GMMAT

So what happens when the guy takes his entire vacation and hunts every day.....and doesn't get it done.

He's "failed"?

Sorry, guys. I put as much into this as most......and I was telling my wife, yesterday.....there's an element of "luck" involved. The difference between that buck that you might see once or twice a season being harvested ......or still out there.....can be determined by a sappling (no shot opportunity)......happenstance (happened to take 'your' trail, that morning)or 5 yards (out of your effective range).

I'm not taking anything away from anyone.....but there IS luck involved.

Scott....This is an informative post....and it makes us think twice about spouting "excuses". I'm all for accountability.

Good question. This is my personal preference. If I can't shoot the buck I'm after (the old bull)....or a larger racked buck than the one I shot last year.......I just personally don't think I'll shoot a buck. I don't see the point (again....MY personal preference). I could always see one, this Fall....and change my mind on the spot.....but I don't think so.

I appreciate that. I guess I can only surmise that he was. I kept a trail cam up all Summer. I was in the woods a lot. I saw most of the bucks in my area on multiple occasions. I just never saw one any bigger. I talk to my neighbors a lot, too. A couple of them were telling me of a "big" deer. When I showed them the photo of him.....they all said he was the one. I'm being honest when I tell you.....people around here don't see large racked (not that mine was) bucks, too often. My wife saw her first one, last year (in the wild). She grew up 1/2 mile from where we live, now......and deer are abundant, here. The lack of antler MASS is what's missing, here. Our soil is not what yours is. The deer, here, don't get the nutrients they need to be able to grow massive racks. So.....a person could see a buck, here, and not even see the antlers. When a buck has enough head gear to be noticed from afar, here.....people take notice.

I can't say for "sure" he was the biggest. I guess that sounds pretty self-assured. But...I can truthfully say that ....if he wasn't.....I'd be surprised. I guess no one could make that statement with total confidence.

Point taken.

MDBUCKHUNTER

Our property is part of QDM and we only take bucks that are a certain size.

If you are a first year hunter...you can take anything that passes by. Once you have shot your first deer, then the system is enforced.

I shot my first deer in 1996 (doe). This year I passed up two does, a nice 8pt and never had the 13 pointer come close enough.

I would say don't pass judgement on people until you know their situation.

Just my thoughts.

davepjr71

Were I grew-up in PA and did most of my hunting a 6 pt was often the best deer you could ever hope to see. Also, there used to be rules in affect that when you shot 1 deer you were done. I went many archery seasons without taking a shot due to the old rules.

As for as rack size goes. I'll pass on smaller bucks but I'm not basing rack size on if it will make the P&Y or B&C. Six points or more and I'll shoot it. I'm lucky if I can hunt archery 10 to 15 times a year with my schedule.

HuntingBry

Man, I remember those days in PA. A lot of times where there were does within range and knowing if I dropped the hammer I'd miss out on buck camp. Those were some backward thinking times, which unfortunately still linger with some hunters here. Things are getting much better though.