I am new to our sport and my opinion as of now is that chasing the big bucks seams to be something that is done by many. I decided to start hunting due to the love I have for being in the woods and the animals I hunt period. It seems to me that it would take the enjoyment out of the experience to be obsessed with that one big one I saw or caught on a camera. Like I said though I am new to the sport. Don't get me wrong I would love to have a 140+ on my den wall. It thrills me to no end to harvest anything right now, doe or buck. It may just be that I haven't seen that Big Rocking Chair come through the woods yet, but I feel that it is over rated. I would like to know what everyone else thinks, so what is your opinion??
It truely depends on what you want to take out of it.... If its for pure enjoyment and you dont want to challeng yourself then sure, killing anything is the route to go..... If your trying to manage and get to know your deer then your way off track. Usually killing more deer and any deer leads to never truely seeing whats on your property due to pressure and lack of scent control, also strategic hunting is more lacked. Im not putting any one way or the other down, simply saying for those of us who chaise "the big ones" its a chess game, it becomes a way of life. Trying to kill a mature buck is nothing like just killing an average deer, theres alot more time and effort put into it, which gives a high sense of appreciation at the end if successful. Plus killing any and everything leads to poor production of animals, usually your counts will be down and does are a VERY important part of growing BIG bucks.... they actually carry alot of the genetics, and at all cause dont shoot button bucks in my opinion. Just my two cents.... many will think different.
If you love whitetails and being in the woods, passing youg bucks becomes a natural progression for many. Passing deer gives you the opportunity to view a whitetails natural behavior, and can be as rewarding as harvesting the animal. If you're passing lesser deer for personal goals, not to prove yourself to others, you're in this hunting thing for all the right reasons.
I passed up on many deer last season. I probably could have reached my limit a few days after opening. In the end, I came up empty. Do I regret it, not a chance. Some of the deer I passed on were year and a half olds, just not quite big enough. Also, I passed on some does because they were with younger bucks. I just don't like shooting does in front of bucks. Also, I passed up on a few bucks because they were quite old enough, and from the 154 inch monster on my wall and the 140 on my friend's wall, the genetics are there to produce very nice deer. I have nothing wrong with people who take deer just because they like to hunt. All I can say is be smart about it. Yeah that's great you got a buck! But a 4 pointer? That's just a baby. Also, hunting the big one is a thrill. You work all season. Every time I put my pin on the bag, I envision it's on the side of that buck. Then when season gets here, well now the chess game begins. Yes I definitely want a doe or 3, but the big buck is what I'm after, and if that means no does one year because I passed them up for a shot at him, so be it. It's the thrill of the hunt.
I am fairly new to the game too and I let younger bucks walk all the time. I also dont shoot buttons or does with buttons. I want to see these bucks reach there full potential. There is no greater feeling than wrapping your hands around a mature bucks antlers for the first time. At the same time when these bucks leave the property boundaries that I hunt they are fair game to any hunter out there. I've got to know a number of guys in the area and most of them shoot pretty much anything that walks by. There is nothing more frustrating to here them talk about never seeing big bucks. Also hearing them tell me I got lucky with my buck really pisses me off. They have no idea the time and energy that me, along with many other on this site, put in to harvest these animals. Outside of work and family it consumes a BIG part of my life. To each their own, but if you are really into whitetail hunting it will only be a matter of time before you start holding out and chasing the "big one". Shooting younger bucks I imagine would get old fast, I want to out smart the big one rather than shoot the dumb one.
I harvested one buck and one doe last year. The buck, well I thought it was a doe and because I didn't take the time to look through the Bushnells. I was extremely disappointed to see the two 5 inch horns sticking straight out of the top of his head. I was really mad at myself. Who knows, five years from now he could have been a nice big buck. I was super mad at my brother who hunts our property when he harvested his last buck that was a year and a half maybe two year old four pointer. He could see plainly it was a small buck but took him anyways. He has the understanding now that if this happens again it will be the last whitetail he takes from this property. If I am going to kill a buck its going to be a mature one. The statement I made " it thrills me to no end to harvest anything" does not mean I go by the "If its brown its down" theory. I think that is one of the most ignorant phrases I have ever heard. Last year being my first season, I didn't have the chance to pass on any bucks except the one I harvested and like I said it was my fault that I didn't take the time to look through the Bushnells. beginners error. It won't happen again. If nothing else it will be because I am hunting with my bow all season this year which will force me to wait until they are close enough. My goal this year is to take 6 deer. That is if the situations are right. If I have to pass on 20 animals that are not at the maturity they need to be to get 2. As long as I feel I am being a responsible and ethical hunter I will be happy. I want to harvest responsibly so that my herd stays here and I don't end up with them all in the freezer in one season. I am sure as I mature as a hunter and learn more I will, as many do, migrate into the chasing the big one. As for now I am going to focus on the qdm side of things and as of this time in my hunting life I see it as being over rated or at least to much for me right now.
