Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
07-30-2008, 01:20 PM
#11
Dominant Buck
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
Last I checked the threads belong to HNI, so they belong to all of us.
[8D]
[8D]
Whereas in IL the habitat is much more conducive to holding and supporting whitetails and the bag limits are far more stringent allowing for more 3.5 year olds to grow.
That doesn't make the 3.5 year old buck any less difficult to hunt, but you have more opportunity to trip one up if there are more of them around.
That doesn't make the 3.5 year old buck any less difficult to hunt, but you have more opportunity to trip one up if there are more of them around.
07-30-2008, 01:24 PM
#12
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 298
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I'm betting that isn't a very popular opinion, to some, though.
I'm betting that isn't a very popular opinion, to some, though.
"What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always right."
07-30-2008, 01:25 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,469
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
I think double creek hit the nail right no the head. I believe that the majority of these "mature" buck hunters are hunting in areas where they typically have a higher percentage of getting shots at mature animals every year. From what i have noticed, most of the "mature" buck hunters are from states known for larger more mature bucks. That being said, i believe that they feel that their chances are still high if they pass on an "inferior" mature buck that they will see a better one. I know that where i hunt, i might only have one maybe 2 chances a year at a mature animal, so he is getting shot any chance i get.
Going down the same road but with a slighly different spin on it, toss this around for a minute.Hypothetically, say you are hunting a specific animal that you have a history with ( for example- Mr. Mass, The Bull if he were still alive) and he came by with part of his rack busted off, would everyone here still take the shot. God knows i would.
Going down the same road but with a slighly different spin on it, toss this around for a minute.Hypothetically, say you are hunting a specific animal that you have a history with ( for example- Mr. Mass, The Bull if he were still alive) and he came by with part of his rack busted off, would everyone here still take the shot. God knows i would.
07-30-2008, 01:27 PM
#14
Dominant Buck
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
( for example- Mr. Mass, The Bull if he were still alive) and he came by with part of his rack busted off, would everyone here still take the shot. God knows i would.
07-30-2008, 01:31 PM
#15
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan/Ohio
Posts: 11,682
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: njbuck22
I think double creek hit the nail right no the head. I believe that the majority of these "mature" buck hunters are hunting in areas where they typically have a higher percentage of getting shots at mature animals every year. From what i have noticed, most of the "mature" buck hunters are from states known for larger more mature bucks. That being said, i believe that they feel that their chances are still high if they pass on an "inferior" mature buck that they will see a better one. I know that where i hunt, i might only have one maybe 2 chances a year at a mature animal, so he is getting shot any chance i get.
Going down the same road but with a slighly different spin on it, toss this around for a minute.Hypothetically, say you are hunting a specific animal that you have a history with ( for example- Mr. Mass, The Bull if he were still alive) and he came by with part of his rack busted off, would everyone here still take the shot. God knows i would.
I think double creek hit the nail right no the head. I believe that the majority of these "mature" buck hunters are hunting in areas where they typically have a higher percentage of getting shots at mature animals every year. From what i have noticed, most of the "mature" buck hunters are from states known for larger more mature bucks. That being said, i believe that they feel that their chances are still high if they pass on an "inferior" mature buck that they will see a better one. I know that where i hunt, i might only have one maybe 2 chances a year at a mature animal, so he is getting shot any chance i get.
Going down the same road but with a slighly different spin on it, toss this around for a minute.Hypothetically, say you are hunting a specific animal that you have a history with ( for example- Mr. Mass, The Bull if he were still alive) and he came by with part of his rack busted off, would everyone here still take the shot. God knows i would.
and that's the way I like it[8D]
07-30-2008, 01:32 PM
#16
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: Badger_Girl93
I saw a poster once in the Church Library...
"What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always right."
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I'm betting that isn't a very popular opinion, to some, though.
I'm betting that isn't a very popular opinion, to some, though.
"What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always right."
The fact is the scales are tipped in your example to the hunters in IL pursuing 3.5 year old bucks. However, that gets back to the "L" word debate so let's not go there.
07-30-2008, 01:36 PM
#17
Dominant Buck
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
But BRY it goes even further. Even though we both know what you said (RE: the IL hunter) is true.....I STILL think it rubs a lot of guys from the big buck states the wrong way when people speak as if the age structure of the bucks they're (both)hunting (being ne and the same)somehow levels the playing field.
Do you disagree?
Do you disagree?
07-30-2008, 01:47 PM
#19
Dominant Buck
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
Leave IL out of this. Wisconsin has more big bucks than IL. Hell, they even have GregH.[8D]
07-30-2008, 01:50 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
But BRY it goes even further. Even though we both know what you said (RE: the IL hunter) is true.....I STILL think it rubs a lot of guys from the big buck states the wrong way when people speak as if the age structure of the bucks they're (both)hunting (being ne and the same)somehow levels the playing field.
Do you disagree?
But BRY it goes even further. Even though we both know what you said (RE: the IL hunter) is true.....I STILL think it rubs a lot of guys from the big buck states the wrong way when people speak as if the age structure of the bucks they're (both)hunting (being ne and the same)somehow levels the playing field.
Do you disagree?
That is exactly what the location argument does.
I do believe that one benefit the guys in the big buck states have over those of us that don't have as much exposure to older deer is that since they have more mature bucks around they can learn from their exposure to those deer and the mistakes they make from them. If you see say seven 3.5 year old deer a season you will learn just from being around those deer. You will know how they act/react and be better able to predict their behavior than someone who may only see one 3.5 year old every 2 years.
So, in effect having more big bucks around does have the potential to make you a better hunter so long as you have the aptitude to learn from what you are seeing in the woods. Some have that and some don't, regardless of where they live.