Isn't that what hunting is all about..the excitement :d Thanks That's all i ever want anyone to think. To each his own, every hunter and situation is different and unique to the individual :d
I am also of the opinion that if an extended period of time has gone by and you have not taken a buck that meets your standards than finding better area's would seem to be a real priority. I have plenty of patience,and if a season or two goes by and I havn't shot a buck,while I am not happy,I would be more concerned whether I was in the right area's.Was I seeing bucks of the caliber I would be happy with?Was I putting in enough effort to put myself in the position to take a buck that meets my standards etc.
Caleb, I certainly did NOT intend for this thread to end up putting you under a microscope & feeling forced to defend yourself or your decisions. Sorry man.
Access can play a large part in "the right area". I pay lease fees every year and can only afford so much. Here in Texas most landowners know what they have on the ground and charge accordingly. I pay less than $1000 a year and it will stay that way until I can afford my own land. I have killed 8 deer bowhunting since I started flinging arrows 5 years ago. 4 small bucks and 4 does. My opportunity to kill does has been limited by a short restrictive doe season in the counties I hunt. So to gain experience at making bow kills AND PRIMARILY to fill the freezer I have been a hunter of opportunity. I have let small bucks walk if I had a doe in the freezer. If the freezer was empty I shot. This year, my second on a new property, I believe I am on land that will offer a greater chance at killing a mature buck. Over the past few years I think I've matured as a hunter not so much by what I've killed as by what I've learned. I believe this year I will be able to put together my experience and what I've learned and kill a mature buck. If late December rolls around and I haven't killed a mature buck and a 1.5 gives me a shot I will take the shot and I won't regret it. as time goes on and I learn more my odds will increase. I won't shoot a young buck early in the season like I did in the past. I guess I'm willing to wait a couple of months to lower my standards. up until now my standard has been, Is it made out of meat? Time will tell. I have some good stand locations I'm looking forward to hunting this year. Who knows maybe this year will be the next stage of the journey.
Not a problem whatsoever, we come here to chat, a little fire never hurt anybody :evil: Jeff, i dont know exactly who your talking to but to answer your question for a 3rd time, I HAVE SHOT A BUCK WITH MY BOW...it is pictured on page 2 Dont know how i can make that any clearer...if you weren't talking to me then i apologize :d
That depends. I've passed on bucks (small) that I would have shot in the late season but the opportunity didn't present.
on public land maybe 2... on my private land 3... on someone elses private land I'll shoot whatever unless they have restriction s as to what I can and can't shoot.
I'm rolling into my fourth as well, and my standard has stayed the same. I've passed up quite a few "decent" bucks, but if I don't field judge him to be at least a 130" animal, I'm going to give him a pass with hopes that he will be NEXT year or the year after. That being said, if it's got a special uniqueness about it, then that may sway me. I passed up a little 2.5 yr old "3 horn" several times a few years ago, hoping he'd get one more year on him, and then he'd be a heck of a neat trophy, never to see him again. I'm also a MEAT hunter, and DOES eat better than bucks anyhow, so I'll gladly put a couple does in the freezer, but I'm not burning my BUCK TAG on a small buck for meat, and at the same time, killing SMALL BUCKS does absolutely NOTHING for herd management. Just my $.02 on it though. I tend to disagree somewhat Jeff, not in that the thinking one is "superior," but holding off I believe makes many of us BETTER hunters because he learn to control ourselves a little better, observe the animals and learn a bit more about them, and it also helps us build confidence in what we CAN and CANNOT get away with in a stand. I'm a bit different than you in that I've found the MORE DEER I pass on the more relaxed and confident I feel when it's time to put one down. I've actually found the most nervous times for me are when there are a LOT of deer around me. The more deer the more excited/nervous I get, which is what made my two largest does my favorite two TROPHIES, as I was able to observe the herd very thoroughly, determine which does were the "MATRIARCHS," and beat them in their game. Those two hides are on my banister in my family room, and are more prized because of the enjoyment of those hunts than the bucks I have on the wall.
Like several have stated before me...as long as I can shoot does, that will keep me happy...for a while anyways. I didn't shoot a buck last year but I chalk that up to hunting in a new state on new grounds.
