0. I'm still a meat hunter and will do what it takes to fill the freezer. To me a backstrap is a great trophy.
Every year I try to take a good buck...I will not shoot 1.5ers anytime of the year, but if late season rolls around and a nice 2.5er walks by, I will let an arrow fly. The way I look at it is for all the work during shed season, summer scouting, time in stand, and everything else, any buck will be a reward/trophy. I'm only 19yrs. old, my philosophy might change in the years to come.
Good question...I'm not really sure what my answer is? I've gone buckless for the past two seasons since I haven't had a chance at any "shooters" I have seen some good ones...just didn't get any shots. But, I have not given any thought to lowering my standards. There are some nice bucks in my area so that is what I am going after. If I killed a smaller buck it would not make me happy and I would end up regretting it. I actually enjoy just watching the smaller ones.
i got skunked last season with my bow and my rifle... didn't see anytyhing at all with the bow, not even within site of my bino's... rifle I had a couple in site and did not pull the trigger on 'em cuz I was spotting for my son, though in retrospect, I probably wouldn't have killed any but one particular management buck that was 1.5yr old with a nasty/ugly non-typical... (one side looked good the other a freaked up mess)... still kickin myself for not taking that one off the property... if I see him this year I sure will... I have no problem going buckless, its about the hunt first for me...
X2! However during this off season and towards the end of last season the thought started creeping into my brain of lowering my standards and go back to taking "decent" bucks and stop holding out for the biggest baddest bruiser my land has to offer. But like was mentioned above... It wouldn't bring me satisfaction so I'm not shooting it. It would also be saying I'm not good enough to shoot the biggest baddest mo fo roaming around my area which is just unacceptable
Don't think I'd ever lower my standards...but I've been skunked 4 straight seasons with no bucks before because of this
That's a pretty tough question for me. If I went 2 seasons without seeing or having an opportunity at killing a good deer I may start to rethink... But as long as I'm mowin' down some does, I can hold out for a while. :D
I've gone a long time at times without a buck, longer then most I'd bet but my standards are just that "standards" and I won't budge on them. If I want meat, I'll hopefully stick a baldy.
i think this would be the best option for me... as long as I'm puttin meat in the fridge I can be patient on the bucks... i guess its different in areas where you only get one per season, down in AL we get one buck and one doe per day... pretty easy to put meat in the fridge there... and that still presents a challenge for most
I went 5 years after I started my management program. It was rough passing on some in that fifth year but I shot a ton of does in those years. I hope not to go back but I know I could make it that long.
i went buckless last season. i did have a couple oppertunities however to harvest a couple smaller ones, but decided to watch instead which i think i enjoyed more anyways.... but now that i got skunked last year im more determined than ever to make this a succesful season....so 1 year.
I will not compromise to shoot a younger deer with good genetics just to satisfy holding a rack. I've held plenty of bone to only want to control my herd by taking out the uglies and mature deer. I hunt in an antler restriction county, but that only takes the 1.5 year olds out of play. We grow some really decent 3.5 year olds in my neck of the woods and I am more than happy to take one with either my bow, rifle or smokepole, but I would prefer to outwit a monster.
I haven't killed a deer in 2 years. Any deer. Pretty sure I'm slinging some arrows at anything within 30 yards this year, button bucks be damned.