RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

But they look silly as hell on the wall dont they!;)

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

Hunting for mature bucks is like removing the training wheels from your bicycle isn't it? It's a bit more of a challenge. [:-];)

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

Have you ever filled your buck tag then saw a bigger one while hunting does and wished you could go back in time? I have. NowI try tohold out for what I think mightjust be the biggest one in the area.Every year for the last couple of years I've had to raise the mark based on what I saw the year before and some yearsI go with out a buckbut I'm good with that because when I eat meat I prefer beef. My agenda, my goals, my decision. It's what makes me happy and keeps me in the woods. Ken

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

What if everyone practiced or was forced to NOT kill anything under 3.5 years old as some have suggested? Would then killing a 4.5 year old 165" deer still be considered a challenge?

I ageee with what most have said..........hunt the way you want and have fun doing it.

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

I believe it would still be a challenge just because of the bucks wary nature once he reached that age and size.

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

Gus...

Is it easier to kill a lot of deer ......if you hunt where a lot of deer live?

I can tell you the answer to that question is "YES".

So....wouldn't it stand to reason .......if there were more mature deer (insert name of location, here)......that they would be easier to kill?

Takes NOTHING away from...nor does it even take into account a hunter's prowess. It's simple math.

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

You know, it's real easy to pass on a bunch of bucks when you have a lot of deer. When you can go out and expect to see deer usually every hunt, it's not real hard to say I'll wait for something bigger. I spent the summer glassing every deer within a 3 mile radius of my house. I saw a big 8, and a 6 and a spike repeatedly during the summer and Sept. That was it. During deer season I saw 1 spike and he wasn't the one I watched all summer. Realize, the big 8 and 6 were always on land adjacent to the land I can hunt. The 8 was killed on that same land. For the entire bow season I saw I guess maybe 6 deer from a tree and 3 during the muzzleloader season. I know of one that was poached in my woods with a rifle. So, tell me I'm suppose to pass a basket rack 6 up here when he walks by at 20 yards. Last year I saw and 8 and a spike. I shot the 8 with the bow. There's lots of pressure from hunters, night hunter and plain old outlaws all year. It's pretty tough to be a trophy hunter in such places. In Maryland I passed on deer all the time with no regrets because it was easy and the population per mile was about 40 more deer. I'd typically see hundreds in the year. I'm looking for a new woods. The last time I was in Ohio I passed on 4 bucks one evening that would have been prizes here.

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

Not with the bow.

Biggest ML kill

My version of the "Trophy" room

10 Pt slug kill

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

Nobody's telling you what to do.

IF you want to be a trophy hunter, Rule #1 - Hunt where they live.

RE: Question for "mature buck" advocates
 

More Trophy room and the 8 pt slug kill. Only about half the ones in the shop are mine.