You are exactly right. It's about what YOU want. What these other guys think really doesn't matter. Good luck on knocking down a big one this fall.
I'll say this too that you don't always learn something shooting a deer and killing It. Watching their behavior knowing your going to let them walk Is one hell of a learning expierence as well. It's not always about the kill, I've learned a lot In the many years of going buckless by just observing. People who gun hunted their whole life and recently got Into bow hunting say the same thing being their season Is a bit longer they didn't shoot the 1st thing that was offered but Instead they held out a little longer and actually learned allot about the animal their hunting. Everyone here Is different but not all of us have to have a buck on the ground every year or every other year. Trust me It would be nice If I could put bucks down like Greg, Dan Infalt, and a few others here but It Is what It Is. I know for a fact I'm not near as good of a mature buck hunter as those guys and secondly the grounds I hunt aren't near as good as they used to be either 10+ years ago thanks to the Minnesota DNR and also to the trigger happy neighbors during the gun season that have tripled In numbers. I'm just too stubborn to lower my standards, maybe It's something I should do but I really don't see It happening. I always tell myself there's other nice bucks around I'm not seeing which I know there Is but the question Is how many? A good area will have more then one mature buck In It and for the most part I don't believe mine does because of the neighboring yahoo's hunting around me but I still stick to my goals/standards hoping I'm wrong. Some year I believe It will pay off huge.
Thank you very much, Its not that my brother and I are holding out for those two monsters we have running around here it is that we want to practice good herd management and we just don't get any thrill from killing 1 and half year old bucks.
My first buck with bow was 146 inches (still my best)...which obviously was pretty lucky for a novice. But, I did pass on some yearling bucks before killing it since I seemed to get opportunities at them so easily. I also knew about that buck and had him patterned through summer scouting. So you don't necessarily have to kill a pile of small bucks to work your way up to killing a mature one. You can get plenty of shooting practice by pounding some does. A deer is a deer when it comes to making a shot IMO. Good luck...looking forward to you and your bro knocking down good ones this year.
I see both sides of this argument. Some things CAN be learned from both shooting and not shooting a deer. Typically they are not the same things though. Watching deer allows you to learn about them, shooting deer allows you to learn about yourself as well as how a deer reacts when it is shot. Which leads to one topic that I feel is GREATLY overlooked in bowhunting and that’s tracking ability. You can ONLY learn that by killing & following a blood trail. Passing every deer or shooting every deer, both leave parts of the equation out that can be learned from. One of the most fortunate things about my personal situation is the ability and willingness to shoot a good bit of does. You cannot substitute the feeling of the instant you release an arrow on an animal. It just cannot be replicated. And for this situation I am probably most thankful because it provides great practical hunting experience, action and food for the freezer.
Everyone's experience is different. I am sure the Siman brothers appreciate everyone's advice, but it sounds like they have a plan and they want to stick to it. I understand that they want to extend their time in the woods by not taking a buck that isn't what THEY want to shoot, in a one buck state. They have an opportunity to hunt older bucks that some of us didn't this early in our hunting careers. Some of us will never have the opportunity to hunt those caliber of bucks. Yes, the Simans are young and they have a lot to experience. If they fail, so what. But I'll bet they learn from it. I don't see any harm coming from that.
let me also say this....I shoot a buck because his antlers impress me and he eats well when cooked right.. I pass on smaller bucks b/c I don't want to burn tags. we are very lucky here in Va to get 3 buck tags and I like to try and fill them with 110" bucks or better. I let 11 bucks walk by me last year none of them were worth the tag. I ended up eating a buck tag or 2 last year...to be honest I could care less about age, if he's big and still milking from mama, he gets it.
Yes you are. I would love to have the opportunity to purchase a second buck tag here in PA, even at substantial price. I think our state is missing out on revenue.
One option that many of you don't look at is chance to hunt a neighboring state. For those of you that get a catalog of tags you have no reason to, but those of us whom get one buck tag per year we have learned to use that one wisely. A long weekend in a neighboring state could get some extra tree time and maybe a chance at some shooters that you might not get at home.
Ben in eastern Va we get 6 tags with our regular license 3 either sex and 3 antlerless...then we can buy bonus antlerless stamps 2 at a time for the rest of the year!
