Antler craze
06-06-2008, 10:43 AM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,139
RE: Antler craze
ORIGINAL: Siman08/OH
See im opposite magic, I would rather take a few does and a small buck. Thats just because i need to build up my experience and become a better hunter IMO.
And im not trying to boost my "ego", im trying to become a better hunter for my own personal gratification.
See im opposite magic, I would rather take a few does and a small buck. Thats just because i need to build up my experience and become a better hunter IMO.
And im not trying to boost my "ego", im trying to become a better hunter for my own personal gratification.
06-06-2008, 10:47 AM
#22
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chatham, Ohio
Posts: 8,834
RE: Antler craze
You kinda have to in order to be successful. Around here alot of people kill big bucks and if you keep trying to out-hunt everybody then your going to get sidetracked onto the wrong path. Their are alot of tress passers and people who "poach" deer to get recognition. Im more on the path of trying to be a good and successful hunter. Shooting bigger bucks are a nice side-effect
06-06-2008, 10:51 AM
#23
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 899
RE: Antler craze
I want a buck that just stands for maturity.
3.5 is mature enough, that they are hard to kill. The real gems come at 4.5 and 5.5.
I would shoot a 6.5 or 7.5 way before I shot a 3.5. To me, it is about the maturity. Antlers are just way to "gauge" or "estimate" the age of the animal.
I feel like I have a good idea of what I am doing in the woods, I want to shoot a deer that does the same!
3.5 is mature enough, that they are hard to kill. The real gems come at 4.5 and 5.5.
I would shoot a 6.5 or 7.5 way before I shot a 3.5. To me, it is about the maturity. Antlers are just way to "gauge" or "estimate" the age of the animal.
I feel like I have a good idea of what I am doing in the woods, I want to shoot a deer that does the same!
06-06-2008, 10:53 AM
#24
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chatham, Ohio
Posts: 8,834
RE: Antler craze
ORIGINAL: ICALL2MUCH
I want a buck that just stands for maturity.
3.5 is mature enough, that they are hard to kill. The real gems come at 4.5 and 5.5.
I would shoot a 6.5 or 7.5 way before I shot a 3.5. To me, it is about the maturity. Antlers are just way to "gauge" or "estimate" the age of the animal.
I feel like I have a good idea of what I am doing in the woods, I want to shoot a deer that does the same!
I want a buck that just stands for maturity.
3.5 is mature enough, that they are hard to kill. The real gems come at 4.5 and 5.5.
I would shoot a 6.5 or 7.5 way before I shot a 3.5. To me, it is about the maturity. Antlers are just way to "gauge" or "estimate" the age of the animal.
I feel like I have a good idea of what I am doing in the woods, I want to shoot a deer that does the same!
06-06-2008, 10:54 AM
#25
Site Buck Guru
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,922
RE: Antler craze
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
That's just an incredible little woodlot. Kudos to you for getting in there. I think you said you saw 7 bucks in one sitting int here, last year. That's incredible (comparatively), to me.
The reason I've increased my goal to 145+ is because they are there. There are not nearly as many of them, but they are there. I may see between 1-3 per season. To me, it is another step up the ladder just as it was when I started holding out for mature bucks from 125 and better. I know it lessens my chances but it has also taught me patience. For the last three seasons this patience has paid off with 147, 126 and a 173 (gross) bucks. In '06 I had my chance at a solid 150+ 8 pointer but missed. I mistakenly shot the 126 (weird double beam 9 point) later in the season thinking it was a clean 5x5 I'd been seeing. I'm still very proud of this. I have to be.......I vowed to myself a long time ago that I'd be proud of any buck I killed. One time, 16 years ago, I felt sad that the buck I killed wasn't as big as I thought it was. I immediatly became ashamed of myself and swore to never let that happen again.
It's really not a little woodlot. It's more like a 40 acre piece in the middle of a 6ooo acre Farm.
06-06-2008, 11:10 AM
#26
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Antler craze
GMMAT,
It's really not a little woodlot. It's more like a 40 acre piece in the middle of a 6ooo acre Farm.
It's really not a little woodlot. It's more like a 40 acre piece in the middle of a 6ooo acre Farm.
06-06-2008, 11:24 AM
#27
Site Buck Guru
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,922
RE: Antler craze
The entire surrounding land is owned by a large farm. If you look at the big picure, it is a 40 acre piece in the middle of a 6000 acre piece. Although my 40 acre piece may only have 12-15 acres of woods on it, I don't think the deer know where the property lines are. They probably pretty much view it as one big expanse. I do too, especially when trying to figure out deer movement.
06-06-2008, 11:31 AM
#28
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Antler craze
The entire surrounding land is owned by a large farm. If you look at the big picure, it is a 40 acre piece in the middle of a 6000 acre piece. Although my 40 acre piece may only have 12-15 acres of woods on it, I don't think the deer know where the property lines are. They probably pretty much view it as one big expanse. I do too, especially when trying to figure out deer movement.
But....my best woodlot....when it comes down to it....is about 5 acres. No shame in that. It's produced and so has yours.
Good luck this year.
06-06-2008, 11:45 AM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,241
RE: Antler craze
Guys I guess it is easier for me to think what I want to say but not type it. I have been on other sites and I see these 15/16/17 year old kids basicly talking about 150 class bucks like water. IE. I sawa 150 today or I haven't killed a buck with my bow yet but I am holding out for a 145 or bigger. I don't even know if they know what a 145 or 150 looks like it is only because video's and guys on sites talk about 150's so much that now 120 and 130 is a thing of the past. I know I use it to describe my own deer but these guys are just talking and it bothers me that maybe we are setting our selfs up for to take a fall because we all use numbers to much!! Does that make any sence??
06-06-2008, 11:53 AM
#30
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Wisconsin and Canada
Posts: 2,415
RE: Antler craze
Good topic Walt and I have to agree with Todd's thinking. To me its just as much about the age of the deer as it is the rack size. I was telling Joey a story last night about some sheds we've found off of deer multiple years in a row up here. If you only found them one year, you'd swear they were 1.5-2.5 yr olds. But after collecting a few years worth of sheds you realize they are from a 4.5-5.5 yr old and would only score 80". The problem is, its the rack size thats looked at as the trophy and not the challenge of killing a more mature deer.
Though, I guees I'm a little guilty....if I see that buck walk by this year and he's only 80-90", yet I know hes 4.5-6.5 years old, I still won't shoot him.
Though, I guees I'm a little guilty....if I see that buck walk by this year and he's only 80-90", yet I know hes 4.5-6.5 years old, I still won't shoot him.