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RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Couldn't agree more with the first post. I like it. Just helps to reinforce why I'm passing up on these nice 3.5 year olds. Took cell pics this morning of a nice 120-125" 3.5 year old ten point. Just learn to enjoy the moment and the opportunity. And be patient.

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

For the most part, I understand where you are coming from. The only place I differ is the aspect of where you mention that it wasn't fair to the buck.

I regret a buck I shot last year that was probably a 3.5yo scoring in the high teens or low twenties. I say probably because I never bothered measuring the rack or aging the teeth. But on a lot of standards, he would be considered a nice deer regardless.

But my reason for "regret" isn't because I didn't enjoy the hunt and the venison and the thrill of shooting and recovering an animal. My regret is thatmy goalis to shoot a 140"+deer andI shot one of the prime future prospects.

I knew he wasn't a 140" when I pulled the trigger, but I did think he was bigger than he was. So my regret wasfor selfish reasons and acknowledgement of lack of discpiline on my part.

But as far as the deer is concerned, I don't know how it is any more or less"respectful" to the animal whether or not I jump up and down in excitement and start calling all my buddies or if upon successful recovery, I look at him and wished I would of just shot a doe instead.

Only when the meat is wastedis it disrespectful to the animal and therefore not "fair" to the animal. At least that is my opinion.

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

I do nothave the luxury of looking over every buck in the woods. My travels take me from state to state-mostly on DIY hunts. 50 good representations of the speciesfrom each state isplenty enough for me. That's my goal and I'm sticking to it...Think what you want of me.

Gr8, you have taken your game to ahigher level. I respect you for that. Can I ask though, is killing a trophy buck that much harder than killing a shooter buck-take away the fact that there are fewer of them? How much, when you boil it all down, does right time at the right place factor in? In both cases, each deer must be within range, and you will need to go through the same mechanics. Is a trophy buck that much smarter or harder to hit than a shooter? If so, to what degree? Just asking.

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Quote:

ORIGINAL: GR8atta2d

Gentlemen, especially those that are, or fancy to be, Trophy Hunters. Indulge me, a few moments of your time.

Having chased these wiley critters for more years than I care to admit, I became selective when it comes to squeezing the release. I let many "shooters" go by, waiting on those far and few between "Trophies". I have a few, but I've eaten my share of tag soup too, as our section of NE Ohio isn't Southern Ohio or Illinois, or Wisconsin. But it does hold some whoppers, like most areas do.

So for the past 2 years I went Buck-less, I had many amazing encounters and thoroughly enjoy the hunt. But this year, I was feeling pressure, mostly internal but also some external pressure, to put a buck on the ground. In the week prior I passed on no less than 15 Bucks. Small ones, not even a question of shooting. I did have a marginal shooter at 15 yards but legal time was past, even though I could have made the shot. Sunday Morning found me on a field edge, when the 90" 8 point walked by me (see Team 2thread), I made a perfect shot and a quick recovery. There was joy, but, upon putting my hands on him, there was as much regret. I didn't get the "high", the lasting effect of killing a truly big buck, even though I shot the biggest one I'd seen during this season. Now many people would be ecstatic about this Buck and that's great. You may be the lucky ones. I took a great animal and am blessed for the opportunity, yet I knew I settled. Thats wasn't fair to me or the Buck. Inhindsight Icould have been just as happy coming home and telling the tale of the buck that I had at 11 yards from the ground stand, and didn't shoot.
But you know what? As hunters we are not judged on encounters. We are judged by animals on the ground, and our walls. I got caught up in the impression, and I'm not saying I'll never shoot another small buck with my bow, but if I do it will be special for another reason.

