7.62NATO

Other than having a nice set of antlers to put on your wall, from what I understand, the big deal about getting a massive buck is that, typically, he is so difficult to hunt ('cause he's lived so long and learned from so many experiences, and presumably had several close encounters with other hunters), giving you the challenge you're really after. So, I have a suggestion. Every time you see a big buck not quite big enough to take (yet), or just a smaller buck still on his way to maturity, you should get the deer's attention so that they see you (in a subtle enough way that you don't spook all the deer in the area). That way, they'll learn from their encounter with you, and be all that much smarter and harder to hunt by the time they get big enough! Is my logic off, here??

Terasec

disagree,
would think buck would be accustomed to humans and not perceive them as a threat,
more often they see/hear us less inclined they are to flee.

dpj1030

Hahaha this is a pretty Funny POST?

DocD

I don't think it is funny at all, in fact I think there is some logic to it, big bucks do not get big by accident, I know there are a lot of factors involved. I have seen big deer spooked by hunters (including myself) and the only other time I will see them the rest of the season is on the trail cams, they go completely nocturnal.I am of the belief that a young buck "cliped" by a hunter will become a big buck. ever try and run over a barn cat? animals can learn,jmop Doc

timbercruiser

When the rut hits they go nuts anyway.

GregH

I think it's a great idea. Pretty soon all the deer will be nocturnal and you won't see anything.

Really, they'll get smart enough on their own without any help from me.

MichaelH

I have a better idea. Place one of your sweaty, stinky workout shirts right next to a feeder. That way, any time they smell you, they come running thinking it's dinner time! LOL!

7.62NATO

I don't think a deer seeing you in a stand will become accustomed to your presence and not think of you as a threat. If you're worried about that, you could just give it a nasty-sounding growl to make sure he knows you mean him harm.

Actually, it was a bit of both. In jest 'cause I know no-one would do it just to make their quarry harder to kill in the following seasons, but I think the logic works. I'm kinda thinking that the biggest reason to let bucks go is so they get bigger, not so they get smarter.

Let's face it, if they had a choice between going after a 190" 5-year-old typical whose smarts scored 6/10, and an 8-year-old non-typical scoring 110" with some broken off tines but whose smarts scored 10/10, most hunters would pursue the younger, less savvy 190" buck. Point being, no matter what people say, it ain't all about the challenge. Though, I do think that there would be a very, very small percentage of hunters that would see and pass the 190" and go after the older boy (let's say it was one they'd been after for years, and they only had one buck tag).

I like that idea. Maybe add some brown-striped underwear in case you have gas while you're up in the stand.

MizzouMonster

Nato, personally, I think the older bucks are hard enough to hunt as it is.

UPHunter08

Sometimes. The bucks that become accustomed are usually the first to get nailed during the next deer season. The ones smart enough to associate hunters with danger live to see another day.

I had a park ranger verify this for me regarding problem bears in a state park near me. He said that problem bears are typically only a problem for one summer, because they're the first to walk into some guy's bait pile come bear season.