Been bowhunting since 1973, many years I hunted PA, W.Va, and NY. In all that bowhunting I had 2 P&Y bucks in range. Only got to shoot at one, and somehow managed to miss him clean.

Then I started bowhunting in pike county, Illinois in 1997. Since then I have had probably 50-60 for sure P&Y bucks in easy bow range, and many more that were never in bow range.

Prior to my first Illinois hunt, I never killed a P&Y buck. Now I have four hanging on the wall.

I've been bowhunting since 88. NO P&Y in range. I don't even know if I've ever even seen a P&Y on the property I hunt. I've had a couple bucks that would break a 100 in range. Missed one and got one.

I've probably had 50 or 60 in range.....but I think Cabelas would have been pretty pissed if I would have shot em'

In my almost 20 years of bowhunting, I've only seen 1 that I know was p&y, and he was not in range. There are some around I know, just like everywhere....but few and far between is putting it lightly. A good buck where I hunt is 110"- 115". As of last year, there was only 4 ever registered with p&y in the main county I hunt. I don't know if any were registered this year. I'm working on #5

I have seen a total of "0" P&Y when bowhunting.

Good thread! The hunters from Illinois, Iowa and Kansas will probably see the most. Anything less than a solid P&Y in those states is considered a dink!

About 15 years ago, my favorite hunting spot could be counted on to produce 4 or 5 close range sightings each season of P&Y bucks with most years offering one shooting opportunity. That ended after about 4 years because of land development and poaching, but I got one before it was over.

Over the last 3 or 4 years, I've seen a couple P&Y bucks--one of which was strolling through my front yard on a Sunday evening while I was watching the NFL! My most recent shooting opportunity at one came this year on a beautiful 140 class that I rattled into range. His vitals were clear of the branches when I released the arrow . . . if only I had taken into account the trajectory!!! [:@]

One of the reasons I never measured a deer. If I shoot at him he's something special to me. I don't immediately start looking for flaws in him. I could give a rats what anyone else thinks of him. Pope and Young, Boone and Crocket, Dave and Len.... we all have our standards. As far as the original question... never thought of it in those terms. I've had a bunch of "SO SO", a smaller bunch of "WOW" and a smaller bunch of "HOLY HUMONGOUS".

Take for example Tribals deer above. That is a great deer, the type that MOST will never have the opportunity to see or shoot. As far as I'm concerned there isn't a flaw in the deer. He's absolutely perfect. So he's got some short little points and a couple busted off. He's got character and outsmarted a bunch of folks. He's one of a kind in the woods. Absolutely perfect. He has NO score as far as I'm concerned.

CBM sc . great pic congrats on the P&Y. TRIBAL that is a true in a onec in a life time deer for most bowhuners great pics to your as well, Congrats and good luck to you all next year

In my 25 years of bowhunting I've only saw 2-3 P & Y's and haven't had a shooting opportunity at any of them. I mostly hunt public land so my bucks don't get much of a chance to get big. WV's has such liberal bag limits that the chance of a public land buck reaching maturity are slim.

I still aint gotten one within gun range!!!?@[:@]