State of confusion in my bowhunting life...

I've been fortunate enough over the last 5 years to take some really nice bucks for my land. I've also been idiotic enough (i think) to pass on some really nice bucks to later regret my decision. This year in particular it paid off and I ended up shooting the same buck I previously passed on and asked why on Earth did I pass him up to begin with.

I think the answer lies in what is out there and what level I want to take my hunting. According to my cams and scouting the "next level" is out there. I'm talking beyond 120" to 130" for my area. That's been my benchmark in recent times. So I find myself in an internal battle lol. How the heck do you bring yourself to let something that is a GREAT buck for your area walk by you at 20 yards? Knowing in the back of your head that the MONARCH buck is out there but chances of an encounter with him are slim to none. Or are you even good enough to have an encounter with him?

Don't get me wrong I am more than thrilled with the bucks I've shot. And to be honest I'd probably do it again if lucky enough to have the opportunity next year. It's just .... I'm dying to make myself hold out for the next level if you will but can't bring myself to do it.
Can't bring myself to pass up a 130" buck with hopes of shooting a ghost. Some sort of hurdle in my hunting life that I'll cross someday (maybe). There.... I feel better.

 

What's going on here, NY?

1) You've prooved that he's out there.
2) You'll never get him if you don't pass on the 130" buck.

No one said it was easy. You stand a chance at eating tag soup, but you tried and probably will learn something. Learning is fun. I keep telling myself that! Personally, after seeing your accomplishments, I believe you are ready to up it a notch. I'm sure you've had tag soup before. This is my second year of tag soup and it's not the only time either. One thing I can tell you is to have a plan in advance of the season of what you'll hold out for. Indecision, while in the stand, can cost you. Don't ask me how I know.

 

It's a numbers game.

The more legitimate chances you have at your target bucks......the easier it'll be to let lesser deer walk.

To me, there's nothing "noble" about passing on deer for a pipe dream (or...passing on ANY deer). You just have to decide what you wanna do....and what's realistic.

 

To put it in better perspective I think you have to go back to when you first started hunting. First you might kill a doe, then a spike or year and half old. After that you move up to two and half year olds. Next your at three and half year olds that score in the 120's and 130's. I think the only logical thing for you to do next is wait for a four and half or five and half that gets into the 140's, 150's, etc...............

I think this would be my approach if I was in your shoes. I am only in the beginging stages of my hunting life and can only hope to have the dilema you have. Good luck in your quest for a monster. Hope you get a him and from the sounds of it you should have a very legimate shot at it.

 

I went through a similar situation this year when I passed on a 130" deer that walked by at 30 yards. I didn't even think about trying to shoot him with my bow, just my camera, and with my luck it was too cold for my camera to work so I got nothing out of it. In the back of my mind I'm still regretting not even giving a effort in taking a shot at him. My situation this year, and I almost hope to have this situation every year was that I put a lot of meat in my freezer early so I was able to be a little more picky. Getting a moose early really helped take the stress off for needing food. My new plan is to practice more deer management. I want to hunt does in the early season, with the hopes of putting some meat in the freezer, and potentially having a run in with a monster. If I do get a doe than I will hold out for something bigger/more mature. If I don't get a doe and it's coming down to the end of the season I will shoot anything 2.5 or older as the main reason I hunt is for food.

 

I have your answer..... you cant shoot does to fill your freezer cuz you suck at doe hunting, so the first 130 gets it! :D

 

Aww, poor NYB. He has to settle for 120s and 130s. I feel soooooooo sorry for you.

Dang New Yorkers...nothing is ever good enough.

 

It will never happen until you are ready to accept the fact that there will be years when you will not fill your tag. If your goal is to take it to the next level, you must be 100% committed to passing those other animals that do not fit the criteria of what you want, no regrets.

If you are not comfortable passing shot ops on a certain sized animal, you are just not ready to "move on" yet. That is perfectly fine, there is no reason to "take it to the next level" unless you really have that desire to do so.

No matter what size animal you are after, the driving force behind your hunts should be to enjoy yourself. Hunt for what it is that you enjoy, whether it be spike bucks or monster bucks. Remember it is all about having fun, not the size of the antlers on the bucks head.

 

I think for me it has been much easier to pass Bucks than it used to simply because of the quanity of kills I have. I am sure many, many on here feel the same.

Also if you have proof that something is out there you want via a Trail Cam pic, or sighting then go for it. Last season I shot an 8 point that scored 142 and change I had never seen and did Not have a pic of. So you never know what may walk by in especially in Nov. The other 130's Buck I killed I had several pics of.

Like Scott said you have to accept the fact that some years you may not tag a buck at all. So What? Enjoy killing does and filling the freezer.

Don't set any goals to an unrealistic level for your area and/or the property you hunt.
To quote Gene Wensel "You can't Kill'em if they are not there"

Most of All keep the Fun in your Bowhunting!! If it leaves you won't stay with it very long.

Dan

 

I'm right there with ya NY, been doing this for a couple years myself. Most of the time, I eat the tag. Not for lack of nice buck opportunities, but not getting the big boy in range.

