What' s your reality?
07-22-2003, 11:53 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 1,086
What' s your reality?
Everyone hunts a different area, some are blessed with a good number of P&Y bucks to choose from, others have never seen one that big in a life time. Some guys can wait and pass on deer, others, that' s the only shot they get. Some places have liberal bag limits, other guys might not even draw a tag. So what' s your deal, good or bad?
For me, I am fortunate to have a few different hunting spots, most with little pressure during the bow season(rifle is a different story) and all with a healthy number of deer. I can usually get several doe tags, but we are limited to one buck tag. The chances of me shooting a mature buck are basically 0 as the hunting pressure is way too intense. I do have one spot that' s my best chance at getting a good size wallhanger, but I' m still adjusting to hunting that way. It' s suburb hunting where you can hear people talking, lawnmowers, dogs etc, but there' s also the possibilty of a bruiser coming by. I get a decent amount of time to hunt between after work, vacation and weekends. I don' t shoot the smaller bucks that come by, but my standards sure aren' t anything that big either.
For me, I am fortunate to have a few different hunting spots, most with little pressure during the bow season(rifle is a different story) and all with a healthy number of deer. I can usually get several doe tags, but we are limited to one buck tag. The chances of me shooting a mature buck are basically 0 as the hunting pressure is way too intense. I do have one spot that' s my best chance at getting a good size wallhanger, but I' m still adjusting to hunting that way. It' s suburb hunting where you can hear people talking, lawnmowers, dogs etc, but there' s also the possibilty of a bruiser coming by. I get a decent amount of time to hunt between after work, vacation and weekends. I don' t shoot the smaller bucks that come by, but my standards sure aren' t anything that big either.
07-22-2003, 12:14 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Onamia,MN.
Posts: 1,375
RE: What' s your reality?
I' m in a pretty fair spot in central minnesota hunting my own 120 acres.There are not that many huge racks, but they are around.I get plenty of time to hunt after work(especially before daylight savings)and on weekends.Every year i just try to improve on my own skills to give myself a better chance for quick success.I' m still trying to get something big enough to hang on the wall--someday!
07-22-2003, 12:23 PM
#3
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 305
RE: What' s your reality?
In Arkansas we get 2 bucks. They must have at least 3 points on one side. I usually get my 1st buck early then save my other tag for a nice ' un that I have been after. (an Oldsmobile will probably get it before I do).[X(]
Now that I am bow hunting, I' ll probably be a little more picky on the 1st one. We get 2 antlerless deer also. Five months is a long time to hunt, I don' t want to get it over too early.
Now that I am bow hunting, I' ll probably be a little more picky on the 1st one. We get 2 antlerless deer also. Five months is a long time to hunt, I don' t want to get it over too early.
07-22-2003, 01:03 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SC USA
Posts: 1,434
RE: What' s your reality?
I also have several areas........
I hunt a peice of Public land in AL on a river that produces some nice bucks. I have taken 1 P&Y and several other nice ones with my bow there. Chance at a 120-160" ok but the land is hard to get to !
I also have a friend with 3000 acres of prime property in AL with a QDM plan and full time WL Biologist. I have passed on at least 30 nice bucks down there .......still waiting on a big one. Chance at a 120-140" pretty good by this coming season but isn' t a " give me" by any means
My father has a small farm in AL that I have taken some average bucks on with a bow. There is a lot of " if it' s brown it' s down " folks hunting around there. Chance at a 80-110" are fairly low, but possible & it' s very hard to hunt
I hunt a few other spots on Public land down in AL that I usually get some smaller bucks or a mature doe early in season. They have more pressure than most places I hunt and I only have time to hunt them once a year. 80" buck would be the max and very little chance to get one at that .
And up here in SC I' m the only bowhunter I know and had more opportunity than most rifle hunters in my club last year. I took a doe here last year and passed on some small bucks and other does.......and there were rifle hunters that didn' t get a single shot on a doe all year (so I was proud of my doe
) Chance at a 80-100" buck is nearly impossible with a bow........but I' m going to do it !! 
I hunt a peice of Public land in AL on a river that produces some nice bucks. I have taken 1 P&Y and several other nice ones with my bow there. Chance at a 120-160" ok but the land is hard to get to !
I also have a friend with 3000 acres of prime property in AL with a QDM plan and full time WL Biologist. I have passed on at least 30 nice bucks down there .......still waiting on a big one. Chance at a 120-140" pretty good by this coming season but isn' t a " give me" by any means
My father has a small farm in AL that I have taken some average bucks on with a bow. There is a lot of " if it' s brown it' s down " folks hunting around there. Chance at a 80-110" are fairly low, but possible & it' s very hard to hunt
I hunt a few other spots on Public land down in AL that I usually get some smaller bucks or a mature doe early in season. They have more pressure than most places I hunt and I only have time to hunt them once a year. 80" buck would be the max and very little chance to get one at that .
