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does killing a deer mean success?

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does killing a deer mean success?

Old 11-21-2005, 12:32 PM
  #1  
Giant Nontypical
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Default does killing a deer mean success?

After reading the meat vs antlers post,I thought that I would take the idea a bit farther.Is filling your tag your measure of success on a hunt?Do you feel that you have to fill every tag that you hold or is it okay to end the season with an unfilled tag?When I started hunting,I killed the first deer that I saw.As I gained experience and killed several animals the idea of filling tags began to be less and less important and the challenge of just killing any deer soon faded.Instead I began to concentrate on trying to kill the larger mature bucks.Now I hunt hard but If I pass up many bucks and don't fill my tag it is no big deal to me.I hunt simply to enjoy the time spent with friends and relatives and to take part in the challenge to kill only the largest bucks in my area.I nowactually enjoy helping a new hunter take an animal as much as killing one myself and I really do enjoy hunting more than I ever did before.Looking at the people that I hunt with it appears that the most experienced hunters pretty much share my view and simply filling tags is not a priority for them,yet the least experienced of our group have a harder time passing up a legal animal.I am beginning to think that hunters go through stages as they gain experience and their priorities change from simply filling tags,to increasing the challenge ,to just enjoying the hunt.What are your feelings on the matter?
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Old 11-21-2005, 12:59 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

Well, kinda. I love the meat. So it is a big deal. I love making jerky and lots of it, eating deersgetti, deer burgers, deer stroganoff, mushroom deer stew. Things I enjoy cooking with deer meat that doesnt taste as good with greasy beef. Also as a person acustomed to eating it most of thier life, sometimes the fat in beef is harder to digest than lean deer.

So yes, its important to me to harvest 3 deer a year, but also imporatant to hunt a nice rack. Fortuantely in the last few years, I have been able to do both. From what I could tell from the older hunters (55+)I know, its not that they want more challenge, but most get lazy says its not worth it for meat or horns. There are exceptions.

But mostly from what I have seen, trophy hunting in Canada or US is a middle age man game, and not young or old.

For instance, I have a bunch of friends from NorthernAlberta that used to work for me and they still work for my company. Back about 10 years ago, if they couldnt' take off for hunting (they work in the US in Telecom work), they would quit, bottom line. It was that important to them. But now, the ones 50 or older, says its not that important anymore. I was kinda shocked. Hope I don't lose that thrill.
 
Old 11-21-2005, 01:00 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I filled all my tags (six),I harvested five with my crossbow, that was fun. I think in some areas it is important to fill all your tags, with does, to keep the herd healthy. But it's all about having a majestic dominant mature whitetail in range that gets my blood boiling. Plus my familylikes it, my fiancee' is getting a little board with eatingit every day though. But even a standard cut deer has different ways of prepairing to keep it interesting. I can't bring anyone to were I usuallyhunt, but I have a couple spots were I'm bringing my dad and freinds! I can still purchase bonus doe tags. I want to see what a 44 mag. will do and will be donating to the Va. hunters for the hungry program.
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Old 11-21-2005, 01:10 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

killing a deer is success, that's one of the reasons we are out there. However NOT killing a deer is not failure.

I haven't shot a deer this year, neither have either of my boys. We have had, so far, a HUGELY successfull season. My youngest has had one very good chance and a bad timing "pee break" that cost him a second chance, I have very much enjoyed the time in the woods both with and without my boys (NH law they have to hunt physcially under my control til they are 16). We have had the chance to have some quiet coversations about things that we may not have talked about at home, spent great time together and best of all have stories and memories from our time hunting.

I consider it a success already, getting my kids a shot would make it an additional success.

