Rtiny

I feel like everytime I hunt deer I have to harvest something..(that is if I see anything) When or if ever will I grow out of that stage. I have hunted deer once or twice in my early 20' s and now that I' m near 40, my sons want to hunt so I' ve started hunting deer again, but with them... But when will I not want to kill or shoot every deer I see....will I ever get to the so called Trophy Stage..and let them walk on bye. Oh I dont mind shooting doe' s either, I harvested around 12 deer since I' ve been hunting, my last buck was a nice 8 point, during muzzleloader season last year. (my first time hunting that season)...help or insite in to this would be appricaited...Confused.

Grizzlybear

Probably doesn' t help much, but I think it' s different for everyone. To me, hunting is not all about killing, and so I have no problem letting them walk (small bucks). I' ve been that way since I started though.

Rack-attack

I let everything walk - I wonder why I even bring a bow with me

Just do what makes you happy

skeeter 7MM

The first one is always the toughest For me I simply wanted more(Challenge, goals, etc) and hunting is so many things that harvesting is a result and not a required one to be considered a successful day or season. But the key element is you, you have to do what is right for you and make the adjustment to be more selective.(That may include a season or two of tag soup but if your doing it your seeing game(which is a success), your passing game(success) and gaining towards where you want to be (SUCCESS). Oh not to mention your spending time with your kids and enjoying their accomplishments/excitment (Priceless and SUCCESS). Just start weighting your days and season on different success rather than " I got my deer" .

Good luck!

SCRIDER1

You' re assuming everyone goes through the same " stages" . What you' re asking is really a psychological question that requires some self-analysis. Personally, I never had a stage where I wanted to kill any deer I saw. I did, at one time, take any legal buck I saw when I was young but I stopped that many years ago and started being patient and I have never regretted it. Ask yourself WHY do I want to kill any deer I see? Is it to prove something to someone else? Is it to prove something to myself? Is it because I like killing? What is it really? Getting to an honest answer to that question will help you make the decision you want to make when you have a deer in your sights. For me, I was taking any legal buck I saw back then because I felt pressure from my hunting buddies to be " succesful" . Now I dont care what they think because I know I' m a good, hardworking hunter...and they stopped giving me a hard time shortly after I got more mounts on my wall than they have
Good luck!

popeye

I went thru the shoot ' em all stage. I' m now more selective but I' m not a die hard trophy hunter either. I stopped competeing with the guys in camp. Who makes the first kill of the season, who takes the most deer, who takes the best trophy. I no longer care. I hunt for me; call it being more mature or experianced or more secure with my own ability. Hunting should be enjoyable. Do what makes you happy.

If you want to try to exercise some patients then try this mental game. Only shoot a deer that is bigger than the last one you shot. After you tag an 8 point then erase the slate and start over by shooting any legal deer. If you don' t fill your tag but see several nice deer your hunt is still a success!

Jimmy S

I think there are a couple things to consider here....Hunting years and Location of hunt. it seems there comes a time when one becomes more selective and may eventually become a true trophy hunter. This is usually done after spending many successful years deer hunting, when you can have the " been there.....done that" attitude. That is, if they can live with the fact that there may not be venison in the freezer during some years. Also, to me, where a person hunts is an important factor as well. If you hunt in states/provinces with high deer numbers then you may decide to hunt that big buck that has been leaving his sign everywhere. You have this luxury because if you decide to change your mind and want to take a smaller deer for the table, it may not be that difficult. However if you hunt some states where deer numbers are very low and you may go days without ever seeing a deer, then you may not be so quick to make the change. I think some folks work harder at tagging any legal deer than others do in tagging trophy bucks...it' s all a matter of what the area has to offer.

Duffy

Interesting to find this topic here today. I was out this morning and found that my focus was in finding a good spot for my daughter and or son to get a deer. I was also looking for an area where my wife might fill her moose tag. I would normally be looking for a monster buck for me at this time of year. I guess I am at least temporarily in a stage I had not thought of. I am wanting someone else to make a kill.

I will shoot the next white-tail doe I get a chance at so I have some venison in the freezer though.

Robin

Buckstopshere

Thought provoking Ritny,I' ll bet you' ll be a most welcome member to the board. I' m not at the trophy stage;I' ve never had a shot at a big one,so i don' t know how it would affect me. The young ones do taste better,however, I recently shot what appeared to be a doe, but turned out to be a button buck,and I did feel badly about it. At the same time. I' d rather have two does or two spikes than one big old buck with lots of points. I enjoy the butchering and food prep part along with the harvesting, so I guess i' m at the meat eating stage,more than the trophy stage, and there is always the thrill of the successful shot with any harvest.

Rtiny

Maybe I can get where I just let things walk, will work on enjoying the hunt instead of the hunt, hunting me ...Thanks