Howler

I'm a meat hunter first, in Ks. I am allowed to shoot 4 does, so I usually try to get three does and I hold an any deer tag which I hold out for large antlers or I go home with no antlers. This year, it was no antlers, but I passed on 11 bucks, of which 4 of them were in the 120 to 130 range, so I have high hopes for next year. I also saw 3 P&Y bucks, that never got in range, so I am satisfied to shoot does and wait for until next year for a shot at a big buck. And not to derail this thread, but So, I'd guess that you don't ride in a car, 'cause your chances of being injured while riding in a car is much greater than being injured while hunting. Think about it!

thelastboyscout

jimmie, i never heard of being able to shoot that many deer in one year! you guys must have a huge deer population down there in florida. i have relatives all over florida, my uncle lives in bradenton, i know he hunts..... i should give him a call. how long is deer season down there and when does it start??

Two Beards

Rather than "trophy hunter' I like to think of myself
as someone who loves to hunt mature bucks...in
fact I live for it. Our group, which consists of
myself, my dad, brother, and best friend, will not
shoot a buck unless we plan to put it on the wall.
This is something we've all agreed on. If we
need the meat we will shoot a doe or two, but I
will not shoot a doe that has yearlings with her

Makes for some frustrating years, like this one[&:],
but it sure makes things a lot more interesting for
us in following years. I've still got 3 weeks to
'ring the bell' this year...then it's back to
prepping trees for next fall.

TB

thelastboyscout

howler, have you ever hunted the first day of rifle season on public land in warren county, pennsylvania?? there is orange everywhere and it's usually "if it's brown, it's down". i had a guy scope me with his rifle and i had to jump up and down waving my arms because i thought he was going to shoot me. i aproached the guy about it and he was checking to see if i was a streemer or not. i said man i know i'm not a real big guy but i know i'm not that small!! it's like world war III

CLOUD 9, MN

JimboHunter1...............I have 150 acers and have permission on 120 next door after the gun season each year. Relatives have 250 ascross the road that I could hunt but you can only hunt so much. I rarely go off the 150. The 150 has many small lots 5 to 15 acres surrounding it. They are small plots that nobody hunts, just because it would be like hunting in your back yard. That's a bonus for us because the deer do use these small lots for bedding, so it makes our land feel bigger than 150.......feels like 200 - 210. The good news with the 120 next door, they only gun hunt and take the fist 2 or 3 deer they see each year and are done....usually opening day. I'm trying to get them to just take does and trophy bucks and I think it might happen. The 250 across the road is just gun hunted and they take 5 deer each year. They are really close to starting to let bucks walk. I'm working on them!(for the last 3 years) Its a continual project and the hunting is getting dramatically better.

Good Luck!

Dalejbrass

It really has nothing to do with horns with me......see, I believe there are several levels of hunters. I also believe, for the most part, everyone starts out on the same level. When we were all new to bowhunting or hunting in general, we were all very excited about the kill. Then as each hunter progresses it becomes something much more. I passed up several respectable bucks in the early season, simply because I didn't want my season to end. I enjoy the hunt more than I enjoy the killing. I also enjoy helping and watching other people harvest their first deer. Like my wife (although she hasn't shot a deer yet), I get more excited about taking her to a tree stand than I do about hunting myself. She has also passed up several young bucks this year. I also enjoy sitting in my tree stand and watching mother nature. I don't shoot small bucks, because I enjoy watching them grow. I've seen several bucks this year that I passed last year. If I am hunting to fill the freezer, I always shoot a doe. They are simply better tasting. So....I guess I'm a trophy hunter in essence. I only shoot mature bucks and does. If I'm lucky that mature buck is sporting a Trophy rack.

caddo creek

howler, is there any good public hunting in kansas

davidmil

So I wrote a long post and then when I hit OK it went away. I hate that. Here's the shortened version. I shoot when the mood strikes me. I may let you walk today but decide you're dead meat the next. I've let lots walk in hopes of bigger and better and I've whacked some at the first opportunity. I hunt to hunt. I'd much rather shoot a buck just like the rest of the world. I try to follow a self emposed rule that it's a mature doe or if a buck, bigger than the last one I shot. Sometimes after an extended period of not hearing TWACK... I'll shoot you if you're a basket rack. I may let you go today but don't push your luck. I had 3 little bucks pass by me 3 times in 30 minutes one day. They came by and about the time they were going to disappear they came back. And then they did it again. The third time I said to heck with it and whacked this little 6 pointer. I like BIG HORNS.... but they don't have to be. A lot depends on where I'm hunting.

caddo creek

howler, is there any good public hunting in kansas to bowhunt or is it saturated w/ hunters

buckslayer87

I hunt for both. If the oppurtinity is there to take a nice buck i wont pass