Is it just me or???
11-18-2010, 10:41 AM
#21
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Pocono Mts, Pennsylvania
Posts: 5
You shouldn't criticize a man for letting a great buck walk on by if he is blessed with the oppertunity to shoot something bigger, however you also shouldn't criticize a man who is doing what he needs to do make sure he is providing food for his family. Not everyone hunts for pleasure and we need to be respectful of everyones situation while educating in the process for when it is needed
11-18-2010, 11:01 AM
#22
Site Buck Guru
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,922
I'll tell you why. I own land in Wis where the doe population has been decimated from years of "earn a buck" hunting. From trail cam observations I have about 3 bucks per doe. I need more does. This year I'm thinking about shooting a 1 1/2 year old buck during gun season for my meat so that the older bucks and does get a chance to survive. BTW, I have been a trophy hunter for 19 years. This will be the first time in 19 years that I will be doing this.
11-18-2010, 03:14 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 93
GregH,
You certainly are in a unique position, and 1 1/2 year olds is what I would shoot in that situation also.
I also realize that not everywhere is not the same, like here in Va anything 130+ is a wallhanger. There are bigger but not the norm, where as in the big buck states its 145-155 or bigger.
Scottishbuckmaster
Also, I doubt someone who hunts just to survive, someone who has to kill whatever he can to put food on his table so he and his family don't starve to death this week are sitting in their lazy-boy, in their pajamas, in front of their laptop computer, with thier high speed internet, reading about my opinion.
My opinion is not intended for him, it is intented for us who buy licenses, tags, guns, bino's, scopes, muzzleloaders, carbon clothes, gortex insulated boots, rangefinders, climbing stands, ladder stands, blinds, 4 wheel drives, and whatever is the newest and latest. No need to claim that we NEEEDDD the meat that bad. But I do respect your opinion.
You certainly are in a unique position, and 1 1/2 year olds is what I would shoot in that situation also.
I also realize that not everywhere is not the same, like here in Va anything 130+ is a wallhanger. There are bigger but not the norm, where as in the big buck states its 145-155 or bigger.
Scottishbuckmaster
Also, I doubt someone who hunts just to survive, someone who has to kill whatever he can to put food on his table so he and his family don't starve to death this week are sitting in their lazy-boy, in their pajamas, in front of their laptop computer, with thier high speed internet, reading about my opinion.
My opinion is not intended for him, it is intented for us who buy licenses, tags, guns, bino's, scopes, muzzleloaders, carbon clothes, gortex insulated boots, rangefinders, climbing stands, ladder stands, blinds, 4 wheel drives, and whatever is the newest and latest. No need to claim that we NEEEDDD the meat that bad. But I do respect your opinion.
11-18-2010, 05:32 PM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
This is typed completely out of respect, not to down any of your opinions or to say that i'm right and your wrong...
Well, I guess i am the exception to the norm. I can't stand to see grown men shoot spikes, or any buck for that matter that isn't outside the ears.
I do believe that children and young men-women, should enjoy taking deer of any size, age, so that they enjoy it and develop a love for hunting. However, there comes a point and time in which all hunters need to become better managers of land and herd. Its better for the herd to let the immature bucks walk and to thin the doe population.
I consider myself a hunter for meat first, trophy hunter second. Every year I shoot plenty of does, and pass on lots of bucks that are not mature, I enjoy watching these smaller bucks walk around in nature almost as much as shooting a mature doe and filling my freezer. I've shot only three bucks in five years, and trust me, I have enjoyed it just as much any of you who shot the immature bucks.
Lastly, all of you have children, parents, friends, (and yourselves) that would enjoy hunting a little more if there were bigger bucks walking around your woods whether you would like to admit it or not. I'm not talking about the "Bucks of Tecomate" size, but nice ones.
I just wanted to post the other side of this topic. Ultimately I have good friends that I hunt with and hang out with that will shoot 4 6 and 8's that I disagree with, but I respect their decisions, they just don't hunt on my land! lol.
I guess my thinking boils down to this... why shoot a young buck when the doe population in any area is more than plentiful, and has just as much quailty meat???? Why????
Well, I guess i am the exception to the norm. I can't stand to see grown men shoot spikes, or any buck for that matter that isn't outside the ears.
I do believe that children and young men-women, should enjoy taking deer of any size, age, so that they enjoy it and develop a love for hunting. However, there comes a point and time in which all hunters need to become better managers of land and herd. Its better for the herd to let the immature bucks walk and to thin the doe population.
I consider myself a hunter for meat first, trophy hunter second. Every year I shoot plenty of does, and pass on lots of bucks that are not mature, I enjoy watching these smaller bucks walk around in nature almost as much as shooting a mature doe and filling my freezer. I've shot only three bucks in five years, and trust me, I have enjoyed it just as much any of you who shot the immature bucks.
Lastly, all of you have children, parents, friends, (and yourselves) that would enjoy hunting a little more if there were bigger bucks walking around your woods whether you would like to admit it or not. I'm not talking about the "Bucks of Tecomate" size, but nice ones.
I just wanted to post the other side of this topic. Ultimately I have good friends that I hunt with and hang out with that will shoot 4 6 and 8's that I disagree with, but I respect their decisions, they just don't hunt on my land! lol.
I guess my thinking boils down to this... why shoot a young buck when the doe population in any area is more than plentiful, and has just as much quailty meat???? Why????
I'm not gonna label anyone for what they shoot. If it truly makes you happy...then by all means, shoot it.
I think most hunters go through stages, and eventually get to the point where getting "a" buck doesn't really matter. I know I went through several stages over the past 30yrs. It started with just getting "a" deer, then "a" buck, then "multiple deer" in a year, then "multiple bucks" in a year, etc.
At some point, shooting a young buck just didn't do it for me anymore and I gave it up. Passing them up has been the norm for the last 15yrs for me. I personally would rather shoot a doe, than an immature buck. In the areas where I hunt, the does are too many anyhow....so its good for the herd to do so. Of course, my area doesn't hold "big" bucks by some folks standards - a good one here is 100" - 110", and typically 3.5-4.5 . A 120" buck around here would be a monster. I have two properties we've been passing bucks on for over 10yrs, and its gotten better for sure. Unfortunately where I am in the mtns of VA and WV, they just don't get very big.
I hunt with guys that are in all stages of this cycle, regardless of their physical age. In fact, my wifes cousin is almost 50, and this will be his first year hunting ever. He's in a TOTALLY different place than I, and probably will be for a long time. If he gets a deer this year, he'll be stoked. If its a 3" spike, it will probably be cloud 9. On the other hand, my son just turned 13 last week, and has been shooting deer for the last 5 yrs. He's starting to want to pass up the smaller bucks, and try and hold out for something a little nicer - and shoot a doe or two also. I'm not sure he can....but I was impressed that he even thought about it at this point.
