Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I was watching the OUTDOOR CHANNEL this morning and I finally had enough. I thought I was a trophy hunter before I started watching these shows. I am happy with 130" bucks or higher. I can't stand this 160" deer but he's not old enough so don't shoot stuff. My question is how many hunters out there (real world) actually sit there and say nope can't shoot that one; he's not 5 1/2? Come on. The deer hits 3 1/2 yrs old he's a trophy. What does everyone think? Also if you think this way, can you tell me if you're a land owner where you can grow your deer so I can add that to the equation?

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

130" buck is a trophy to me. I hunt mostly New England and a 130" is hard to get. Lots of those TV bucks are behind the fence.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Just like the ol' saying that "no matter how tough you are, there's always someone tougher".......No matter how big your trophy deer are, there's always someone who has bigger.......especially if they are hunting in some pen on the outdoor channel;)[:'(]. Rarely would I equate one of those shows to anything that real hunters would do.....or would even want to do. I don't watch that chit anymore.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I like watching the ones where they play tricks on each other. They stand a stuffed deer out in the field and let the guy burn ammo off at it!
I suppose if you hunt deer for a living, you could pick and choose a little more.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Just keep in mind that the vast majority of hunting shows are not the real world. ;)

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I've wondered that too but is it possible that they have an "agreement" with the land owners (or outfitter) to only shoot a 5+yr old buck? Besides, I'd pass up a 3½ year old buck if I knew there were several 5½ year olds out there.

However, where I hunt, I'm lucky to see the older, mature bucks. Personally, on the land I hunt, I would not pass up a 160" buck.....but if the land owner puts some restrictions on the deer then I would obey.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

A trophy is all up to your own standards. For me, if I won't put it on the wall then I'm not shooting it, in terms of a buck. If I need meat then I just shoot the does. I think if everybody would follow this method then people would see a lot more bigger bucks. After forking out $375, then people might become a little more picky on what they shoot. TV is just that TV. I wonder how many people would complain if they saw TV personalities shooting 100'-125' inch bucks? People would complain that they aren't letting them grow!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I'm rather proud of the fact that i have no idea what a 130" buck looks like. I've got a small piece of land and when i hunt it, i leave the big bucks alone so that my neighbors can hunt them.

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I have never been a trophy hunter or head hunter...........I hunt for the Love of the woods and meat it provides for the freezer!:)

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

If there weren't people out there shooting 3 year olds a lot more people would have those 160's to shoot...

That's just the reality of the matter...

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

The larger the rack the more money in my pocket! I grind all racks into powder and get $30-$40 an once...................So yes, I'm looking for a Bigggggg One!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I've never netted profit a single dollar from deer hunting.

Thanks for the attack though.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I hunt for meat and any deer is a trophy to me. At the same time state game departments should be in the business of controlling deer numbers and NOT worry about how large the bucks antlers are or could be. When you really get to the meat of the matter of trophy hunting, the only benefit it has is that it boosts a hunters ego and they then have something to show off and brag about. I don't see much else in it, really, other than maybe it becoming a BIG money business for some. Like large antlers on a deers head will really impress anyone other than some other hunters who also want something to show off and brag about. This trophy stuff is all such nonesense and of so little value when one really stops and thinks about it and is being totally honest.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

As far as shooting or passing on 130" deer, for me it depends on where I am hunting. On my place here in east Texas, a 130" buck is going to be 4.5-6.5 years old and be a trophy, but on my place in NW Oklahoma, I won't give a 120-130" buck a second look. That deer will be 2.5-3.5 years old and have ALOT of potential for future growth.

I have hit a point in my deer hunting that I won't even shoot a buck unless I intend to shoulder mount it. I shoot several does each year under my management program, so I will have plenty of meat without "wasting" a buck.

I absolutely HATE the Outdoor channel and get sick just watching their canned hunts. The personalities on the shows are actors and not hunters.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Meat in the freezer is my game plan. If it has antlers so be it. I've yet to harvest a deer I deem worthy of spending the dollars on to mount........maybe one of these days. I'm not one to get all worked up about going after a trophy.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

i don't want to shoot big bucks standing in a field at 2pm wondering what that loud noise is when i shoot....i don't want to have to hike 5 mi. to see a deer either or sit all day and see nothing . i like the penns woods show because it seems closer to matching my hunts( man drives ,running deer,hunting woods etc.)

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

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RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

That's what it all about for me also. I admit that I did get a few decent bucks mounted early on in my hunting, but now I probably wouldn't get a B&C head mounted. Trophy heads just ain't important to me anymore, if they ever really were. I rather have some venison in the pot than any dust collecting head on the wall. The simpler we keep our hunting the more enjoyable it gets!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Its not the fact they pass up 130' bucks, what really irritates me is the fact that all of these hunts are fenced hunts. This is my first year hunting and after about 4 hours of watching the outdoor channel to learn how to hunt deer i gave up because all they shoot are fenced in deer. I want to see these guys go out to public land and hunt. Teach me something other than if you have enough money you can shoot a big buck thats penned up.

