Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
11-12-2008 | 09:26 AM
#41
Super Moderator
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,969
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Central Illinois USA
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
My honest answer? I felt the same way when I got to my buck a week and a half ago and I swore nothing less but a pope and young would be shot at, but it didn't take me long to realize he deserved as much respect and reverence as any buck I've taken. I'm still out there hunting hard for a big boy(thats whats nice about having two either sex tags a year). Its not the end of our deer hunting world if we don't fulfill our quest or come up short of a goal.
11-12-2008 | 10:39 AM
#42
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,530
Likes: 0
From: Erie, Colorado
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
If you want meat, shoot a doe!! just about every state would love to see doe kills go up
Hypothetically, if your in a region which has a shortage of deer, wouldn't it be better to shoot a small buck and allow the does to remain for propagation? If you shoot the boss buck, isn't that counterproductive? We do not have a whole lot of White-tailed deer around the front range of Colorado. They are coming though. What would be your strategy here?
11-12-2008 | 12:16 PM
#43
Dominant Buck
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,043
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
For me, my "route" has continuely changed and will keep doing so until I can no longer hunt. The things that made me happy for the last several seasons will gradually shift to a different area in the up coming years. As I near retirement, I plan on owning my own land in an area not known for huge bucks but where the people are great. I plan on getting my enjoyment from seeing what I can do with my own place, living it year round.
11-12-2008 | 12:54 PM
#44
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
I have to agree with alot of people on this post. I too bought into the entire "trophy" hunting scene. The biggest buck i ever shot was a 114 inch 6 point. For my neck of the woods that is a big deer, sure there are bigger, but not many. This season has been frustrating to say the least. I went to Kansas to hunt with a friend and passed on 5 deer that were all over 120 with the biggest being in the mid 130s. Why? Because my buddies and his friends all had monsters on the walls and on trail camera. The trip home was a real eye openner to me. I have passed on 3 shooters here in NJ hoping that i will see somethingbigger and it has worn on me.
Another reason why im getting frustrated is because I am a very competitive person, its in my blood and i cant help. My two good hunting buddies already have 2 bucks down each. They are no giants, both in the 90-105 inch range, but these guys were estatic, and i was happy for them, but at the same time im getting pissed cause i cant put a buck down, meanwhileim waiting for that 120 that i dont even know is roaming my woods. Im putting way toomuchpressure on myself toput a high scoring buck down that its taking the fun away from it. That being said, im going out tonight and if a doe or any 2.5 year old comes by, they are getting it and im going to be one of the happiest guys around. Likesomeone mentioned,the reason why we dothis is to put a smile on our face.
Another reason why im getting frustrated is because I am a very competitive person, its in my blood and i cant help. My two good hunting buddies already have 2 bucks down each. They are no giants, both in the 90-105 inch range, but these guys were estatic, and i was happy for them, but at the same time im getting pissed cause i cant put a buck down, meanwhileim waiting for that 120 that i dont even know is roaming my woods. Im putting way toomuchpressure on myself toput a high scoring buck down that its taking the fun away from it. That being said, im going out tonight and if a doe or any 2.5 year old comes by, they are getting it and im going to be one of the happiest guys around. Likesomeone mentioned,the reason why we dothis is to put a smile on our face.
11-12-2008 | 12:55 PM
#45
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,445
Likes: 0
From: Memphis TN USA
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
I suppose the "what I shoot" portion ofdeer hunting may be one of the few things that I don't over analyze. I like to hunt deer with a bow. I am always hunting with the intentions of killing a good deer but I will take does in the early season or at any point in the season that I am starting to get frustrated with not killing anything. Most of the time I don't shoot small bucks but if I am in the mood on that particular day then I will shoot one. Any deer that I kill with a bow is still rewarding. I am a hunter and I like to hunt. I like to kill mature bucks but I don't trap myself into the mindset of having to shoot a buck of a certain size to be happy. I guess I am lucky. I trophy hunt for the most part but when the trophy hunter gets bored or frustrated (which takes a while) I revert back to the guy that just likes to kill deer with his bow and then back to the trophy hunter again
11-12-2008 | 01:33 PM
#46
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 0
From: Southwest PA
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
Great post. I shot a buck yesterday that I'm sorta regretting at times. It wasn't what I set out for and I did settle. but I settled for a reason. My area is hard to find spots to hunt and when you do, they are over run with hunters. I don't enjoy rifle hunting anymore and I really wanted one with a bow. I planned to hunt yesterday and it was probably my last day so I took the buck when I saw it was legal. I thought it was a bigger buck than it was.
