jlm177

I was just hunting Sunday night and had 6 smaller bucks walk right to me. Each was within 15 yards. I was totally relaxed. I think it is awesome to let small bucks walk, think about what you have to look forward to in the years to come. I now have 6 oppurtunities in the next few years to kill wall-hangers, that is if noone else kills or hits my deer. Let em walk, kill the does, better eatin anyways.

DubsOnD

I've posted this before, but basically shoot whatever makes you happy, if you aren't happy w/ a small buck, then don't shoot it, if you are happy w/ a 2-3 pointer (4-6 for non SD residents) or even a button buck by all means shoot it if it's legalin your state, and don't ever let any opinionated person make you feel bad for it.

Talondale

I think part of it is the uniqueness and distinction that bigger bucks haveover smaller bucks. Does do not vary much in appearance from one to the next except in minor coloring differences and weight.It's hard to readily appreciate such minor variances.Likewise small antlered bucks are more common and often resemble each other, where as a larger buck is more unique.The range of what is a "Big" varies depending on what is more common in your area. It is similar to those of us who have collected shells on the beach. For someone visiting an ocean beach for the first time the common clam, oyster,and scallop shells are interesting and worth collecting, but for those who've been to the beach often they don'tdesire those shells as much as the less common welchs, conchs, sand dollars, and such. Also, if all you are looking for is shells to make a pathway with than any shell will do, since your purpose ispurely utilitarian.

As far as videos are concerned I think they are mostly voyaristic affairs. Very few are informative or relevant to most hunters. I still watch them and I try to keep a perspective of what I should expect on my hunts in the back of my mind. That's one thing I liked about the earlier videos was that they were more instructional rather than go to this place and pay $10k and see what we see. I really respected Roger Raglin for that. He had a tip as the topic of each tape usually and often hunted on public land. He even took a record buck from the National Forest here in VA on one tape.