gospel!!!.

Using rack size as a measure of success is not how I was raised as a hunter or what I have passed on to my sons. It goes against everything I was taught as a young hunter.

I was taught to appreciate and respect the game hunted, try to understand as much as possible about the animal, enjoy those times in the deer woods and put together a strategy and game plan based on scouting to help increase the opportunity for success.

If one of us tags a beautiful, big old buck, that's great - no doubt. But if another in our group drags out a legal doe after days of hunting, success has also been achieved - no doubt.
For those who must kill a big racked buck to feel he or she is now successful, well, they are missing the true spirit of the hunt.

Success should be defined by each individual (lawful) hunter. I think it can change from hunt to hunt and season to season. Hunting isn't a means to an end, it IS the goal in many ways. To alot of people, getting out into the field and sucking in a breath of fresh air is success all on its own.

As long as I can stay above ground, I'm successful....lol. I'm perfectly happy with the three deer I've taken this season with my bow, rifle, and muzzleloader. The only person I have to satisfy is myself and I'm a happy man right now.

A successful hunter is not one who feels he has overtaken someone by tagging a larger deer, a successful hunter is one who takes a deer and feels pride in what he has taken. If people want to think that just because they can shoot 120"+ deer several times a season makes them a better, more successful hunter, then they can go hunt by themselves. "This year, I only shot two hundred-fifty class deer. I was dissapointed. What did you get?
"A doe. And I'm proud of it."
Rack size does NOT equal a successful hunter. If you have the opportunity to take one of these monsters, GREAT! But don't let it go to your head.
Lastly, an ethical hunter is, above all, the most successful hunter of all. I would rather not shoot at an animal that is in a position that I may cause injury or suffering to it, or potentially hurt another hunter in the woods. Creed of the hunter: "Ethics before Antlers"
BigBuck95

A successful hunter is a hunter who just has fun. Plain and simple.

i know quite a few "trophy hunters"......everytime they clean their deer , except one guy who is 76 years old, they are gagging and dry heaving and dont even know what the vitals look like in the deer, callin lungs livers and usually give the meat away.i dont even consider them hunters, they are just rack chasers. we are good friends and i bust their chops alot, but its all in good fun

Eh, gutting a deer is not something I'd ever call 'fun' but its not bad at all. Now a gutshot hog......(thanks dad, sure I'll handle it for you, no worries...)

When I got my buck this year it was my 8 yo daughter's first time so we played 'guess that organ'. It was instructive.

What's this? the heart? Very good.

Daddy, what's that? Umm...errr...that's his 'man parts'. Don't ask.

I shot 2 deer this year. Am I successfull? According to the big rack people the answer is NO. To my brothers in two other states who did not get anything I am sucessfull and they are happy for me. Success is in the mind of the hunter and those around him. In order to declare success a goal and a plan must have been created in your mind. If you carry out your plan and complete your goal then you are successfull. What was the goal??

If I'm after a trophy buck, then yes, I am gauging my success based on antler size. LOL! Nothing wrong with that either. It's no one's business as how I gauge my success and I don't concern myself how other's gauge theirs... as long as some clown don't press their standards on me, I'll do likewise.

Trophy bucks are a mature animal usually living at least 4 1/2yrs+ when hunted. Larger racks are harder to come by around here. I don't pursue them like I did in the past, but I've let bucks go that just barely missed the P&Y mark because I was looking for something larger. If someone shot any of those bucks I passed on and are happy with that, I'm happy for them as well!

If someone is tickled pink with a spiker, then I can't be more happier for them too, because being happy with your results is what it's about!

iSnipe