I've felt this way since Sunday, I've known all along that I shot a buck I normally wouldn't. I went Hunting Sunday afternoon and Monday and tonight. No time off to enjoy the satisfaction of a well planned and executed hunt. Because I needed to be out there. With only a Doe tag. (we are a 1 Buck State)

Tonight Karma came full circle, I saw the buck of my dreams, the local legend. I watched him, texting my wife the whole time. A 10 point came into the field on the heals of a doe. They fed in the cut corn. I watched him for 20 minutes. I ranged him..to be honest allot of things went through my mind. I'm on a private farm and very close to home. I could have taken the doe, it never entered my mind. I watched them feed out of sight in the setting sun.

He was a solid 150 class buck. Wide solid main beams, with 5 tines on the left and 4 upward tines on the right with a drop-tine. My dream buck.

To be a Trophy Hunter is a commitment, many won't understand or desire this type of hunt and thats fine also.

I basically liveWhitetails 24/7 from Mid August through Christmas. There are many worse things than still having a tag in your pocket. I guess this year was a stepping stone, a realization of the type of hunter I desire to be. This doesn't make me any better than anyone, and it's not a debate for what is a good buck, it's just one man's journey.

Tag soup ain't for everyone....but I have some good recipes.

Excellent thread Bob!! The part I highlighted I would like to understand more on what you meant by It wasn't fair to you. I agree that It wasn't fair to the buck. Reason being Is If were not 100% proud with what we shoot emotionally and physically that deer doesn't deserve to die by our fate. That buck deserves to be shot by someone who will appreciate him much more then what you did. I'm not knocking you one bit Bob, you made some excellent points In your thread and at the same time you learned something about yourself on that particular hunt. Shooting that buck as far as I'm concerned was more then fair to you being you learned something about yourself. Sometimes as a hunter things like this happen for a reason. I think It was a great expierence for you!

Great thread and expierence Bob!! Things happen for a reason.:)

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Consider yourself just lucky to have so many bucks around. Most people, except for the corn belt states, don't and won't see the numbers of bucks you passed this year in several years of hunting. Do what you want. We don't care.

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

GR8atta2D- I can relate to your views completely. I reached a turning point 3 years ago. Up to that point, I had always been proud of my harvests regardless of size and had been happy for the opportunities that were provided to me. But at the beginning of that season I had made a commitment to begin a quest to harvest only mature bucks with my bow from then on.That fall, Iregretfully pulled the trigger on a nice although not mature buckin amoment of misjudgement, impatience, and self-induced pressure to fill my tag. The resulting feeling ended up being less desirable than the feeling of passing on a deer altogether and eating a tag for a year. That feeling stuck withme for quite some time as well.
I get all the meat i can use from party hunting during slug season with my friends, and I get to have fun taking deer of all sizes in the process. Bow season was to become my personal quest to outwit the smartest and most evasive of all deer. After breaking my own rule that season, I vowed to learn from the experience and realize that the major source of satisfaction was in the hunt itself, not the harvest. I enjoyed the encounters just as much as the actual taking of the deer, so it bacame easier to let the subordinate bucks pass. The next year I passed ona few nice deer andharvested my first truly mature five year oldbuck. Later that season I happened upon another true brute of a mature buck close to my home. I spent the last part oflast season watching him and plottinga strategy to perhaps have a chance to hunt him this year.Early this spring I secured permission to hunt part of his home range, scouted the entire year, and this season I was finally blessed to encounter him several times early on before being presented with a shot at him, which upon harvesting himwas the highlight of my hunting life to date. The satisfaction and thrill ofreachingthe bar which was set so high by myself and mother nature outshadows any other deer I've ever harvested by quite a large margin. It was exactly as I envisioned it would be and was well worth the all the hard work and time invested ten times over.
That being said, 'trophy' hunting absolutely isn't for everyone. I wholeheartedly believe the size of a deers antlers or the annual rings in his teeth shouldn't be the criteria for all hunters. The hunt should be a personal choice and should be appreciated by all parties involved no matter the size of the animal or the methods of the harvest. Hunting is a very personal endeavor and should remain exactly that, a personal endeavor.
For those of you holding out for 'the one', good luck these next few days. For those that have already filled their tags or plan to fill them soon with whatever deer presents itself, enjoy that moment to its fullest as we are all trulyblessed to live in this land where we can continue to chase our dreams.

