What are you saying when you say....
 

I hunt mature bucks? Does this mean you hunt for a deer that is aged, regaurdless of his antlers?? Lets say you see a 4 yr old buck with a small rack or even a 6 yr old with a small rack, do you shoot it?? Is it more about the age than the rack?? I mean I gotta say, I don't really pay attention to age all that much, I don't care if he's 6 months old, if he has a 140" rack he is good enough for me. So do you guys who say that you hunt for mature bucks mean the age more than the racks, b/c not every mature buck has a 140" rack....??

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

I think there are actually a lot fewer mature buck hunters than actually claim to be. I'd wager a whole lot 'em are really saying that because they're crappy hunters and need an excuse for their perpetual diet of tag soup.;)

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

That hurt Arthur, that really hurt:(

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

Only if it applies, Germ.;)

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

Landon, If I saw a 6 yr with a 2x2 I would shoot it, in essence wouldnt that be an attempt at some type of QDM? I mean the letters QDM mean verry little to me (its like pissing in the wind), but I would take him because he is not a "quality" buck, but 80 pounds of deer hamburger and sausage, 4 loins and a month of steaks, stew, etc. Plus he would be considered a management buck in anyones books.

Im a hunter, without the funds for an IL hunt with a guide, so my experience with my property he would be a target.

So to answer your question, yes I would shoot a 2x2 two year old just as easy. I dont get that many shots to pass on, so Im pumping with adrenaline with any buck that comes my way. If my trail cams show a 4x4 3.5 yr old, and its the first week of archery and I see him, I would take him. I would have no problem putting him on the wall either.

Face it...us Virginians, especially in your descriptions of where you hunt, would not hesitate.

Thats what Im saying when I say.........

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

I searched....and finally found this post. I'll let the author claim it if he wants to....but I feel the exact same way he does about this.

Respect;)

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

X2 with Jeff

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

I don't hunt mature bucks I deer hunt,I don't kill everything I see,but I kill what I want depending on my mood at the very instant I take the shot.I think a lot of guys see a 120" buck and automatically assume that it is a 3.5 year old deer when it could actually be a 5.5 year old depending on tha area,some areas just don't automaticlly produce 150" deer just because they are 5.5 years old.I also think that a lot of hunters think that killing anything but mature big antlered deer will make them less of a hunter,I think a lot of this is due to the outdoor hunting shows that always preach on letting them grow.I also think that some hunters with access to a lot of mature big antlered deer don't take into consideration that the hunting is not the same as where they happen to be.I'm not complaining though I killed a few good deer and I'm happy with my current hunting situation if I want to kill bigger deer I will have to make changes in what I do kill, but with the limited time I get to hunt that is not likely.

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

So you are saying you would take the mature buck over a 2.5 year old with more bone on his head? (considering they are both presenting an ethical shot)

Sounds like horse puckey to me.:D

LT

RE: What are you saying when you say....
 

Generally whereI am at, if he's 3.5+ he's big. I'm not going to worry about rare and statistcally insignificant instances where a "mature" buck, only has a 90" rack.
I want to shoot a buck that is both 125+ and 3.5+. Will I waiver and shoot a 128" 2.5 oldor a 118" 4.5 yr old, I'll only know after the situation passes and I look down to see if my arrow is still nocked.