loogout1

After reading jmbuckhunters quest. about 40 or 80 acres, it made me wonder. I hunt in a suburban/rural area with a lot of open land, all private though. Big estates, horse farms, undeveloped acreage, etc. The properties I hunt(10-50 acres)all abut other private land that may or may not be being hunted. Are my efforts to grow bigger bucks, by passing on the younger deer, pretty much useless? I've been doing this for probably 4-5 years now and have not really seen any change in quantity or quality of mature bucks. In fact, this year I have only seen one "shooter" buck on one of my properties. Any opinions?

Ben / PA

If you don't pass them then they definately don't make it. I used to prescibe to the theory (years ago), that if I don't shoot, the neighbors will. I have trigger happy neighbors, but they can shoot them all and they don't always hit what they shoot at. Chances are, the people that aren't practicing QDM near you, aren't quite as dedicated to getting in front of a the bigger bucks as you may be. Let em go and give it some time. Good luck, its not an easy thing to do but it will pay off if you stay with it.

loogout1

Even if it didn't produce more and/or bigger deer, I wouldn't shoot the young bucks. Like you said if you shoot it, then it definitely wont get bigger. I wont shoot anything thats not bigger than what I already have, but I was still wondering if my actions will really make a difference.

hillbilly archer

Pass em. I always here that around here, "if I dont shoot em someone else will". But I would guess that 50% of the small bucks I see are not killed by other hunters.Just because you don't see them again doesn't mean someone shot them. They get smart, move at night, move off, etc.

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