Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
10-20-2004, 10:51 AM
#52
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
ORIGINAL: Double Creek
This post is a very good read...........Where is Atlasman.....
......I know he could add a few coments.........
Here is my take......When I first started bowhunting, I shot every deer that I could, buck, doe, I didn't care. Sure, I had already taken several nice bucks with gun, but I didn't care, I wanted kills. It was an ego thing, I admit it. I wanted to kill all I could with my bow. After a few years of that, I started getting selective. I went several years without shots on good bucks. I must have let >50 nice 2 1/2 year old 8pts walk. At the end of the season I would eat tag soup. Mississippi gets hunted hard, and there are not a ton of older bucks running around. BUT, by passing on the these bucks and trying to harvest only mature animals, I grew tremendously as a hunter. I learned alot about deer and their behaviour. The last few years I have really started practicing QDM, taking my does and only shooting mature bucks, regardless of antler size. And it has really paid off. I hunt close to 60 days a year and I will usually get 1-2 opportunities at a mature buck each year within bow range. And another half a dozen out of range. I will get up to 12 opportunities on nice 2 1/2 year old bucks. It's tough, to hunt all year and only have a chance or two to make it happen. BUT, it is worth it to me, that is what it is all about, FOR ME.
All this said to inform public land hunters that for us private land guys who practice QDM, there is not a P&Y around every corner, at least not in my state.
I have tons of respect for guys who kill mature bucks on public land, that is an accomplishment. BUT, I do not respect immature bucks from experienced hunters. Immature bucks are easy to kill, no matter where you hunt.
This post is a very good read...........Where is Atlasman.....
......I know he could add a few coments.........Here is my take......When I first started bowhunting, I shot every deer that I could, buck, doe, I didn't care. Sure, I had already taken several nice bucks with gun, but I didn't care, I wanted kills. It was an ego thing, I admit it. I wanted to kill all I could with my bow. After a few years of that, I started getting selective. I went several years without shots on good bucks. I must have let >50 nice 2 1/2 year old 8pts walk. At the end of the season I would eat tag soup. Mississippi gets hunted hard, and there are not a ton of older bucks running around. BUT, by passing on the these bucks and trying to harvest only mature animals, I grew tremendously as a hunter. I learned alot about deer and their behaviour. The last few years I have really started practicing QDM, taking my does and only shooting mature bucks, regardless of antler size. And it has really paid off. I hunt close to 60 days a year and I will usually get 1-2 opportunities at a mature buck each year within bow range. And another half a dozen out of range. I will get up to 12 opportunities on nice 2 1/2 year old bucks. It's tough, to hunt all year and only have a chance or two to make it happen. BUT, it is worth it to me, that is what it is all about, FOR ME.
All this said to inform public land hunters that for us private land guys who practice QDM, there is not a P&Y around every corner, at least not in my state.
I have tons of respect for guys who kill mature bucks on public land, that is an accomplishment. BUT, I do not respect immature bucks from experienced hunters. Immature bucks are easy to kill, no matter where you hunt.
)Some of you guys just don't get it. Just because someone supports QDM doesn't mean that they hunt a pet-a-pet farm. Lord knows I don't, but I support it. Heck in the 2 counties I hunt, there have only been 5 total p&y entries EVER! But I still hold out for mature bucks with hopes of the whopper, even though the chances are slim. I won't criticize someone for the choices they make on which deer they shoot. But unless you are fairly new to the sport, shooting immature bucks can't do much for you, other than give you bragging rights with your buddies. Funny thing is, those same folks usually are the ones complaining that there are no BIG BUCKS around, as they proceed to shoot 3 or 4 small bucks per season, every year.
10-20-2004, 11:58 AM
#53
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fulton county IL USA
Posts: 4,271
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
I notice that there really just seems to be a simple point here from alot of different folks. Most are not bashing EVERYBODY that shoots a young buck! We just seriously question anybody that actually has any amount of hunting experience on WHY they would choose to take immature animals on a consistent basis? Then have the gall to bitch about their lack of mature animals in their areas! It's just way to easy to pass the blame instead of taking some of the responsibility for yourselves. FACT is, if YOU shoot an immature animal then YOU are part of the problem as well. Save the young bucks for the young kids or the newbies that lack any true form of hunting skills.
