State of confusion in my bowhunting life...

To go thru a season and have fun, whether you get a deer or not is sucess to me.

 

HAVE FUN!! I think too many don't get it Greg!

If I stabbed one with a knife is that the next level? LOL!!

Dan

 

I would agree with this IF I could have taken an animal(s) and chose not to .... but If I never had a chance, the season in general would be totally unsuccessful... thank God that has never happened to me ... I have ALWAYS had chances...

 

If we were talking about catching big bass would this thread bother so many people? If a person wants to consistently catch the bigger bass where they fish they must rely on slightly different tactics and mindset than someone else that doesn't care what they catch or is "wishing on luck" for a bigger bass. If the person that focuses in on catching bigger bass in the lake he/she fishes, consistently catches bigger bass as compared to someone else who wants to catch the bigger fish but doesn't focus in on those fish, then that person has "upped their game" in the big bass catching world. It doesn't mean he/she is better fisherman, I am just talking about in relation to catching the bigger bass.

 

Move to FLORIDA (i.e. the next level)!

 

Is catching a big bass in Fla equal to shooting a big buck in Iowa?

 

Has anybody ever hunted IL, KS, or IA without killing a Big Buck?

Dan

 

It's not possible to live in one of those states without shooting big bucks consistently. They're practically tied up behind every tree!

 

Interesting Grasshopper.........

 

That is a season of "hunting fun and experience".

A season of filling my freezer is a season of "deer hunting success".

 

for you, maybe .. not for everyone else...

 

This is THE Level 1........... ain't it!!??

I'd be a bit bummed myself.

 

Exactly. That is what this whole thread is about. What level? What success? Etc., Same old pissing match, different day.

 

There is no pissing match on this thread. NYB asked a valid question and is getting some great responses and insight.

For NYB, hunting for the older bucks might be a real joy.

As for me, I am having a blast testing my metal against some tough to hunt bucks where I hunt. I am only competing against myself and I am sure NYB feels the same way.

 

Ok VS, it was a good thread until everyone started comparing what "it" means to each individual.

 

I agree a lot with the statements above.

To provide my own take on it. If a buck, 50,100, 120, 130, 150 etc walks past me and my heart starts to race...i'm working for a shot. When a buck (of any size) fails to get my heart moving, I'll pass. That method has worked for me so far in my hunting endeavor.

i think I saw on Bucks of Techomate once that the daughter wanted to shoot a specific buck and her father said, no you cant shoot that one. It has a busted tine. That would be a sad moment for me.

There are other factors that play into it however, this one is the first and largest part of the decision process for me. It usually takes about .5 seconds for judgement.

 

" 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? "

NYB is talking about his property and competing against himself. He is not talking about Iowa, big buck hunters in general, or anything else.

 

If everyone that posted on this thread had "one buck tag" per year, this thread would have stopped at two pages .

 

I only get one tag per year period. :D

 

As did I growing up, no practice on deer as targets just hunting, next level my azz..