I killed my first back in 1970, a beautiful 10 point...I actually saw the deer while squirrel hunting...Dad gave me the afternoons off for a week (I worked for him after school)...Anyway, after a week, I killed him with my 22-250...

If I had stopped there, I sure would have missed a lot of fun...
I've now killed 300 or so, most of those were does but I still love going after a buck one on one...I remember my first with a bow (also a buck) and my first with a flintlock (also a buck)...While neither of them were 10 pointers, they were trophys in their own right...

i will shoot 130'' deer if thats what is there, if i know there are bigger bucks around i will hold off but when it comes down to the nutt cuttin last day im killin and grillin

I killed a buck that grossed 164 two years ago. Last year I killed one in the 135 range with a drop tine. It is a lot easier now to pass up smaller bucks, and I know I can kill does to fill the freezer. Actually it is a lot better knowing I have that trophy on the wall and I'm not pressuring my self to kill a trophy and when I see a nice buck in the 100-120 inch range, I can hope that if I pass on that deer, I might get a chance to kill him next year.

It would be a fun dilema to have but i would definately be able to shoot smaller bucks. I'm a 125" or bigger with a bow kinda guy.

This is my 3rd year hunting and have always had that dilemma. How big? I hunt in TN where we have a 3/Day bag limit on antlerless and 3 bucks a season. I shot and hung my first buck last year. Not big by any means but a really nice deer; was just proud of my first. I had let 3-4 walk simply because I second guessed myself. My friend (15 years of experience) said the best way to judge a deer is laying on the ground..lol. I am still selective but I hunt public land where if I don't shoot them someone else will. I learned that last year when I watched two yearlings lay under my stand all day. I saw the same two deer butchered a week later. I hunt for the joy of hunting. The trophies will come as a bonus.

I havent seen rodburners. can anyone give me a link?
For me I would shoot smaller but try to avoid the small uns. Just the shooters

My goal is success year after year.

If i put down a 3.5+ mature buck for 10 years straight, that would be an accomplishment. Im still working on the first.

i see young hunters that are dieing to kill a huge buck all the time. i tell them i hope they kill a monster one day,but that it won't be the same after they kill a few big ones. seems like the more big bucks i've killed i've had alittle less want to get after another one. i still love to deer hunt but its just not like it once was.

It hasn't changed much.. There aren't that many bucks like this one around here.. It was just one of those times where I was in the right place at the right time.. I would rather be lucky than good any day.... lol