RE: Existance of big bucks
 

I hold out for the big ones, but 120?? thats not big. I travel alot, Illinois, Iowa, etc. and I am lucky to have very nice bucks back home in Wisconsin.

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

I would say that the places I hunt probably 40-60% of the bucks will score 120" or better. I have absolutly no idea how many 120" bucks that are running around here. We do spotlight surveys, alot of driving around, some stand sitting, and 1-2 helicopter surveys each year but we dont keep track of the all the bucks we see. Most of the time we will only video and record the bucks that look to score 150"+. We get 3 buck tags each year and MLD tags which allows us to take extra does and cull bucks. As for me when I'm out hunting I'll hold off until I find a mature buck that scores 150"+ or a buck with a unique rack, then again I might take both :)

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

Where I hunt, a 120" buck is a real trophy. In the past 15 seasons I've hunted, I've killed one that was about 120" and seen two others that were in the 150-160 range, but I didn't have a good shot and they're very scarce. Gosh, if only I hunted in IL and OH. :):):)

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

All of the places I hunt have quite a few 120 -130 around every hunt right below my stand. My latest honey hole I've seen 170+ every hunt. It's been tough to get the big ones in front. It's tough to judge just where they will come from. When the herd size is dozens upon dozens, you never know what Does he wants at that moment. The good thing though is I know they are there.:)

Have you ever seen over a dozen bucks from 140 to even a button buck chasing Does all through the woods below you? Pre Rut last year I watched that many for an hour. They never fought over any Doe. There was more then enough to chase around.

This spot is on the edge of residential area however most of my places are in the middle of residential areas.

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

120":D...that would be the absolutely minimum i would harvest with a bow, only because it would be my first. in iowa, i ALWAYS see at least 4 140" or better bucks per year. last year i was fortunate enough to see a 180-190" buck at 200 yards, but missed the shot, as i was using a shotgun. here on our 135 acres behind the house, we had a couple 120" bucks running around. this year, i think we're gonna have 4 or 5 and maybe a 150" buck. In iowa though, im holding out this year for a B&C buck until the last day. Minimum to put on the wall for me with a gun is 150", miniumum for bow would be 130". we're not the kind of people to spend 400 dollars getting 100" or 120" bucks shoulder mounted.

slayer

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

We are!;)



:eek:118":)

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

I usually see some real nice ones in the summer or early fall. I have yet to shoot anything over 110, but there are some real big deer in the area. Last fall a 194 typical was shot about 15-20 miles away from where I hunt. The deer have a lot of cover and there is enough agricultural land in the area to provide a large variety of food sources. So while there are quite a few big ones, they are tough to get.

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

In the area we mostly hunt, there are atleast 3 120+ bucks. Compared to 8-10 sub 100" bucks. Last year, I passed on 3 smaller bucks because I knew there were bigger ones around. Hopefully, I'll be able to pass on them this year too, but score one of the bigger ones in the end.

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

Where I hunt(3 different tracts of land)there are alot of deer and not uncommon to see many bucks in the 120 class or bigger.There are a few monsters around but getting a shot at them is a different story:)

RE: Existance of big bucks
 

All I have to say is some of you guys should thank your lucky stars to have places that hold those sizes of bucks. I shot one of the biggest bucks in my area last year and it didn't even make 110. There were a few that were bigger, but they were a little bit away from my core hunting area. It is a real rarity to get a buck in that 120" range, but I am hoping that changes now with our antler restriction policy.