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Old 11-21-2005, 01:21 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I guess that I should have included in my post that for me meat is not an issue as I prefer to eat elk and moose and have no problem keeping the freezer full without taking a deer.If I didn't hunt other game,filling at least one deer tag would be more important to me.I should also mention that in the area that I hunt,simply killing a legal deer is relatively easy to do whereas some people live in areas where they may only get one or two chances each year to kill a legal deer.Again,this could be a major factor.
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Old 11-21-2005, 01:49 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

Ultimately, I would say killing a deer is A measure of success. To me it is more in HOW I killed the animal. For me to consider the hunt a success, I want to get as close to the animal as possible before I shoot it and I want to kill it in as a humane way as possible. This means one shot kills from (hopefully) 35-70 yards. Th farthest shot I have taken so far on deer is 220 yards, and due to the lack of shooting that far, I missed. My average shot is about 75 yards (which I would say is more due to luck rather than ultra hunter skills) and I consider how the deer is killed more a measure of success than If I kill a deer. ......If that makes any sense to anybody.
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Old 11-21-2005, 02:52 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I don't think that you have to fill your tag in order to have a successful hunt (unless you are in dire need of filling your freezer!). I did not fill my tag this year, yet I still feel that I had success during my time afield. I had a buck bed down about 100 yards from me for over an hour, on the same day I had 2 doe within 30 yards and they didn't even know I was there (...even after the wind changed & they ended up directly downwind of me instead of crosswind like they started out!) On the 2nd to last day of the season, I had 4 doe about 45 yards out without detecting me. That was awesome being able to observe the deer at that range going about their normal patterns. I agree that a person's hunting objective changes with age. I remember when I 1st started hunting, I was out to fill my tag. Period. That lasted until after I shot my 2nd deer. I've always enjoyed spending time afield scouting, observing, etc, and I won't shoot a deer just to shoot one. Now I'm of the mindset to shoot a mature deer that meets my qualifications, which for a buck is going to be one with a nice big body, yet the horns will also have to meetmy standards. My husband has a decent set of horns at home that my we both use for a standard "shoot it if the body is big" unless we need some meat in the freezer. Then the antler size doesn't matter as long as the body size is good. Now, the buck that I had bedded down that I spoke of earlier, would have been a shooter if I needed meat in the freezer...I did not shoot him for 2 mainreasons: 1)I didn't really need the meat 2)no shot was offered. Now, I'm not out to trophy-hunt every year, but I think it is more of a challenge to shoot an older, mature deer, buck OR doe (those doe aren't stupid!) than it is to shoota young 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 year old deer, and therefore more exciting to pit yourself against nature's best as you gain more information as you age.
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Old 11-21-2005, 03:38 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I would have to say in being honest that until I finally took a decent size buck that yes it was a sign of success ...but as I have got older and have a few bucks under my belt I have realized that there is MUCH more to the hunt then the kill. I don't want you guys to getall misty eyed on meby saying this but I feel I have been successful on a hunt when I just get to spend time in the woods and spend time with special friends I hunt with. I like to shoot just like anyone else but now if I just get to see a deer I feel its a succesful hunt ...DAYum am I getting OLD or WHAT???

dd


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Old 11-21-2005, 04:42 PM
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I hunt for the meat. I really like all the wild game and have no favorite. I will shoot a doe 99 percent of the time because I don't see the point of shooting a buck unless it is a real MONSTER Trophy animal. Shooting a buck just to say I shot a buck makes no sense to me. I prefer the meat from the does. Filling the tag is not a factor to me either. I hunt for the meat and the company of hunting friends and a week at the deer camp. Many good times have been shared at the old country school house turned deer camp. Now and the you may even hear someone get a bit careless with the truth but its all good fun and I look forward to it like almost nothing else in life. Hope you all enjoy this time of year as much as I do and may you be blessed with the kind of friends I have come to know while sharing this sport of deer hunting.
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Old 11-21-2005, 06:19 PM
  #10  
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Default RE: does killing a deer mean success?

I guess it just depends on your personal definition of success!
Some people like meat, some the trophy on the wall, and others like it both ways!
To some meat hunters, "game management," may mean absolutely nothing! And that is their legal right!
To others, they may not even want the meat, just the trophy! And that too is OK, as long as what's killed is eaten by someone!
Personally, I like both! But the older I get, I'd just as soon fill the freezer with does, and go for better bucks!
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