stikbow26

You know reading some of the posts lately have got me to thinking, Now I have been blessed to have shot 6 great bucks the last6 years. I seem to see people talking about 150 this and 150 that and a 120 or 130 is just peanuts. When did a 120 or a 130 become peanuts???? Now I relize if you live in Ia. or ILL a 120 is probally something you see often but why is it just another buck?? I read where guys say I am not going to shoot anything smaller than a 150 becuase I am uping my game, why put numbers on it?? I just know when a buck walks in if it is what I am looking for. Sometimesbig antlers sometimes freaky antlers but not something I have planned ahead of time. Then some of the guys that live in the midwest states sit here and run a guy down for shooting a 130 and they then end up shooting a 145 class buck which if you think about it is really small for there area but put down the guy where his 130 is huge for his area.. I must say some of my statements are not directed at anybody on this site!!!!! But this antler craze is getting out of control when a 130 is just spike horn of the past!! Ok I feel better now I think I need a cup of coffee!! Walt

GMMAT

Let's just say that these "expectations" conversations are somewhat "regional".

I shot a 4.5yr old 200# 8-pointer last year that GROSSED 103-1/8". I takeeverything described above that I readwith a grain of salt.

stikbow26

I understand that Jeff but what happened in the last 10 years to make a 120-130 that drove us all crazy when the Duries first came out to be just a spike horn now a days!! Why can't we just talk about the big buck we took after scouting him and set or goal as him or nothing?? Or say the spot looked classic and this big ole boy came right from where I planned and he made me feel good so I shot him ECT. I know we all use numbers to make it easier to get our points across of what we shot or saw but it's kinda like crime now a days. Oh the guy was only shot in the head not shot and cut up and dumped all over the city, It is like we are just getting so used to talking about 150 that we think they grow on trees and everyone should be shooting one!!Walt

buttonbuckmaster

Youcan seehow few peopleactually hold out for a 150 once the deer contest starts.

GMMAT

I've posted on here a few times.....asking the question as to whether the "trophy"/"mature buck"hunter would take (given the opportunity at either) the 3.5yr old 150" buck or the 5.5yr old 130"-er.

Veryfew responses......and I think we all know why.

You're a smart guy.....you can answer your own question.

Just an onservation.....it affects me not.

MGH_PA

Deer managment of course[8D]...jk. Honestly, I know if I shot a 150+ class deer, I would be estatic...just as I would be estatic if I shot a 100" buck. I'm not sure if it's location, the general media hype of monster bucks, the self-gratification, or what. Since I haven't put that many large bucks on the ground, I'm not really in a position to judge whether or not I would continually raise the bar each season, or not.

stikbow26

It's not really if you would shoot a 150 or a big buck it is all the talk of 150 and 160's and how we as hunters look down on a 130 that someone is talking about as if it is just a little buck. Walt

Vabowman

outfitters stikbow, that's what happened. I would love to shoot a 120-125 " buck and mount him!! I have killed bigger, but I still say a 120 is a hell of a buck, and secondly, some of these guys are saying they passed a 150, but it's easy to say that when youain't got the tape on him, I mean really, how many 150" s have you seen in the wild?

BigDaddy12t

First of all, I live in the MidWest. 2 years ago, I had 2 encounters with a buck durring archery season,and I told my wife that he was huge, biggest buck I had ever seen around here. 2 weeks later during gun season, I got him with my gun, but I didnt find him until the next day. I was beside myself that night, didnt sleep at all. When I finally found him, I was so excited because I thought he was so big, (and I still do think he is huge) when I finally got to put a tape to him, he scored 118". I have never been more happy about getting a buck as I was that day. And I wil get to see him every day from here on out, because he is on my living room wall.Well, maybe my first buck with my bow tops that one, he scored 87". I refuse to let someone else dictate what I shoot.

GMMAT

I look at it this way, Walt....

Last time I was doing a lot of fishing....I was catching a lot of fish in the 15-20# range. I also caught fish in the 50# range on occasion. How does that compare with the guy in Ohio catching a 4#-er?

They're fishing/hunting different waters/woods than I. I recognized it then...and I recognize it, now (having been on both sides of situation).

Like I said.....to put it mildly....the talk of deer that size is "regional" (I think this was Matt/PA's term from another thread). I look at it the same way I did the fishing correlation.....and take it with a grain of salt. I love fishing my home farm pond.