Now my first deer will be mounted, doe or buck. If my first deer is a doe then i will mount my first buck. After that, unless it is a 10 pt or bigger it will not be mounted. I like the meat.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I am a trophy hunter also. I shoot every forked horn buck I see, and let the spikes walk!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Man! Id go hunting drops for 30.00 an ounce. Arround here they buy racks for 7-8 dollars per pound.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Furgitter, you have no clue why Deer Antler Powder brings$30-$40 an ounce!:eek:

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I am not stuck on the big buck ego driven phenomenon that everyone seems to get tied up to. I very rarely pass up any buck.
MEAT in the freezer works for me.
Yes I would be happy to get a big 130+ buck but am not out looking and waiting for that lucky moment to come. If it does great if not every deer I shoot is special

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

In lots of the situations they have no choice. If they take a deer off camera or a deer that is not 5 1/2+ then the trip goes from free (or really discounted ) to full price, and in some circumstances with a penalty. Often I pass on young bucks. I did take one last year that was only 3 1/2 but he was the exception and not the rule. I normally try for 4 1/2 or older.

-john

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Thanks for the attack![8D]

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I love being in the woods, grew up in them. But I'm still very selective on the bucks I harvest. Thats only due to the areas I have been able to hunt. Oklahoma and Ohio, there is no reason to shoot a small buck. Shoot a doe for meat.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I love being in the woods, grew up in them. But I'm still very selective on the bucks I harvest. Thats only due to the areas I have been able to hunt. Oklahoma and Ohio, there is no reason to shoot a small buck. Shoot a doe for meat.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Im not in deer hunting for money or ego, so i don't have 2b persnickerty. Sure, i would like to have a hawg 180 pt lope by my stand as much as anyone, but the adrenilin rush on drawing my bow is what gets me in the tree anyway, not a deers possible score!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I get that same rush just having them walk under me regardless of size. I don't need to draw to get that rush, I also feel good about letting immature bucks walk. More of a I could have had you feeling. Archery season is so long there is no need to get antsy and draw on the first set of bones you see. Let em grow. Shoot a doe for the dinner table.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

That wasn't an attack.

Thatis just a fact.

I could care less what you kill, I hunt nowhere near you.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

What did I miss Reb?

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Any deer that is taken legally with a good shot, harvested with a good track, ... can be a trophy . Depends on the hunters' point of view.
I love to eat venison and I find a 3-4 yr old mature doe to be a trophy.
I have taken a few bigger bucks that qualify as a trophy to most anybody's definition. They tasted poorly when compared to a younger deer.
I don't believe in dropping spikes or other immature deer, but I'm 54 and have had my seasons in the woods and understand a young hunter getting all twitchy fingered when an antlered buck presents itself early in a hunters career.
I understand the whole concept of outsmarting the older wiser buck...but the flavor of the younger farm does keeps me focused on that until I can get one in the freezer. Then the idea of a large buck can consume me if I've a mind for it.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Reb, is that powder what makes you such a powerful person?I guess I have to get me some of that mojo. Marko Polo don't mess with the king...you'll have about 106885 members mad at you.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

Well if your hunting a fairly large piece of property ..and you have a good long term lease or you own it ...you can afford to let the 160 3.5 year old buck walk because you know most likelyyou can hunt him next year and he will be larger ....now if your like 85% of us who are lucky justto have 100 acres to hunt on you would not wait you would pop a cap in his azz


dd

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

No, just an Erroneous Erection....:D:D:D

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

where im from if you see any legal buck whic is 4 points on one side and you dont shoot it, it will get shot when it goes over the next hill so anything with any size must be taken regardless of age because if you dont shoot it you will not see it again

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

10-4 Good Buddy!

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

I was gonna write out my response but it appears sjsfire already has...

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

This is another one of those age old questions that will probably never have a right or wrong answer. Only an opinion. I've shot small bucks when i was younger. But then i matured in my experience and let a 130" 8 pointer walk last year. I didn't care if i killed him or not. as a matter of fact i didn't even kill one last year.

RE: Real Deer Hunting??????
 

It's probably more about the "day" to me than the buck. I hunt simply to escape my desk, the cell phone, and the CrackBerry.

I have access to beef, so it's not about the freezer. I've taken my share of "decent" bucks, so it's not about the antlers.

Since I returned from Iraq, I've passed shots on every legal deer I've seen. I'll grant that most of them were "young", but my decisions have been made more from the perspective of "what a wonderful day to be out in the woods hunting." I hope to enjoy the same sense of relaxation this year.