they have accomplished. I view them as fine hunters and excellent examples of the good in this sport.......I could have easily used other names in place of theirs so absolutely nothing personal should be implied.


I just find this discussion very interesting.