And up here in SC I' m the only bowhunter I know and had more opportunity than most rifle hunters in my club last year. I took a doe here last year and passed on some small bucks and other does.......and there were rifle hunters that didn' t get a single shot on a doe all year (so I was proud of my doe
) Chance at a 80-100" buck is nearly impossible with a bow........but I' m going to do it !!
07-22-2003, 04:30 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Irwin PA USA
Posts: 486
RE: What' s your reality?
I live in a fairly crowded area(deer and people), but I am fortunate enough to have a friend who' s uncle owns a decent chunk of land. I am only 16, and I have seen 2 good bucks there since I started hunting, a 140+ buck that I screwed up an opportunity on, and a 120 class buck that I just couldn' t get a shot at last year. This year we planted food plots(biologic, clover, etc.) and we are implementing a management program..large doe harvests and holding out for bigger bucks. We have already seen a couple good 8' s, and a nice 13 this year...so things are looking up for me.
), but I am fortunate enough to have a friend who' s uncle owns a decent chunk of land. I am only 16, and I have seen 2 good bucks there since I started hunting, a 140+ buck that I screwed up an opportunity on, and a 120 class buck that I just couldn' t get a shot at last year. This year we planted food plots(biologic, clover, etc.) and we are implementing a management program..large doe harvests and holding out for bigger bucks. We have already seen a couple good 8' s, and a nice 13 this year...so things are looking up for me.
07-22-2003, 05:47 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: BRO PA USA
Posts: 123
RE: What' s your reality?
We' re about 3 hrs north of Pittsburgh. Up here we have high populations and a good amount of pressure , but there are lots of bigger bucks( up to 140) and a few larger .There are 3 that we' ve taken over the last 2 yrs on our web page http://pennsyltuckyoutdoors.tripod.com . I' ve seen larger deer on here but these are good for here. We now are really concetrating on these larger deer. All three deer were under 4. My partner just aquired an awesome swamp property that I' m sure hold deer that may not have ever been seen!!!! We already have sights set on a couple in the 20" catagory and several not too far off. We' ve even been watching a double drop tine buck ,so this year should be banner!!!!
07-22-2003, 09:39 PM
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Salem Missouri
Posts: 1,455
RE: What' s your reality?
We are allowed 1 with a gun and two with a bow and some areas you can get antlerless only bonus tags here in Missouri. We have 250 acres and access to about 800 more surrounding us and Im the only bowhunter. With some hard work and time in the stand 100 to 120 class bucks are fairly common and I see a couple 140-150 class bucks each year in the rut but have only taqken one p and y class with my bow, but several in the 120-130 class with a rifle and muzzleloader.
07-22-2003, 09:47 PM
#9
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 330
RE: What' s your reality?
It seems like alot of folks here have large tracts of land and plots, etc. with multiple deer frequenting the plots and sustaining a local herd. I have never been exposed to that before and it would probably be pretty cool to have the opportunity, I guess.
I hunt the most northern parts of the state (WI) near Lake Superior and see a real swing in weather once fall starts turning to winter. It' s all state, county or various paper company land. There are not alot of deer in the area, but there are some brutes that are taken. Winter kill and a growing wolf population has the deer in a constant fight for survival. Tough winters and predation make for a decent balanced herd, in my eyes at least. I' ve seen several big ones, taken a few and a couple of buddies in the past few years have put a few on their walls too. I have eaten a tag or two after passing lesser bucks, but the deep woods and big area is what I really enjoy about the hunt that I experience every fall. Kill or no kill, I still love the connection I feel when out in the woods in the fall. Oh man, what I would pay for 9 months of November!! :-)
I hunt the most northern parts of the state (WI) near Lake Superior and see a real swing in weather once fall starts turning to winter. It' s all state, county or various paper company land. There are not alot of deer in the area, but there are some brutes that are taken. Winter kill and a growing wolf population has the deer in a constant fight for survival. Tough winters and predation make for a decent balanced herd, in my eyes at least. I' ve seen several big ones, taken a few and a couple of buddies in the past few years have put a few on their walls too. I have eaten a tag or two after passing lesser bucks, but the deep woods and big area is what I really enjoy about the hunt that I experience every fall. Kill or no kill, I still love the connection I feel when out in the woods in the fall. Oh man, what I would pay for 9 months of November!! :-)