Stump_MN_Hunter,
I AM implying that anyone who shoots a YEARLING (18 month old) animal has just killed what is without a doubt, THE most easily killed deer in the entire herd. Not exactly a challenge for anybody with even a few years of hunting experience and a few deer to their credit. You say "inferior buck to someone elses standartds".......... now I'm not talkin' of a "smaller" rack BUT strictly speaking of yearling bucks..... just NO reason to kill 'em for a veteren bowhunter!!! Hey, if it's even a 2 1/2 year old animal then I don't care what he scores, he's a much better deer and a more respected "trophy" than the yearlings. Lets all do our part and try to correct these badly skewed sex ratios and imbalances in OUR herds that we ALL are responsible for! That's all I'm trying to say. It just gets sooooo frustrating trying to "educate" hunters and non-hnters alike to the fact that something has to be done folks. If not NOW, then WHEN???
Stump_MN_Hunter,
I AM implying that anyone who shoots a YEARLING (18 month old) animal has just killed what is without a doubt, THE most easily killed deer in the entire herd. Not exactly a challenge for anybody with even a few years of hunting experience and a few deer to their credit. You say "inferior buck to someone elses standartds".......... now I'm not talkin' of a "smaller" rack BUT strictly speaking of yearling bucks..... just NO reason to kill 'em for a veteren bowhunter!!! Hey, if it's even a 2 1/2 year old animal then I don't care what he scores, he's a much better deer and a more respected "trophy" than the yearlings. Lets all do our part and try to correct these badly skewed sex ratios and imbalances in OUR herds that we ALL are responsible for! That's all I'm trying to say. It just gets sooooo frustrating trying to "educate" hunters and non-hnters alike to the fact that something has to be done folks. If not NOW, then WHEN???
10-20-2004, 12:27 PM
#54
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Shakopee MN USA
Posts: 1,001
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
IL-Cornfed...dude you make me chuckle.
I don't want to turn this into another 5 page debate on something, but you aren't very clear on too much in your last post.
But then at the end you say....
Am I reading into this too much or too far? Are you implying that anyone that shoots an inferior buck to someone elses standards..."lack any true form of hunting skills"?
I do agree with you on the fact that fellas can't shoot little bucks all the time and then say they never see big bucks or never have a chance to shoot one. Can't have it both ways.
I don't want to turn this into another 5 page debate on something, but you aren't very clear on too much in your last post.
Most are not bashing EVERYBODY that shoots a young buck!
Save the young bucks for the young kids or the newbies that lack any true form of hunting skills?
I do agree with you on the fact that fellas can't shoot little bucks all the time and then say they never see big bucks or never have a chance to shoot one. Can't have it both ways.
10-20-2004, 01:16 PM
#55
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Chatsworth IL USA
Posts: 5,012
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
IBM...glad to hear about your success...have you seen any good shooters yet this year? Good luck!
, but big enough for mine in this period of my hunting career. There are bigger out there, I have seen them in the distance or on camera, and if one comes by or I can figure out the pattern to intercept, I will try to arrow one, but that is yet to be seen.I think we all need to agree to disagree with the way all the other people hunt. Just hunt and have fun!!
I have heard this talk from wolfen every year since we have been here, but I don't believe I ever seen him tell somebody not to shoot the smaller bucks. He may give his opinion on why that person shouldn't shoot the small bucks though. He is just trying to pass on his successful beliefs in deer hunting onto to somebody else. Don't we all do that in some way or another? Friends saying they won't hunt with you if you go traditional, just another difference in beliefs.... and on and on and on.
IL_Corn_Fed is about the same way. You look at these guys track records and they have some very nice deer to show for their techniques. I remember the pictures in the past of these 2 with the bucks they have shot. And they were just awesome. Is their strategy right for everyone? Maybe...maybe not, but you will never know until you have tried it for a couple of years.
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10-20-2004, 04:28 PM
#58
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Braunfels, Texas
Posts: 172
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
For the same reason people buy a lotto ticket or worse...several of them. It is a chance in hell either way so maybe the guy who enters the little deer is just playing his chances.
10-21-2004, 02:43 AM
#60
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 220
RE: Big Buck Contest...Baby Bucks
thats the problem wolfen you totally missed the point.If you were offended by what i wrote all i can say is the truth does sting sometime.If you were one of the people that are raining on some poor guys day just because what he killed wasnt up to your super natural standards.Cant people just say congrats and go on about there business?Why is it your place to say anything to anyone about the deer they killed in a negative light?If they are happywith the animal they killed that should be good enough for you.For the record wolfen i mentioned NO names in my first post so it must have hit home with you so that only leads me to beleive you feel that you were the jerk.
