skinnnner

i appolagize,i read the question again and i seen you were mostly refureing to hunting shows and the impression it may give a new hunter,i agree some of these shows do give the wrong impression and one that may just end up disapointing a new hunter once they enter the real world of hunting.but i have also seen shows where the focus was on deer management and teaching new hunters about the sport,when it comes down to it education is key.but these are things that shouldnt be learned from hunting shows.are hunting shows the reason you started hunting?if so your hunting for the wrong reasons,these shows dont show the other 90%of the hunt.just the highlights.

Alsatian

Perhaps some of the focus on big racks may be attributed to the abundance of deer these days. As some have already said, if just taking a meat animal was the objective, the hunt would be over by 8 AM opening day: what fun would that be? I believe it is definitely the case that hunting bucks with bigger racks is different than hunting does and/or hunting young bucks with small racks. These mature bucks offer a substantially higher order of challenge. I think you are probably going to be disappointed watching hunting shows on TV, for a variety of reasons.

I don't happen to define my goals in terms of rack size. I will say I prefer to hunt on an area without food plots and without feeders. I like to hunt from improvised ground blinds not from tree stands, not from artificial or constructed blinds. I'm generally as happy taking a doe as a buck. When I take a buck, I save the horns and mount them myself, no matter what the size, along with a commemorative brass plate describing the particulars of the hunt. Sometimes -- even more often than not -- I take my deer on opening morning, but not always. I guess if it was 80% probability that I would finish opening morning I might look for a different challenge, but I haven't gotten there yet. I have begun elk hunting near tree line in Colorado, and I can see myself dropping deer hunting by preference for the mountain elk hunting.

Mr. Longbeard

I might be wrong but I'll bet you hunt mostly public land huh???

Because most of these people you are talking about are hunting prime private land and big racks are the norm...

Gunplummer

I dunno, when we were younger, people used to pile into cars on a Friday or Saturday night and just drive around spotting deer with a light. It was actually a family thing here back then. Seemed like most everybody got excited when we saw a big rack. Fascination with big racks is nothing new.

doetrain

Mr. Longbeard, I hunt some private, some public land.The private land is 185 or so acres in 2 different areas in a some what urban area,there are houses scattered around the boundries and a subdivision in the front portion.The public land is the Hoosier National Forest which holds some really nice Does and Bucks. The biger Deer seem to lay back in some pretty rough terrain which would make recovery a job sence they do not alow 4 wheelers in the area I hunt. During Muzzle Loader season I plan on hunting these deeper more open areas with high ridges and deep valleys in the hope that the longer range shots will give me an opportunity to bag a more mature animal be it Doe or Buck. The terrain behind my buddies place is very beautiful to sit and enjoy he has 17 acres which butts up to the forest area which has potential. I am very fortunate to have a few private areas to hunt so I'm doing my best as a new hunter to pick good spots to hunt. I try to find food,water and cover for beding areas and then pick a good place to set up for the hunt. For the most part in our area the Bucks which are most plentiful are spikes to 8 pointers with the smaller basket racks. But the big ones are in these areas as well I'm sure because I have seen them a time or two.

*twodogs*

When I was younger it was brown and down. Now that I'm older and primarily bow hunt, I let the 2-3 yr olds pass. Does go in the freezer first then I target a mature buck. I was successful two years ago, hit a nice one last year but the shot was too far back and after 3 days of trying, I never recovered him.

It was still a great year for me because just being out in the woods and watching it wake up in the morning is something very special to me. I think that's what hunting shows today lack - an appreciation for the outdoors - which is why I quit watching them long ago.

anglingarchitect

We all need to take this to heart, allow others the liberty to hunt as they see fit as long as it's legal.

NEBRbruiser

AMEN!! A statement I use quite often and it relates to many things in life "To each their own". Some people need not be so quick to judge someone until they realize there are many different views of life.

WNYhunter

"To each their own" that is right. Now, I don't care if you shoot a spike the first 5 minutes into opening morning. If that deer makes you happy, I am happy for you. The hunting shows, well you have to take them with a grain of salt. I like to watch them, but I am not impressed at all when a hunter leaves his nice house in his nice sub division and gets put into a stand at so and so outfitters and shoots a 170" deer. But if you take that same guy, and he goes down the road to state land and kills a 70" 6pt, how long do you think he is going to be on tv? but, as sad as it is. Thats alot more realistic but it won't sell.

And wait till this year, someone will post a pic of their deer and someone will do the old "why did you shoot him yada, yada, yada"

PY Antlers

I disagree with the hunting for enjoyment statement. Granted hunting now days isn't as much for survival as it was 30-35 years ago. Yes I get a lot of enjoyment out of being in the wood's bowhunting, but I'm in the wood's bowhunting to get 2 or more does in the freezer of which I usally have done by the middle of Oct.. No, I will not shoot an immature buck, I will take a mature buck, so I suppose I am a trophy hunter. I grew up hunting and we hunted so we had something to eat and to this day, I hunt so I have something to eat, period.