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RE: Big Buck Barometer
ORIGINAL: quiksilver Gary - the old lady that lives on one of the farms I hunt told me (honestly) that she had only seen 5 deer all season. The neighbor told me that they all died of EHD this year. He was serious. Laypeople have no clue what's lurking. BTW - Rybo lives about 45 minutes away. I think he hunts further away yet. But back to the mysterious ghost-bucks, I like to think that I DO know what caliber deer live in my own back yard. Thousands and Thousands and Thousands of deer, every possible time of year... I don't know how else to tell you - but Ido indeed knowwhat kind of deer live in my area. You guys act like there's some kind of higher level of understanding involved... There's not. I KNOW there's a statistical anomaly or two running around, and I HOPE that someday I'm lucky enough to see one... But I know some damn good hunters. And I know some people who hunt on some greatly-managed farms... And NOBODY is consistently killing PY bucks year-in, year-out in my area.I know this. For sure. The fact of the matter is, if a big buck exists, it has to either die, or the antlers have to fall off. No way around it. When either of these events take place, it leaves hard evidence of its existence behind. My point is that where NO HARD EVIDENCE IS EVER FOUND - it's reasonable to presume that this imaginary caliber of deer simply did not exist in that area. The tooth fairy doesn't beam down to earth and suck up the sheds. Aliens don't come down and scoop up the carcass. I have found 3 sheds on our farm in 23 years 3. Spike 2 point 4 point In all honesty I don't really look that hard, once I hang my last stand in Feb I am done walking around. Jim PA is not at hate status yet, but they are getting close[8D] NO HARD EVIDENCE IS EVER FOUND Buckmagnet great point |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
ORIGINAL: Germ ORIGINAL: MN/Kyle Richard Simmons is gay? It really does not ALL boil down to location. Location is only part of the equation, like it or not...... that's gospel. Let be honest as for has habitat wise Minn has over twice as much as Iowa. Iowa shoots a larger percentage of their herd than Minn. Yet Iowa shoots twice as many big bucks also. Management plans and hunters make a huge difference in location. Take Iowa's management and hunterattitude, put it in Minn,and we are all hating Minn instead of Iowa[8D] I truly hate Iowa, Ill, Wis and KS[8D] Minnesota: The land where the big bucks SHOULD be[8D] I hate Iowa, Wisconsin, Ill, even the Dakotas...oh and Canada too! Minnesota nice, pish posh:D. This is why I've made it a point to talk to land owners and hunters on all the surrounding farms around ours to get our own management plan in order since the MN DNR will not. Play the cards you're dealt, you can make you're location better...if you choose. |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 Many people say that age determines the trophy. Why do these people then complain that their area doesn't produce inches? Here's a question.....I hear a lot of guys saying that they see bucks that are x.x yrs old and x.x years old. How do you detemine that you saw 2 3.5 and 1 4.5 year old in a season? Are you basing this on antler size? Body composition? Have you been watching this deer for x number of years? So, when guys tell me they are seeing bucks of a certain age, I don't put much stock in it. Its more of a guess than a fact. Kind of like the numbers a lot of guys throw out about rack size on live deer. |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
Everyone talks about Ohio and other states as having huge populations of BIG deer. I think it depends on your area and what land you have access to. I hunt an area that has moderate pressure especially gun season. I see allot of deer every year. In the few years I've been hunting the area (6-7) I've seen 3-4 bucks over the 120-130 mark (the biggest of which is in my avatar) A mature deer in one area may not sport the headgear my buck did. Genetics plays a big role here. I think overpopulation or over hunting of bucks cause alot of smaller racked bucks over time. Then you have other places that have huge racked younger deer. Are they "out there"... well I think so. Here a 120 is probably not a bad goal. You may eat tag soup some years though. Basically if your hunting 1000 acres you can "look" harder for the bigger ones. But if your like me and hunt smaller plots then your not going to have the same chances. Same goes of public land or private. There is an advantage to private land. No one should argue that. I killed mine on a 12.5 acre lot (allot of which is unhuntable due to a house and yard) so I don't have a huge advantage over public. And trust me I have some of the same problems like ATVs on the neighbors property etc. Every area isn't holding the next world record, or a 180, 150, or even 120. But I think a few mature deer exist everywhere, regardless of the antler size. |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
ORIGINAL: _Dan ORIGINAL: magicman54494 Many people say that age determines the trophy. Why do these people then complain that their area doesn't produce inches? Here's a question.....I hear a lot of guys saying that they see bucks that are x.x yrs old and x.x years old. How do you detemine that you saw 2 3.5 and 1 4.5 year old in a season? Are you basing this on antler size? Body composition? Have you been watching this deer for x number of years? So, when guys tell me they are seeing bucks of a certain age, I don't put much stock in it. Its more of a guess than a fact. Kind of like the numbers a lot of guys throw out about rack size on live deer. |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
Remember when(if) you played little league baseball, football, or whatever you played? OK, let's say your team lost to the champs. Trophy time rolls around and instead of just handing out the trophies, they let you, the losing team, pick whatever "size" trophy you want. (Provided the bigger trophies are actually there for picking-Sorry Jeff)
Now, do you carry your little snot-nosed self over to the itty bitty trophy table or do you go grab the biggest one you can carry? Don't give me the BS that you would pick the small one because we know that would be the right thing to do. blah, blah, blah You know which trophy you would want and you know why. It looks better. Feels better in your hands. More to brag about. And it is shinier than the crown on the Undisputable King of Window-Lickers' head. That's why! LT |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
Everybody who participated in this thread gets an awesome E-Trophy from the King. Very good debate, lots of interesting and intelligentopinions offered by all-involved. It's quite rare that we get a 20-pager that doesn't turn into a (highly-amusing) mudslinging match.
 Awesome Germ and Motown each get Barbie dolls.  Sexy While I don't think this discussion changed anyone's opinions, ultimately, I do think we may be able to glean an understanding of the odds and statistical frequencies involved when hunting the biggest deer on your farm, in your township, or in your county. |
RE: Big Buck Barometer
Thanks for the Barbie mate. Nice collection you have there also. Kind of explaines why the kings mouth is shaped like a circle track. " Lets go racin boys "
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RE: Big Buck Barometer
I like dirt track racing.
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RE: Big Buck Barometer
Last time I checked record keeping orginizations score by inches of antlers!
Pretty simple, age really doesn't count for anything. It seems age comes into play onlywhen someone is trying to validate an Old Buck they took into being trophy class. Even at that age a lot of times is only a guess!:eek: It doesn't matter to me what you kill. Kill what you want, and I'll do the same. If you are Happy, I'm tickled for you as well;) Don't try to enter a 100" 7.5 year old in P&Y and think it has a chance to make it.:D Dan |
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