Bukmastr

My standards vary greatly dependent on where exactly I am hunting, when I am hunting and a host of other variables... On some heavy hunted public properties I will shoot a 2 year old, yet there are times and places where I will pass on a 3 1/2 year old 160 class 10 point and shoot a 140 class 5 year old 8 point... I really could care less what others think. Hunting is a personal thing. You have to set your own goals. I listen to others opinions, and weigh there thoughts, but ultimately its me who has to answer to myself for my decisions.

treboryerf

I guess it would depend on what kind of deer I'm seeing from the stand,since I have 3 buck tags I can shoot a smaller buck and then huld out for a larger buck if I want to,but I really don't have a min. that I will or won't shoot it really just depends on how my season is going and what mood I'm in when the opportunity presents itself to me.

HuntingBry

Very interesting response. I feel very similar to you. On some of the properties I hunt I am thrilled to see anything older than 1.5 years old. On others there are 2.5 year olds that I will pass without a second thought and a 3.5 or better is my objective.

Big Duane, you can call it horn porn all you want, but all you've proven is that you are a traditional elitist that feels that the stick in your hands makes you more of a hunter. Your opinion, and you're entitled to it. I respectfully disagree.

shed33

I am in a little different ball game than most here, I fill the freezer with elk, ANY elk makes me happy. I have a family to feed andmy wife and Idont like buying store bought meat unless we have too, which has never been an issue. Elk meat is flat out the best eating wild game I have had and I've grown up on it for 38 years.. Sure I have killed some big bulls but I am just as happy to killa cow. I hold out in the early season for a nice bull but once Oct hits, I kill what elk the good lord puts in front of me. Having elk here really allows me to focus on hunting older bucks and not needing to fill the freezer with several whitetails.

As for bucks, here in my home state were I can do all the scouting, patterning etc year around. I expect to kill a big mature buck every year, if I dont, its soley my fault.... period.When I travel out of state, I dont have as high asexpectations on caliber of bucksbecause Ihave not invested the time into scouting them like I can at home.I enjoy the new surroundings and just want tohunt "deer" more out of state than I do at home. I wouldnt kill a baby of course1.5's and 2.5'sbut I am fine with any buck that walks by that makes me happy or I'd shoot a doe on the last day, I'd be tickled. Here at home though I stick pretty tight to my goals and will eat tag soup if I have too, but that rarely happens (once in 26 whitetail seasons) if I do my homework everything usually takes care of itself.

HuntingEd

Mine have gotten higher everyyear... unfortunately I dont kill many bucks, but fill the freezers w/ nannies

virginiashadow

I will shoot does and good bucks only this year. My definition of a good buck for my personal standards is 8 points or better in most cases, or a 3.5+ year old buck. I kind of jumped the gun last year and arrowed a 6 pointer with a smallish rack. But thats ok, it was good practice for what was to come 10 days later in the form of an 8 pointer and it ate well.

Good post Shed33.

Big Duane

their choice, sure, and my choice to shoot a nubbin buck but me doing THAT bothers a LOT of horn porn loving hunters doesn't it ?

do you hunt with a recurve ?

here's a bit of reality - we're almost ALL elitists



HuntingBryhow do you feel about crossbows? how do you feel about me shooting a young buck with great potential for meat? how about me shooting the 180" buck you've watched all fall after its dropped its horns ... you ok with that ?

we're all elitists, from the compounders who think crossbows aren't bows to those who preach big buck QDM, the anti-baiters, the anti-doggers ... you name it, elitism exists and in full force... few hunters truly don't care how others hunt.

where do you fall is the question

me?

I shoot a recurve, today. Its a much much more difficult task to kill a deer with trad equipment than compounds. thats fact, no different than killing deer with compounds being harder than to kill deer with rifles.

shed33 you've injected the variable of difficult terrain/physicalness to the equation. I've done a lot of elk hunting, very successful elk hunting too and its much tougher with a trad bow than a compound, like I've said above.

I've got a muzz tag this year, the farther from the trailhead I hike, the pickier I'll be at shooting an elk

FOP23

My standards often change during the season. As most guys do, I start out with high standards in hopes of taking a mature buck. As pressure increases, scheduling conflicts arise, and my parental duties increase, I often times lower my standards. I would rather take a lesser deer in PA's archery season than during the rifle season.

GregH

I don't know any "horn porn loving hunters", the mature buck hunters that I know seem to enjoy all aspects of deer hunting. The fact is, the ones I know only care about what they shoot. They are also quick to congratulate any hunter that gets a deer no matter what it is, as long as it makes them happy.

I have (successfully), and will again some day. It will not change my standards. I have enough faith in my hunting abilities that I think I can still get close enough to the deer I'm after no matter what weapon I'm using.

HuntingBry

I'll answer for Ryan, no he hunts with a longbow.


Let me answer your questions to me 1 by 1.

I don't feel anything about crossbows. I bought my old man one last year so he could bowhunt with me.

I don't really care what deer you choose to shoot because you're not hunting on the same properties as me. If you were, I'd be disappointed, but as long as you are hunting legally it's your choice.

You wouldn't shoot a 180" buck I've watched all fall because if it even existed it would be jacklighted and poached before it dropped those big antlers. If you shot a 130" buck I had been chasing after it dropped its antlers I'd report you because there aren't any seasons open when bucks are dropping their antlers in PA.

You say we are all elitists and I don't disagree. Some are elitist in the fact that they want to pursue big, mature bucks. Others in that they want to collect as many game species as possible. Others that they hunt using only the most difficult equipment to harvest an animal with. However, being an elitist in that you are challenging yourself to do more is much different than being an elitist so that you can look down on those that don't do things as you do.

It's called humility. You should try it sometime.