NJ/PAbwhunter

Hey Gr8,
Good read, seems like you have hit on what many of us are struggling with. I let a terrific 6 point with a very wide & heavy rack
walk last week at dusk, only to see him a few days later in day light. He made me sorry I did not take him. I watched him fight off 7 different bucks while tending a doe
and I set my sights for him... since then I let a great 7 and an 8 and a couple smaller 6 pointers walk.
Now I am wondering if I will have another shot at him ... what will happen tomorrow morning if one
of those other bucks comes into range? Commitment? You better believe it. For everyone? I say no way.
Good read man. Thanks for your thoughts.
DW

Grasshopper13

I would beg to differ. I won't be judged by any deer I choose to take or let walk. To do so gives power over my own happiness to someone else. That's a sure recipe for a miserable life. That's not what it's about. Now, to be honest, I don't think there's a person on this forum who would take a smaller buck or doe if they could be certain that with patience, they would get an opportunity at an exceptional buck. However, not everyone has the same area, amount of time to hunt, and that's what's great about this time of year. It's a constant gamble, and to nobody's surprise the odds aren't in our favor. I'm fairly confident that if I had the resources and time to travel to many different states, and buy guided hunts, I could have a wall full of shoulder mounts.....the problem is, being a father of 3, with a full time job, I've seen my free hunting time go down every year. I'm not complaining.....there will come a day when I may be able to do those things, but I won't trade spending time with my kids, supporting them in their activities and taking time to teach them about the outdoors, for a few deer. It's not worth it to me. Does that make me any less of a hunter than the guy who does? I say no. You do what you want, and be happy. That's what it's about....you being happy. The heck with what anyone else thinks....

By the way, I'm not saying that a guy who can travel to different states on guided hunts is any less a hunter than I am.....he's just not any better!

GH

buffhntr

hunting mature bucks isnt for everyone nor does everyone have the ground or location to do so.

Hoytail Hunter

And in succession I would beg to differ with you.

Sadly, you are wrong for the most part. We as hunters are judged (mostly by other hunters in this regard) by animals on the ground or on the wall. When is the last time you've seen printouts of encounter stories on the wall being marveled at by hunters?

I think what you are saying and what the guy you quoted is saying are two different things. You don't judge yourself based on wall decorations but a good deal ofpeople judge you that way.

TEmbry

Agreed, which came in the form of a nice Pronghorn buck and then a whitetail doe this fall. I plan to take two more does this year in the late season...I never have had interest in does, making jerky last year cured that right up. If I need meat or experience, I will achieve that through does, whether that be right or wrong. My first buck, and ones from there on after, needs to be and will be something special.

Ive already been at full draw on a nice shooter buck probably 6+ times over the past 3-4 years, they just never have panned out for a shot I was comfortable taking....I dont loose my cool for some reason. I stay calm and collected during the shot process, it is after the arrow releases that I unravel...and unravel I do...after I release an arrow, i usually begin shaking and just loosing it all together. My friend was worried I was going to fall from the tree after I shot at that small 8 this year, LOL.
I did the same on my pronghorn buck.....made over a 2 mile stalk, finished off the last 400 yards tippytoeing and on hands and knees, got to 15 yards, never once got overly excited or nervous...I was rock solid through the shot...but after he ran off and tipped over 30 yards away, suffice it to say there was a lot of shaking and a solo party out in the prairie.

louddrummer69

I know exactly how you feel. I sometimes think I've been a victim of my own success. I've put a couple of nice bucks on the ground but this year I've hunted extremely hard, and have been winded more times than I can count and so far sucking on my tag. I can't explain it. I try to be as scent free as possible and hunt stands for the right wind but deer don't always cooperate. They'll come where ever they want to come from. I saw the biggest deer of my life two days ago that would go 160's. He was behind a stand I sat in earlier this year. I went to get my game camera at noon and he was bedded down behind the stand. Took off like his ass was on fire. He is the deer I've been after. I just can't seem to be in the right place at the right time this year. Oh well that's hunting and I still love the anticipation of the next moment.

rybohunter

Excellent post and thoughts I have struggled with even this season.

The 2 things that keep me going are
1. Last year I didn't kill a buck and nothing bad happened to me.
2. One year I did lower my "standard" and felt bad for shooting a buck that only made me happy for 15 minutes.

At times I wondered if things had been luck in the past, and if my goals were too high, but I suppose if you are going to dream, dream big.

Grasshopper13

You're probably right....just because you can't control someone else's perception of you in that regard. But, the only way it has any power is if you accept it. Once you start shooting or passing deer because someone else might think you're a stud hunter or a poor one, as the case may be, you have given that other person power over you. That doesn't have to happen if you refuse to accept it. That's the point I wanted to make.

GH

buttonbuckmaster

I'm not really sure what direction my hunting path is going to take. In 2006 I took my first maturebuck with a bow, that was a feeling I'll never forget. Last year I didn't get a buck with the bow, but killed my best buck to that point with a shotgun. Fast forward to this year.....I was seeing very few deer at all until November 1st. I missed a 140+ 8pt, talk about sickening.At that point, I just wanted to kill any deer. Then last Saturday, by total luck, I killed my best buck ever with the bow. Sometimes I think I'm getting better at this game, but then when I analyze things, I realize that I'm hunting better ground than I ever have before. Something about location.

Even after killing that buck Saturday evening, I still have a buck tag left. Tonight a 3pt came in after a rattling sequence......and I was as pumped up as I could possibly be. Luckily he never came within 30 yards, I'd like to think I would have let him pass, but my trigger fingerstays really itchy. Sometimes you just have to drop the string.

I'm not a trophy hunter and I never will be. For me its like a night at the bar, everyone is looking for the perfect 10........ until last call. Then all that is required is a heartbeat.[8D]

inhuntr

I have learned that I do not hunt to fill anyone elses expectations. I hunt for myself only.I set a standard that I want to meet and if I don't shoot a buck within that standard then there is always next year. I have eaten a little tag soup for four years now, but I don't regret one bit of it.