What do you consider a big enough white-tail.
 

Now I'm not a rookie or anything but I am curious as to what people from different areas consider as a minimum B&C score for a shooter buck. Obviously it'll depend on personal preference, but I am curious. And wouldn't mind doing some statistical work which has probably been done already.

Honestly I think often B and C scoring is a crock. If you want to improve the herd you shoot the deficient Bucks and not the best Bucks.

I generally cull them in the second year, old enough so you have an idea of what they may turn into and big enough to provide a good portion of meat.

I have a buddy, with a large lease, who has over a hundred trophies he has taken over the last couple of decades, his lease has nothing but runts now. The only time he ses a good Buck is when one of his neighbors Bucks wanders in during the rut.

My lease now is relatively small, but has some deep old woods with hidden glens, bordered by farmland. Many of my Bucks are exceptional. My Doe's run half again as large as my buddies Bucks in the same age group.

I'm not against trophies, but seriously the mid aged Bucks aren't the place to hunt IMO, inbred, obvious culls (knock knees or deformities) or aged Bucks are the ones you want.

IMO there is smart hunting and trophy hunting. Sometimes they are the same, most times they aren't.

B&C White-Tail minimum is the same everywhere, it has nothing to do with personal preference i think it's 170 for typical and 195 non typical, just look up the B&C site it will tell you. Now are you asking what guys consider a shooter on there hunting grounds maybe what is a minimum for QDM?

I'm talking just for you, personally. As what you would be willing to shoot if hunting for a trophy and not for meat. People have different standards based on what is available to them, and I'm interested in the diversity.

And Mudderchuck, I've found the best way to control or at least influence deer "quality" per-say is to not shoot does. At all. Ever. One buck can breed multiple does, and one doe can fawn 5-20+ in a life-time. Most does are bred by the dominate bucks from the area which are usually large-big bodied and heavy horned. Even if the doe spawns another doe it will carry genetics for large antlers. There is obviously multiple variables in place that will play key roles in determining your deer quality, but I try and shoot a 4-6 year old buck every single year, and my local population doesn't seem to be hurting any, I could've shot a dozen 130-140" class deer in the first couple days and some of them were still quite young.

Guys around here that practice QDM want the rack to be about a 16 inch inside spread thats out to the ears when they are pointed out. Of course some big bucks racks grow up with inside spreads under 16 inches so they use there judgement. If i'm hunting there property i respect there rules. But personally i'm mainly a meat hunter i shoot whatever's legal including does. Now i do like big racks also and if i know a big buck is in the area i might target it, especially during bow season. By the way Tikkachu i saw your nice buck in the other thread congrats and welcome to the site.

Legal buck = Shooter buck for me. I don't care one whit about what a deer scores. I now hunt for meat and will not hesitate to pull the trigger on a young buck. Matter of fact, I prefer to shoot does and leave the bucks to those that are obsessed with bone. I've yet to see an antler that was edible.

Antlers are edible flags....to rodents. What I like are all the meaty parts. Antlers when i get them go on a pile in the basement while the meat takes a prime spot in one of the freezers. Just the way it is for me.:confused0024:

There's only so much meat a person can use...last year we came back with 13 whitetails, bucks and does.

I'll be picky on the buck tags and only shoot "good" bucks. I don't have a magic inch number to achieve since I've never scored a buck or cared enough to get one scored. But I'll shoot one to put on the wall before one just for meat.

Up by us in the northland, deer don't come so easily, and if a tough winter is on the horizon, the most sensible thing to do for an antlerless tag is shoot a fawn. They run 70 pounds or so by us, so there is still some meat. If it is a hard winter, these small deer are the first to die from starvation. I feel better if they are in my freezer then feeding crows. Hunting for meat is part of my family heritage back from days when it was not an option - and I still think highly of the concept.

I agree with flags, it is body size with me that I look for, preferably a big fat doe.