I guess I'm bummed because it was a buck I watched all summer and had planned to let grow up. He definitely looked bigger coming thru the woods. But I am happy that I made a quick clean kill and happy to be out there in God's creation taking it all in.
I guess I'm bummed because it was a buck I watched all summer and had planned to let grow up. He definitely looked bigger coming thru the woods. But I am happy that I made a quick clean kill and happy to be out there in God's creation taking it all in.
11-12-2008 | 01:54 PM
#47
Dominant Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 26,274
Likes: 0
From: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
My biggest trophy was a big doe I had seen for a few years but could never get a shot at. She was as wise and cunning as any big buck. I knew it was her year after year because of an almost perfect heart shaped chest pattern. I finally got a shot on her and was more proud of that deer than many of the big bucks ive downed,.
11-12-2008 | 02:07 PM
#48
Typical Buck
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 780
Likes: 0
From: NOVA
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
ORIGINAL: iamyourhuckleberry
Crenshaw,
Hypothetically, if your in a region which has a shortage of deer, wouldn't it be better to shoot a small buck and allow the does to remain for propagation? If you shoot the boss buck, isn't that counterproductive? We do not have a whole lot of White-tailed deer around the front range of Colorado. They are coming though. What would be your strategy here?
If you want meat, shoot a doe!! just about every state would love to see doe kills go up
Hypothetically, if your in a region which has a shortage of deer, wouldn't it be better to shoot a small buck and allow the does to remain for propagation? If you shoot the boss buck, isn't that counterproductive? We do not have a whole lot of White-tailed deer around the front range of Colorado. They are coming though. What would be your strategy here?
I know the presence of whitetails is growing in your state and its easy for someone like me to say shoot doe's when i come from a state that has well over a million animals. But this it when it comes down to knowing your herd and knowing the species.
The are alot of people that will tell young bucks dont breed doe's and all spikes have bad genetics. Well every biologist i have talked says otherwise. Young bucks can and will breed and spikes 99% of the time will grow up to be good healthy shooter bucks. The best way to make that call in your herd is to count the animals on the property you hunt. If your seeing 10 does and 3 small bucks and 1 mature buck, then shoot a doe!. If you dont see does and only small bucks then thats your call. Another thing to look into is your state regs. In my state and in my county I can shoot doe's from September to March and as many as I want. You think the state wants us to shoot doe's or what? But we can only shoot three bucks, which is still more then most states.
Most mid west states only give you one to two buck tags to promote shooting mature deer. And if you are under the mind set that you want to a healthy herd then you need to let the youngins grow up, and trust me mature whitetails arent stupid, you might see one or two here or there but your missing a few others that dont show there faces. Your state is a tricky spot right now and it ultimatly comes down to the property you hunt.
11-12-2008 | 02:16 PM
#49
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,682
Likes: 0
From: Michigan/Ohio
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
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 throroughly 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 exstatic about this Buck and thats 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 alot 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.
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 throroughly 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 exstatic about this Buck and thats 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 alot 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.
Great post, and I understand
11-12-2008 | 02:43 PM
#50
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,530
Likes: 0
From: Erie, Colorado
RE: Penny for my thoughts?? Heres a dollars worth!
Crenshaw,
Colorado is indeed a tricky state at the moment. We get one archery deer tag per year and it is for either sex. I would love the benefit of all the does I want and three bucks/year. That isn't the case..yet. Where I hunt Colorado whitetail, you are incredibly lucky if you see three a year...and that includes the month you cannot hunt them.I do agree with you though. I think, from a conservatinist's point of view,it is very important to carefully assess the situations as you confront them.
Man, I want to come hunt with you! Three bucks a year?
Colorado is indeed a tricky state at the moment. We get one archery deer tag per year and it is for either sex. I would love the benefit of all the does I want and three bucks/year. That isn't the case..yet. Where I hunt Colorado whitetail, you are incredibly lucky if you see three a year...and that includes the month you cannot hunt them.I do agree with you though. I think, from a conservatinist's point of view,it is very important to carefully assess the situations as you confront them.
Man, I want to come hunt with you! Three bucks a year?