treboryerf

Yeah I also will shoot what makes me feel good.Sometimes I think we as hunters worry about shooting a trophy buck,and thinking back on some of most fondest hunts have been the killing of a wary smart old doe.I have been busted many more times by a doe than a buck.I do let deer walk both does and bucks a lot of it depends on my attitude at that particular moment.If I've been hunting hard and not seening anything then i may shoot the first deer that gives me a good shot and I feel relly good about it.Then sometimes I like to just sit and watch the deer and let them pass.

Matt/TN

Well that's alot to answer.


As far as QDM goes. There will be ALOT of does taken this year. and as far as bucks go, I'm not saying I'm going to be shooting yearlings left and right. If I shoot a buck under 3yr old I will ONLY kill 1. The does taken this comming year will outnumber the bucks.


As to why I'm sitting in a deer stand. If this was a spot I had to worry about stinking up I wouldn't be sitting in one. You would have to see my hunting spot to understand. There is a house on one side of me, 150yds away. Another house about 200yds away. The landowners kids ride 4 wheelers through the woodlot a few times a week. There are occasionally dogs passing through. My spot really reminds me of GMMAT's without the herd density of his place. Deer become accustomed to human smell. I think in some cases it's hard for you to understand what some of us hunt. Like GMMAT and myself for instance. I'd say your place you hunt is pretty remote, big bucks, and you HAVE to worry about overhunting stands, stinking your place up and so forth.

IL-Cornfed

I bet there are a lot of folks rigt now that arepretty excited about having a guy that will shoot a yearling on their TEAM! [8D][&:]

As I've mentioned, shoot what you like, it's YOUR tag. I simply challenge folks to rase the bar a bit instead of complaining that there are no big bucks around. Good luck

mobow

My bar was raised the other day when I saw the drop tine buck......No other buck on that farm will do now.

Matt/TN

a 6pt here is a solid 2yr old. A yearling here in most cases is a spike or a fork. Deer since varies ALOT from the cornbelt to the Appalachians. Here it may take a deer 4yrs to break 100"

Arrowmaster

A yearling is a deer that was born this year. There is no question about that. Most hunters have a hard time telling a yearling buck from a doe. Unless they know what they are looking at. A 6pt is usually a 1.5 year old deer. Its all about the genectics. I have never seen a spike or fork yearling. If I ever seen a spike or fork yearling I would say that buck will be a trophy at 3.5 years of age. In my 29 years of hunting Ive never seen a spike or fork yearling. I think your confusing a yearling with a 1.5 year old deer...

Matt/TN

A yearling SHOULD mean a year old deer. Hence the name, YEARling.



Yes I meant a 1.5yr old spike/fork. A general 2.5yr old is a 6pt here. Pics to follow.



1yr old here.





average 2yrd old

Arrowmaster

A yearling is a deer that was born this year. Ask any of the hunters here. Yes a 1.5 year old deer can be a spike,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 etc. Its all about the genectics, and food source. ive learned to much over the years and know what Im talking about here... Not trying to argue about this...

Matt/TN

I agree I have said the same thing before about a yearling and only to have someone say that a yearling is a deer that is a year old. Not trying to argue either, you are much older and wiser than I

manuman

I have a higher standard than most that I hunt with, but it isn't something that needs to be pushed on others. The true spirit of the hunt that entails more than just a set of horns or engineering the production of a 'shooter' via 'management' techniques that go way beyond the QDM intent, has somehow gotten lost . Passing smaller , younger bucks, and achieving a realistic and natural buck to doe ratio(which when it is put at 1 to1 is not natural or healthy) along with proper land management, which does not have to mean converting the majority of your land into food plots,is somewhat different than the trophy only mentality. Itis a matter of preference and ones expectations, which are sometimes realistic and many times not. Those that are just as excited over a spike have my blessings and if taken legally and ethically, no one should bust their chops over it. Everyones goals and level of pure joy of the hunt may not be the same, and there is something refreshing about those who have not lost sight of hunting itself as being enjoyment enough. I have higher standards, which entails no over management, food plots or anything else that takes away from the pure wilderness experience that makes hunting menaingful and enjoyable to me. I am looking for an older class animal, and an adequate balnace between buck and doe harvest, but I am not going to restrict my enjoyment to the expectations of others. I shot a 4 1/2 year old 4 point that weighed 180 lbs on land that holds a population of about 8 deer per square mile, has very steep and rough terrain and has very poor genetics and food sources. ButI hunted him, and took him under tough circumstances, which gives me a great deal of satisfaction , regardless of rack size. There are those of us who still place value in the hunt part of hunting as opposed to the farming aspect. No probs at all for those who do, but it isn't for all of us. I wantto go natural, undisturbed as possible and appreciate the surprises of what the land naturally yields along with me doing my part to be a good steward of the land with the principles of QDM in practice, without having to manipulate the land to satisfy my cravings for only one narrow target. My time effort and energy go into scouting as opposed to food plot building. I find natural food sources which change as the season progresses making it my assignment to stay in touch with deer patterns changing from food sources to prerut haunts, and doe herds as the rut comes into play, and the to find the buck hideouts after the rut is over and food sources are scarce--allwithout letting them know that they are being pursued. That is my objective, and probably there are others who share it, but I don't or won't pressure others into my perspective or shame anyone into seeing it 'my' way.