I just read this entire thread and I still have no idea of what a top end buck in my area is. I'll be hunting 150 miles from home in an area I'm not very familiar with. During spring turkey season I saw several large bodied deer. I have no idea what kind of headgear to hope for on a buck. All I have as a measuring stick for this land is a 3 1/2 yo 135" killed by the landowner during rile season last year. Before that this land wasn't hunted for 3 years. I'll be the only bowhunter this year. I believe I will have an opportunity at a 130" deer if I wait for it. But that belief is based mostly on heresay.

Check the birth certificates on the deer you see against the ones the local hunters have mounted in their dens and that should give you an idea of whats still out there.

Many people say that age determines the trophy. Why do these people then complain that their area doesn't produce inches?

Most I see in this thread talking about it....aren't complaining. Pointing out something thats simply "the way it is" isn't a complaint, at all. It stating a point of view (and most likely...a fact).

Why do they suppliment with minerals? Minerals don't increase age.

Minerals aid not only bucks....but does, alike. Does use the minerals to aid them during lactating. Mineral sites are also good spots to put up trail cams to get an inventory of the herd one is hunting. It serves a valuable service to the hunter and the herd, in triplicate.

Why do they plant food plots?

See above.

Why don't people look at a deer mount or picture and ask "how old was he"?

I do. First thing I wanna know is: 1. Where was he shot? 2. HOW was he taken (what weapon)? 3. How old was he? & 4. What did he score?

People come in the forums all the time and ask opinions on a deer's age v. what he might score.

Why do people ask "what did he score"?

Because they want to know what he might/did score???

Why does the deer contest on this forum go by score and not age?

Because it had to have SOME method of distinguishing a "winner". Ask the forum (via a poll)if the 5.5yr old the man from TN shot that scored 105" is a bigger "trophy" than the 110" 2.5yr old from IL that was entered. The contest, of course, notwithstanding

G - Fuel Budget Permitting: I spot almost every othernight during the rut, different areas, different times...At least 3x per week. The big bucks come out once the does start getting hot. Honestly, I see my biggest bucks during late July, early August. Before they get poached or wise to the spotlights.

same here

So again I ask
If you are missing out on the best time to see bigger bucks in PA, because you want to spend your time in Ohio(I completely understand why) how do you know what is there? This goes to my point in my first post, most of us simply do not know, the time it takes to know is just to much for most of us. That is a big me included on this one. I know there are more bigger deer than what I saw last year. I was just not smart enough to see them When you can admit that Fran, your're on your way

Because, while I'm spending time in Ohio on weekends, I'm STILL residing here in PA for theother 5 daysofevery week. I get out doe hunting after work during the rut - not so much to hunt for doe - but moreso just to be out in the woods and see what I see.

There are plenty of other guys who hunt the same areas as I do - and they're not seeing booners. I'm not seeing booners when I run the spotlight. Nobody else is killing booners or seeing boonersin the area. I'm pretty sure that they just aren't there. Short of quitting my job, I really couldn't be looking much harder.

Gary, when you don't see them spotting, you don't see themfrom the tree, you don't see them in the summer, nobody finds their sheds, nobody kills any, and nobody finds the deads - it's more than reasonable to assume that they just aren't there.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I see at least 5000 deer per year in my travels. I've passed morebucks than I can even imagine. I'm in the woods or watching deerin some capacity or another for at least 100 days per year, and have been following the same routine for at least 8 years. I feel like that gives me a pretty fair idea of what makes a big deer for the area, and what expectations are "realistic."

If there's anyone out there who thinks Fayette County, Pennsylvania is Booner Country, feel free to come on out. I've got stand sites out the ass.

fran sorry my parents live at our place and they don't see them. My neighbor has the best view of anyone and he doesnt see them.

I have never found one dead, shed(execpt 1 in Northen MI), of a legit P & Y deein in MI, so I guess they are not there.

Being you're not in a tree at th best time it makes it a bit tough. BTW how far does Rybo live from you?

We went from P&Y to booners Make that Monroe County also

BTW
NOBODY ever saw him spotting
NOBODY saw him in the summer

My Dad seen him Oct 29th in a been field chasing a doe, he got a closer look that night.

In MI, PA, NY and other pressure states you plain and simple are not going to see them(that often), execpt in the RUT.

So we're back to page 1!

Hell no your not seeing them if your spooking them with spotlights from july on. It's all comming to "LIGHT"now.

I have always beenon page 1 From the beginning

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