I guess it is all relative to what is a "wall hanger" in your area that you hunt. Where I live, most guys mount any 100"+ deer. My personal criteria for a "wall hanger" here in Massachusetts (CT & NY) is anything P&Y class or better). A 141 is HUGE for this area.
I believe I started bowhunting in 2008. I passes a lot of younger deer and blew a few shots on good bucks. In 2009, I killed a 120ish mature buck with my bow that had been wounded and could not get up. While I tagged that buck, I don't really count that as my first bow kill since it wasn't really "fair chase." I finally took my first legit buck with a bow in 2011. 125" 8pt that was only 3 1/2 years old. I have that one euro mounted on the wall. In 2012 I killed a "mature" buck that had terrible genetics. 117" 8pt, also euro mounted. 2014 I killed my first real wall hanger. A 148 7/8" 10pt. 2015 I killed a 136" 10pt. 2016 I killed a great mature buck that would have went over 150" if he hadn't broken his G2 completely off. Scored about 139 without it. 2017 I killed another mature buck, a really tall and narrow buck that scored 149 1/8. Took me 4 seasons to kill my first buck with a bow, 6 seasons before I killed a true wall hanger mature buck. Since then, I have been on a pretty good roll. I have been able to take one for 6 years in a row now, all but one have come off my 40 acre property. Here's 2013, 2014 and 2015
Started rifle hunting when I was 12 and didn't shoot my 120" until I was 22. Have been bow hunting 4 years and have taken 1 doe. I've passed many deer, just looking for the right one.
That's great to hear and all on your 40 acre property. I just was given access to 40 acres in Oklahoma last year and There are plenty of good deer on it. That's where I got my first buck this season and there's plenty more on it that I've gotten pictures of!
I'm 26 and just this past season shot my biggest buck it was late season and the first time the buck has ever been seen on the property I was hunting earlier during the rut I missed a smaller buck just goes to show everything happens for a reason Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
It took me about 3 years to get my first wall hanger. I missed a mid 150s deer my second time sitting a tree with a bow and it still bugs me to this day.
Just like they all said, depends on your qualities of a wall-hanger, BUT experience & knowledge can increase your odds. I hunted public swamp & hardwoods near the AuSable River in northern Michigan as a kid in the 80's, and found that I had to learn to hunt all over again when I inherited a 40 acre farm in '95. My first hunt on my new farm, I saw 5 bucks & 3 does...2 of the bucks were 4 yrs or older. I had no mentor or experience and ruined my farm for 10 yrs by setting up on the edge of their "bedroom" & hunting EVERY day on my 6 acre woodlot. Over the years I learned to stay away from the bedroom AND stay away from the woods until primetime. If I had a mentor or someone who shared the mistakes, I don't think it would've taken 17 years to get my wall-hanger. If you have good property, enjoy honing your skills on management bucks for a while (big fat tasty's with messed up ratty antlers). They'll get you ready for your big moment & improve your chances by improving your deer heard. I'd like to share a pic of my buck, but I can't figure out how...Says the file is too big & has to reduced to 19k...
I shot one when I was 14 I probably should have mounted but didn't have the money, it's been 8 years now and haven't had another that big but the only reason I shot that was because it was the first deer to come in range. I've only hunted the last four seasons (3 seriously) since then and haven't pull the string back on a buck. I've seen a lot of bucks but I'm more content shooting does than Bucks that are a little too young.
I laugh about it when folks talk so much about those overated big buck states. I even had coworkers that brag about big whitetails that's from Iowa. I watched those antler geek guys that hunt in Iowa. It's not different from what I'm seeing at home. Just like Wisconsin. The most p&y entries, went there on public land. It wasn't all that. In fact I'm seeing more folks that come from the best hunting states that hunt on those underated states that folks don't hear about big bucks.
First season after I got my first bow I took a nice 7 point and a doe. That was 10years ago and to this date have not harvested a wall hanger. Every deer harvest is sweet and most of all tasty. No matter what size it gets in your blood.