Thrill of the big buck hunt for me ....I am also new to the bowhunting world I have one season under my belt now. Early last season I had does walk in on me that I could have harvested but did not I wanted my first to be a wall hanger and after passing up maybe 3-4 cake doe shots I got what I was I was waiting for a 130 class 8 pt. But it was more about what I learned from September to November that made this, the importance of wind, thermals, using topography to not only locate possible travel routes and bedding areas, but also the entry and exit routes that are gonna get me in and out undetected. In conclusion its up to you but if your like me and you wanna solve that puzzle ur gonna learn a lot and when u grab that bone its gonna be an experience. I can also say that heading into this season I feel 100% more optimistic just because of what I have learned.
I don't know about taking all the enjoyment out of it but I understand what your trying to say. I think one must first get thier fill of taking smaller bucks before challenging themselves to take larger ones. Whatever you decide to do don't get so caught up in it that hunting becomes like work.
Haha that's pretty funny. No offense but he's sayin it's not all about antler and you throw this picture in there. By the way, them are some nice big bucks!!
My opinion is you're exactly right.. hunting big bucks is over-rated. Not saying its bad.. not saying your better.. but it is over-rated. There's a lot more important things to do in life than chase whitetail if you ask me.
I think to each his own, If you hunt in an area where a 130" deer is a trophy deer and you have set your standards on harvesting a trophy deer, then a 130" is probably a heck of a deer in your area. As for others who hunt in the midwest and see numerous boone and crockett deer each fall 170" class then there probably shooting for a much higher standard. You have to hunt for the experience not the rack size we have all been excited when weve had a doe in bow ranbe and just know its about to happen, if you havent your probably not in this sport for the right reasons. You need to hunt and harvest deer to your standards not others, period!!
Shoot whatever you want to. You will grow and mature the more you hunt. Maturing means something different for each hunter. If you are limited on hunt time and really want venision, you may continue shooting whatever you get a chance at. My brother started hunting a few years ago and can only hunt a hand full of days each year. His family eats a couple of deer a year, so if it's not a yearling, he shoots it. I have no problem with that. After he saw a big buck in the woods he got the fever. Now he is starting to pass on small bucks. He realizes that you can't keep shooting little bucks if you really want to shoot big bucks. Does taste great too. I shot little bucks when I was younger, but for me, there is nothing like hunting large bucks, so I pass on the little guys. IMO 1.5year old bucks are about the easiest thing to shoot. Once they get near the rut their heads are down and they pay little attention to us tree guys. Does, on the other hand, are always paying attention - so they are tougher to shoot. I'll shoot a couple of does every year because I like the meat. I get a thrill out of shooting them too. There isn't anything like shooting a big buck though, I don't care who you are. I guarantee if/when you shoot a "toad", aka big buck, you'll quickly learn. Many of these guys have already discovered this. I know a guy that is in his 60's and still gets a thrill out of shooting any deer. He'll brag up and down about the 5-pointer he shot. If that's what gives him a thrill (and it's his property), good for him. Your thrills, ideas, ambitions, and situations will change. Start by going out because you love the woods and watching deer, turkeys, etc. Most "nature lovers", that don't hunt, don't really spend much time in the woods. I have seen so many awesome things in the woods. It is great out there. You WILL change over time. I hunt in a way that is enjoyable to me. Hunt in a way enjoyable to you. As hunters we need to learn that there is not "one right way". We are working together and need to get along. Have fun.
Food, antlers, woodsman, bragging rights... What ever trips your trigger, you answer to no one but yourself! Enjoy it the way you want. I like racks, especially the female ones, so all you big bone hunters watch your wives