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Quote:

ORIGINAL: StrikeTrue

A trophy in my eyes doesnt always carry a big rack on its head. I think its unnecessary that the big buck culture has you feeling "negative" about taking what im sure is a beautiful buck. I know and understand your motivations and truly believe that what each man/woman decides to shoot is solely their own business and should not/can not be judged by anyone else. That being said your motivations and your own convictions will play a huge role in the overall satisfaction you get from hunting. This further defines the old "to each his own" adage. I hope you find middle ground and get yourself in a situation that has you feeling positive about the pursuit of these great animals. Goodluck.

COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER!!

I agree 100%...isnt all about the headgear...its bout the hunt and the experience and if you like it....take it!

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Quote:

James I'm not laughing at YOU....but your post makes me chuckle. I have to ask....how many of these 3.5 yr olds do you pass on every season? How far removed from the world most of "us" hunt do you think this sounds? I've seen three deer in 4 seasons that would fit that bill. If I passed on them.....I'd never kill a buck. I've seen just slightlymore 2.5 yr olds.....and last year I saw ZERO 2.5 yr olds in 48 sits. This year....I've seen maybe 2-3 (2.5's).

I'd ask Bob the same question. I'd like to know what you're "Passing" on (or....not attempting to shoot).

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

I've hunted deer for over 40 years and have "trophy" hunted for the last 18. I have probably experienced most of the things that you have written.

Quote:

But this year, I was feeling pressure, mostly internal but also some external pressure, to put a buck on the ground.

You must take external pressure out of the equation. It really is no one elses bussiness what you take or do not take as a hunter. I believe that hunting should be done for your own personal enjoyment. Not trying to live up to someone elses expectations.

Pressure, applied from within, can be a good thing as long as it remains realistic. It can drive you to learn and to fine tune your methods which will cause you to grow as a hunter. Too much self pressure will have the opposite effect and actually harm your hunting progress.

Quote:

when the 90" 8 point walked by me (see Team 2thread), I made a perfect shot and a quick recovery. There was joy, but, upon putting my hands on him, there was as much regret. I didn't get the "high", the lasting effect of killing a truly big buck, even though I shot the biggest one I'd seen during this season.

I had this happen to me.......once. I became ashamed of myself for being regretful that the deer wasn't bigger. I vowed that that would never happen again. The deer that I had just killed deserved better than that. From then on, no matter what deer I have killed, I am truely happy about it. I haven't had a problem since. Use it as a learning experience.

Quote:

But you know what? As hunters we are not judged on encounters. We are judged by animals on the ground, and our walls.

I think that this is where the problem is. In the grand scheme of things, I don't give a rip what other people think of me as a hunter. I do it for my personal enjoyment and not what other peoples expectations are. I am not a professional hunter nor do I make any money from it. I do not want to turn it into a job because that's when the "external" expectations come into play and this will take all the fun out of it for me. Unless you are trying to break into the "bussiness" and trying to make a name for yourself, there is no reason for anyone to judge you. Who are you hunting for?

Quote:

To be a Trophy Hunter is a commitment, many won't understand or desire

Now that's Gospel!

I'm not trying to bust your chops, just showing you my perspective.

Good luck!

RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!

Quote:

To be a Trophy Hunter is a commitment, many won't understand or desire

I don't know what I'll end up hunting, Bob/Greg....but the "commitment" parttwists me a little. Some people have many other greater "commitments".....and they surely give them (that hunter) much greater happiness than pursuing a deer.

Hunting's personal....and what we take from it is "ours" and "ours" alone. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Two year sin a row I've tried to go a certain "route" with my hunting....and taken the fun out of it....two years in a row. Talk about regrets;). I'll figure it out, yet:)