mobow

One of Webster's definitions of "consistent" is "reliable, steady." When I think of someone who consistently kills mature bucks I think of someone who kills one at least every other year. Because, in all honesty.....someone who can kill one every 2 years most likely had a chance on the "off" year. Someone who can reliably kill one has their opportunities every year. Just because they didn't connect on a given year could be a lot of things. Perhaps they just didn't see one that met their standards, or....perhaps they had a shoulder injury.

Anyway, the short answer would be every 2 or 3 years.

GMMAT

This is a great question, Scott.

I don't feel qualified to answer, intelligently. I have been blessed, lucky or a combination of the two. My outlook "may" be a little rosy.

I feel like (again) hunting is very personal. What one man passes on......another may be seen as "successful" for taking. There are guys who would have passed on both deer I've taken (that some would call "mature").

I feel like you and Gary had great seasons in '07......and I don't think they represent anything short of "successful" years. I see plenty of those in my future.

If I had to pose an opinion, though......I'd have to say a "successful" "mature buck" hunter would harvest a mature buck at least once every 3-4 years. That doesn't make the "off" years "unsuccessful", though. Those years are a vital part of the overall makeup of said hunter. I think you'd have to look at the overall......and less at the single year outcome(s).

Just my .02.

Vabowman

Very well thought through and put Jeff,one of the best responses yet.

Schultzy

Buckeye your on a role lately with your threads, I like your threads though, keep them coming!! Everyone is different I guess on what they call a mature buck. Some say 3.5 and some say 4.5. I've only taken one 4.5 year old buck, I wish there was more then that but I see it getting better in the future. I've passed on easily a couple of handful's of 3.5 year old bucks that were in that 125" to 130" range, I won't take a 3.5 unless he's easily in the books. Every 4 to 5 years would impress me with someone taking mature bucks, anything under that is outstanding to me!!

Greg / MO

I agree a lot with what Kelly had to say... honest consistency is probably a bruiser every 2-3 years, though I think we mostly think of "every year"... though that's probably unrealistic. EVERY year at free-ranging, fair-chase animals puts someone into the elite of the elite ranks as far as I'm concerned. Even as successful a hunter as a GregH is has quite a few years between his first mature deer and his latest... though you'd be hard-pressed to not label him as consistent.

shed33

I consider a 4.5 year old and older mature. Where I live and hunt, a few bucks will get old due the big country and plentiful feed. With that being said I think a guy is consistent when he averages at least one mature buck kill every year, especially guys like myself that have "two" tags. I've had a couple seasons I killed two mature bucks making up for a season I didnt kill one. I want to end each decade from here on out with at least 10 mature buck kills per decade. I think its reasonable for where I live and hunt. Hunting free ranging wild whitetails in Idaho, public and private land either way..

When Rybo or Fran or anyone elsehunting undertheir type of equation,kills a 3.5 year old in PA.. where the pressure is so great the access is limited, I look at that as every bit as an accomplishment as me killing an 8 year old mountain buck...

Germ

I agree with Kelly