How good should we be?
06-07-2007, 09:48 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 7,208
RE: How good should we be?
ok, 1. sorry for the big font, I'm just cutting and pasting out of word trying to be sneaky at work
GMMAT,
You bring up another good point of what constitutes "passing". I swear some guys "pass" on every deer that is seen that they don't shoot at.
GMMAT,
You bring up another good point of what constitutes "passing". I swear some guys "pass" on every deer that is seen that they don't shoot at.
06-07-2007, 09:49 AM
#12
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 40,167
RE: How good should we be?
I spent years hunting and learning, in other words sitting and waiting for the deer. Over the years and with help from some friends, I was able to get rid of the waiting and change that into watching the deer by upgrading my areas. From there, I've been able to upgrade/ narrow my hunting places to areas with big deer. Now if I could only get lucky enough for one of those big boys to wonder close enough so I can take the shot.
06-07-2007, 10:51 AM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Lima Ohio & Clarion Pa
Posts: 6,453
RE: How good should we be?
Why do we pass?? Why do we hunt??? Good questions. Some have had success, they have been down the road of shooting legal Bucks. Heck in my early years I took every legal buck I could. Then it became (for lack of a better word) easy. I started a No Spike Rule in Camp. Guys thought I was full of crap, when I told them I let a 4-6 point walk. Why? I can't explain it other than, I came to hunt! Then I got lucky or whatever and tagged a Great Buck..Man that will ruin ya for a while! I went a couple years thinking I'd not kill another unless it was bigger. WOW did I set my standards too high! So consequently I didn't get a Buck for a few years. Then I got one that was not bigger, but a very good buck none-the-less.
I guess it goes back to why do you hunt. The best buck I passed on the last 2 bow-seasons was within the first couple weeks of the season. I hunt in Ohio..I can only take 1 buck per year. If I tag out a week into the season, I've closed the door. It's over. The stories of the Giant roamingby the strip mine or over at Millers is all just chit chat..I'm outta the game! I wait too long..I'm an idiot..but I'm an idiot still hunting.
I also have the option of hunting Pa which I do..but that is a time commitment. It requires travel to our camp..time away from the family (2 young children) and thats not something I can easily do at this point in their young lives. It pains me to be away from them. So generally except a weekend or two and of course a family tradition of rifle season (again getting back to "easy" I tagged out this year on a 7 point 12 minutes into the season). I hunt mostly evenings in Ohio.
DO I think I'm better than anyone for passing deer? Of course not, But I'm also at a point where I've killed enough deer. I hunt for me..it's such a secure feeling to not, have to kill, to validate any part of your expirience.
I've shot bucks that I've regretted, just to fulfill my percieved thoughts of someone elses expectations and that brings no joy. So if I wait on a 160 or shoot an 80..there was a reason and that's something I'm proud of.
I guess it goes back to why do you hunt. The best buck I passed on the last 2 bow-seasons was within the first couple weeks of the season. I hunt in Ohio..I can only take 1 buck per year. If I tag out a week into the season, I've closed the door. It's over. The stories of the Giant roamingby the strip mine or over at Millers is all just chit chat..I'm outta the game! I wait too long..I'm an idiot..but I'm an idiot still hunting.
I also have the option of hunting Pa which I do..but that is a time commitment. It requires travel to our camp..time away from the family (2 young children) and thats not something I can easily do at this point in their young lives. It pains me to be away from them. So generally except a weekend or two and of course a family tradition of rifle season (again getting back to "easy" I tagged out this year on a 7 point 12 minutes into the season). I hunt mostly evenings in Ohio.
DO I think I'm better than anyone for passing deer? Of course not, But I'm also at a point where I've killed enough deer. I hunt for me..it's such a secure feeling to not, have to kill, to validate any part of your expirience.
I've shot bucks that I've regretted, just to fulfill my percieved thoughts of someone elses expectations and that brings no joy. So if I wait on a 160 or shoot an 80..there was a reason and that's something I'm proud of.
06-07-2007, 10:54 AM
#14
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan/Ohio
Posts: 11,682
RE: How good should we be?
06-07-2007, 11:06 AM
#15
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: How good should we be?
Germ:
That's good stuff. I found nothing in stage II that made me associate myself with it. It's never been about the "kill" or "numbers", for me. In fact....I'd bypass into the other stages and skip this one, entirely, if it were possible. I've got a mission this year, though.
Great read.
That's good stuff. I found nothing in stage II that made me associate myself with it. It's never been about the "kill" or "numbers", for me. In fact....I'd bypass into the other stages and skip this one, entirely, if it were possible. I've got a mission this year, though.
Great read.
06-07-2007, 11:06 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas and Arkansas
Posts: 1,496
RE: How good should we be?
I don't pass on legal deer with a bow, the same way I would if hunting with a gun. Too hard to get within bow range on most deer in my area. Of course, I hunt in a state where a buck has to have three points on one side to shoot.
06-07-2007, 11:23 AM
#17
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 88
RE: How good should we be?
We are all in it for different reasons. I have shot my share of small bucks and no choose to hunt mature deer. One thing I have learned the hard way it that you are never going to kill a trophy buck if you keep shooting littles one. I do not look down on the "brown its down" guys. I just choose to hunt differently.
06-07-2007, 11:24 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 2,849
RE: How good should we be?
ORIGINAL: rybohunter
The other thread got me thinking….yea dangerous I know.
You have guys who rarely if ever shoot anything because they are “waiting” on the right buck or the big buck. Are they setting their standards too high? Or are they making up BS cause they haven’t gotten anything? Does it make them feel like they are “better” than others and not getting one is ok, when “you hold out for one as big as they do”? Do you think new guys should set high standards, or should they shoot a few things to get experience?
Then on the other hand you’ve got guys who drop bucks every season. Big difference if they are dropping 140’s each year, or 80’s? If you reach a point of shooting one every year, should you keep raising the bar? What if you are shooting the top 1% class of buck for your area? Do you find a ‘better’ area?
So do you think there is a level of success rate ”as defined by a dead deer” that balances out?
The other thread got me thinking….yea dangerous I know.
You have guys who rarely if ever shoot anything because they are “waiting” on the right buck or the big buck. Are they setting their standards too high? Or are they making up BS cause they haven’t gotten anything? Does it make them feel like they are “better” than others and not getting one is ok, when “you hold out for one as big as they do”? Do you think new guys should set high standards, or should they shoot a few things to get experience?
Then on the other hand you’ve got guys who drop bucks every season. Big difference if they are dropping 140’s each year, or 80’s? If you reach a point of shooting one every year, should you keep raising the bar? What if you are shooting the top 1% class of buck for your area? Do you find a ‘better’ area?
So do you think there is a level of success rate ”as defined by a dead deer” that balances out?
06-07-2007, 01:09 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
RE: How good should we be?
I have killed my share of trophies and have killed at least one P&Y specimen from 4 different species, but I am not a diehard Trophy hunter. I simply enjoy Bowhunting. I enjoy killing animals and have killed XXX with a bow. The thing to remember is why did you start to Bowhunt? If you wanna be a Trophy hunter that's kewl, go for it, but remember and have fun. Never make a job out of it and you won't be near as likely toburn out.