I may just be hunting 4 States this year if all the plans come together. Now say I go to Wisconsin for 3-4 days or another State for the same time period and that's all I got.
My thoughts are the first day maybe you feel it out, see what you see and adjust the plan from there. Granted if a "no brainer" comes through you hammer him.
But what about an average buck (what-ever that is). In my minds eye I have limits, I certainly do in areas where my time is virtually unlimited. But in a limited time frame does that change? Say a goal of a 130 is set, late in day 2 of a 3~1/2 day hunt you have a good shot at a 110 (numbers are arbitrary, apply your own goals to put it in perspective for you), Would you shoot?
I'm not looking for vindication or permission, I'll tell ya right now..Yep, I'm shooting! How about you?

No looking on your friends papertype your answer before reading other replies...

I have never believed in shooting on the first day what you would shooton the last day. As time wears down so do my standards, on the last day if its legal its dead.[:-]

Yep

I've always been fortunate to find enough time to hunt to satisfy myself that I gave the season a strong effort. Unless something happened where I coulnd't hunt the rut at all, I doubt I'd lower my standards....a tweener could prove me wrong though.
If I pass it on day one, I hope I'm strong enough to pass on the last day.

Did you say that right?



Don't pass on the first day what you would shoot on the last day.

Whatever the goal is time left on the hunt does not matter. If I settled for something less than the goal that meansI would not have accomplished the goal,I would have just lowered the standard.......so in short, no I would not shoot.

My goal is the same...if I pass on the first, I'll pass on the last. Ofcourse, i prefer to shoot the first day.

If iv'e set a standard thats what i stick with, Would i be happy shooting lesserno


Would that 110" deer get mounted?

I reserve the right to change at any time what the tickle of the day is for my fancy.[&:]

I know what you're saying, GR8. I "may" have shot a smaller buck in PA, last year, than I REALLY wanted to. I'm glad I wasn't offered that chance.

I am not a believer in that saying and I think Jim is agreeing with me.

With the rut ahead at the beginnign of the season, it's easy to have a confident outlook. As the season wanes and hunts become fewer due to Christmas shopping, events..etc. I would gladly lower my expectations, to some degree!
Those really nice bucks you saw in early November may already be at the taxidermist, following the gun seasons.