He's bedding on land I have no access to. So I've got that going against me, already. I hear through the grapevine that the land he's coming from is allowing no hunting, this year, but I know that can only be controlled to a certain extent.

Here's one thing set in stone. If I take him this year.....he will NOT make it to next year. I know that. If I choose to take him....it won't be because I think someone else will...or "might". It'll be because I want to take him.

I will say....in a perfect world.....I'd let him go a year. I don't think it contradicts what I just wrote to say, though....that he's still a good deer for these parts. If I get a chance to kill him....it'll be on that principle. I'm a realist.

With me, it depends upon the property and the time of year...

As you know, in this part of NC we can only take 2 bucks...On the property that I lease here in Randolph County, I'd probably take him with a bow or muzzleloader...With a rifle, he'd walk...

Back home, where I have a little more land and control, he'd walk...

In your case, shoot him...You probably don't really know if you will have access to that land next year...It could be sold and put into a subdivison like so many in this area or the lease could go to others who are willing to pay more...

It's not like we are hunting in a big buck state down here...We have plenty of deer, but not plenty over 100 inches...

My first "good" buck was killed back in 1975...A 10 pointer that probably won't break 100 inches...
He is a trophy to me, because he is the first that I patterned and it took me about 2 weeks of hunting to kill him...That's what makes a trophy, not how much they score...

My name is John and after 30 years of hunting I still find it tough to pass. I shottwo 8pt deer last year and although the contestdeer was only 100 and the better one was 110 I am sorta sorry about the whole scoring process and wish I had not scored either one. I ended up scoring my best bucks ever just for fun and was horrified that they were lowly 120 class deer. There was a 30 inch disparitybetween what they scored and what I thought they scored.

Hunting time is a premium with work and such and in a state with a 5% sucess rate I feel the presure to shoot sumpin. I have no problem shooting does and would never shoot a spike or fork at this time in my career but I like to kill deer. I really admire the guy who passes on deer not up to their standards and end the season by shooting nothing.

For those of you just starting out don't let the standards of others dictate what you shoot. As has been said many times, "Shoot what makes you happy".

I let a guy hunt my honey hole last year. This guy hadshot nothing in so long (many years) that when he zipped a young 4 point you would have though he had broken a record of some sort. He even had that rat mounted and it hangs above his fireplace.

As a sidenote, I know of at least two guys from last years contest who did not even enter their deer. They were not up to standards.

Ok Jeff...

-I shoot a 90-100" deer from your land.

-I mount said deer.

-Deer hangs on my wall.

-Price of deer $140 and some gas.

-Problem solved everybody's happy.[8D]

My criteria in PA with traditional gear I have a feeling will always be "decentlegal buck"........Take the occasional whopper opportunities as they come but if I hold out every year for a mature buck here my arrows will eventually fall apart from lack of use. I definitely like the feel of just "Deer Hunting" with this gear. I have an almost childlike renewal of interest and love the simple feel of it.
For the past I don't know how many years bowhunting here just became a game of "do I feel like cleaning a deer tonight?" when one was in range.

In Illinois or anywhere in the midwest I stick to "I'll get him mounted".........If he walks up and I'm already picking out a taxidermy form in my head I'm shooting. The location dictates possible realistic opportunities for mature deer 3.5 or olderso that's my goal.

Anyone not on the BackStrap Brigade is welcome to do this with any buck that they shoot. Personally, that's a slap in the face of your teammates. When it comes to the contest and what my teammates enter, I'll take 50 inches over none at all.

Jeff I think you and I started bowhunting the same year. In that time I have passed one buck. A spike in my first year. That year I shot one doe. The next year I shot a spike for my first bow buck. I have since killed every legal buck I could. I didn't have many opportunities on the land I was on. This year I will hold out for a 110 or better, (if I judge it right). The place I'm on out in west Tx has much greater potential than any place I've ever hunted before so I won't just shoot as I have done in the past. Its time for me to mature as a bowhunter a bit this year. Now, that said, If I see any 6 or better with the longbow in my hand it will be a spur of the moment decision!

Greg:

You made me stop and think for a second, for sure.....and I appreciate your response. I think I'll wait and see what the trailcam photos look like....and that may dictate the bow I take in there.

After spending a good part on the weekend setting stands and groundblinds, wind is what will make the bow choice for me. North wind means a stand in a natural pinch point at the convergence of 3 trails. This stand is between a bedding and a feeding area and I saw some LARGE tracks in there. With a north wind I sit there with the Marquis and kill BIGBOY! With a south wind I sit in a naturalgroundblind at a pasture edge with the longbow and see what comes by be it buck, doe, turkey, or feral hog.

Your in the same boat i am Greg, i started bowhunting in 06'. I have only harvest one buck and thats my 6 point that i got my first year, last year i passed up three different six points and a few spikes because i didnt want anything smaller then what i shot the year before. I ended up with only a doe.

I know that Jeff can get it done, 5 bucks in 2 years and 2 mature. Thats better than what i can say about myself....i really think you should check out the game cam photos jeff and go from there.

oh and don't forget to post them up