well yesterday brought the end to another season for me. For some reason I'm beginning to question my standards when it comes to the size of deer i'm willing to shoot. this is now my 3rd consectutive year with out killing a deer with my bow. after passing on some beautiful deer i'm wondering if i should lower my standards just a little.
But on one note my ghost was sighted just the other day so i know he is still alive and cant wait to see him next year.

No!!! You are setting a Fine example!!! Well done sir!

I can't wait to hunt Northern Missouri Next November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yea, it seems like yesterday was the opener, but i had a good year, seeing more solid bucks than ever, this year i passed on 3 that were pushin 145 (2 with gun, one with bow) and we boughtsome ground (320)next to us that last year was getting driven around by anyone because it wasnt fenced and they killed over 7 small bucks off it..... well in our first year of managing that 320 acres, my little brother killed a 185 (with gun) inch pig and 2 of the 145 inch bucks i passed on were on that property. Its a great "bowl" that just funnels deer in and keeps them there.... next year our ground will be amazing!

Year End Tally for both our farms (1000 acres) and (950 acres)

185 inch buck with gun (lil bro) on 1000 acre farm
145 inch buck ( another lil bro) on 950 acre farm
145 inch buck (family friend) on 1000 acre farm
2 135 inch buckswith bow(dad) (one was immatureand a mistake) on 1000 acre farm

i just sometimes wonder. i know there are people in some state that would look at me like i'm nuts for passing a 115 inch 8 pointer. and then cant help but wonder if i am nuts? lol

Yes..it was sad season ended yesterday....i had a doe tag and no time to go to break in my new 82nd.

I saw many huge deer this year but didn't get one down with the bow. I took a couple of doe during rifle during the doe season and shot a doe with the bow but didn't recover her. I will never drop my standards of what buck to shoot b/c I know I will only be disappointed in myself. We practice QDM and eventually the stars will align and I'll put down the ones I'm after. Last buck I took was a 156" gross in 2006 so it's been a couple of seasons for me too. I took away this year a better understanding of where to be during certain times of the year. So the season isn't a loss for me but more another chapter in the book that will hopefully have a great ending next year so to speak.

yea i saw alot of great deer. and learned alot of their patterns(which i thought i knew very well, but didnt). every year i progress