This runs BOTH ends of the spectrum too. Those who readily fire away year in and year out at a 1.5 old forkies, to those ultra-managed places where a 140” buck is a “cull”.
Why do people elevate an animal SO MUCH just because of the amount of bone on its head, or just the fact that it HAS 3” of bone on its head? Sometimes people act as if their life would spiral into a pit of emptiness if they didn’t kill a buck that year. I know a lot of folks on here like to tout the “horn porn” that everyone is trying to outdo each other on the “big” buck end of the spectrum, but I think it is just as much of an issue with the ‘I have to shoot ANY buck’ mindset as well.

Don’t get me wrong, for a long time I was in a mindset of shooting any buck, just because it was a buck and that was what I was ‘supposed to do’. Now looking back, I don’t even know why I felt the way I did.

Do you think regional traditions play into this to a great deal? Is it the evil commercialization of hunting? Is it greed that lies deep within human nature?

One of the things that cracks me up when I hear people talk about the dilemma of hunting during Doe only seasons….”what if a buck walks by?” I can’t shoot it. OMG the world will end!

Ryan......

I know of SEVERAL guys, here, who shot over their limit on bucks, last year. I know of one who shot EIGHT (or maybe even more) over. He wasn't killing monsters (by anyone's stretch), either.

No. I don't understand it.

There's a good article on this in the current issue of D&DH ("Antler Addicts"). It chronicles what lengths "some" will go to in their pursuits.....and it has a "test" toguage one's "addictive-ness".

For me it's the pursuit of the dominant figure of the species. The bigger the rack, the better!

GMMAT, would you mind posting that test on here?

I could care less! If its of the quality I want, damn right I'm shooting! If It isn't, no big deal. I don't have to shoot a buck. I've never been that way in the least.

I for one like shooting does as well. Maybe it is because I do not see alot of deer in the woods most days, because even drawing the string back on a doe is a heck of alot of fun!

I think it's because bucks have something that's comparable (antlers). One can readily measure the antlers for comparrison to their buddies buck.

Well, I'm thinking of starting a new trend....... The Big Doe Club. For comparrison, we'll measure their teats! What do you think.......length and circumference for all four?

T-1l
T-2l
T-3l
T-4l

T-1c
T-2c
T-3c
T-4c

Total teatage............. just gross, no net! [:-]

I'dwould shoot Does before I shoot a small buck. I used to have mainly small bucks on most of my hunting properties. After 2 years of passing on small bucks, things changed, and they continue to change10 years later on some of our properties. Some people cant do this because of property size, and whos hunting adjacent properties, and what they are shooting at. Shooting what I considera trophy buck is very special now no doubt, but taking Does can be an adrenaline rushalso, and tasty. I guess everyones ideas and hunting methods are different. If guys want to take forkys I think thats fantastic, its all about what you consider bowhunting.

It's all about the ANTLERS

I'm more than happy to shoot a doe but that doesnt keep me from dreaming about getting a set of big antlers hanging on the wall

rick