I look at it like this. I love being out there, pitting myself against that animal, trying to outsmart him. If I do, awesome, its what I wanted to do. If I come home empty handed. great, I enjoyed doing what I love for a whole season and had some great experiences, and lessons, along the way.

I think its all part of the maturation process some guys go through. You, like me, want to obtain our ultimate goal, the P&Y buck we're chasing. We're not into settling on other bucks. The next guy... well he may have that goal of the 120-130" buck every year and he enjoys himself just as much as we do.

Of course like said, its a numbers thing and you also have to come back to earth too and realize that maybe the chances of tagging that back are significantly less enough to warrent "other" goals.

 

Very good points, thanks for the input.

That pretty much sums it up I guess. I think I'm on the fence. I don't really think it's eating tag soup that bugs me. It's having a chance at a very good buck for my area right in front of me and letting it walk.

And like GMMAT said it is a numbers game. How many next level bucks are actually in my woods? Is that number worth passing up current level bucks (which aren't that many either). Decision I'll have to consider I guess.

BUT... no matter what the case I do love every minute of being in the woods no matter what I'm seeing or shooting. Heck the ole heart still pounds with EVERY deer I'm around.

And PT lmao you suck!

 

You know, "taking it to the next level" could be a decision based on the year as well. If you find you have a season with a couple of larger target animals, you could always decide to chase those big boys for the year since the opportunity is present.

Set realist goals for what you have to hunt. Some years may be "sweeter" than others!

 

Don't you get more than one buck tag in NY? That solves the whole problem... shoot 'em both.

 

For some It's all about killing any deer. For others they like Inches while others go with the age thing. It don't matter what your goal Is, you can still have fun In trying to accomplish It. Like Jeff said though, It's definitely a numbers game.

 

That's not going to help. I think by holding out he's hoping to get larger bucks in his area. Hard to do if everone around you doesn't practice QDM. That being said there's one more survivor going from 130 to hopefully 145 next year.

 

It will all work out! I think this way that way I let the smaller ones go! I have two deer on the wall and one to be scull cut on a plaque that almost went on wall. I say this "I can only shoot a buck bigger than my biggest one and then let the others go." I shot my biggest buck with shot gun and bow this year. I shot a 120 class 8 pointer "Biggest Ever with Gun" and a 140 class 11 pointer "Biggest Ever with Bow & of My Hunting Career!" That is how I do it! I will shoot a wounded buck if I have a buck tag left and towards the end of season! No matter what size he is!

 

I killed a 135" velvet 9 this year, and thought it was a munster. Can't wait to have the dilemma of needing to pass one.

Just locked in the place I hunt for the next 2 years now. I'll have food plots and less competition next year....I am already excited to start running cams this summer.

 

I haven't read the other posts, but there is a fact for you:

As of right now-I've never taken a buck over 115" (in my life-9 years of bowhunting).

~4 years ago, we (my dad and I, although he doesn't hunt much) started managing our property for whitetails. I.E. footplots, sanctuarys, doe management etc....

In the past 4 years, I've passed on a countless (almost literally...because it's A LOT) number of bucks.

The farm is just now to the point where we (I) want it to be, despite a few more does per year that need to be taken...

Hopefully next year will be the year. The "big" deer are now here. Through Trail cams, shed hunting, summer glassing etc. it's better than it's ever been.

I wish you luck, you (and I'm sure you know this) have to be willing to go "buckless" for a year, maybe two to get a legit chance at a buck in your next level.

 

Good post NY. I took the plunge toward trying to kill 3.5 year old bucks starting in 2009. In 2007 and 2008 I started to lean that way but could not commit. This year I ate tag soup. I told myself "big" (relative to my standards and area) buck or bust. I passed many 2.5 year olds and never got closer than 35 yards from a 3.5 year old (saw two the whole year). I ate buck tag soup. I will be back at it Friday scouting and getting ready for next year. I am learning and continuing to grow each year. It is not easy holding off on bucks that you would like to shoot.

 

Why is it that everyone clings to the notion that you HAVE to pass up good quality bucks to get a shot at a larger buck........as if the two are somehow linked.

There is no "next level" NY.......you are already there, you just don't live in a place with enough really big bucks to kill them on a regular basis. It's not like you are not trying to get them already right?? I doubt you set your stands in hopes of NOT finding a big buck do you? So what good will it do you to pass up the good quality bucks you ARE seeing??........do you think by doing so it will magically make a bigger buck walk by?

Now if you have been pulling your hair out the last couple years because you had some real slammers in bow range but you had already filled your buck tag then I would say waiting could and eventually will pay off.

I don't see how you can equate your not killing bigger bucks with shooting the ones you are unless you are having to pass those bigger ones later because you have no tag..............which is not the case.

Don't kid yourself into believing there is a "next level" you are missing out on.........it's not levels, it's statistics and they are not stacked in your favor. Be ready for when that outlier pops through the brush but be realistic about how often you can expect that to occur and accept the fact that not shooting a deer won't magically make a bigger one show up.

You don't need to eat tag soup for years (I like how some people use that term like it's a badge of honor) to get to the "next level"........just jump in your truck, it's only a few hours away