Like most hunters, I too like to kill big bucks. I don't hunt for them, I hunt and if they come along that's great, maybe I get a shot. But overall, I just hunt deer. I mean does mainly. I don't shoot small bucks because we have a penalty on my lease so I am satisfied with does and the occassional nice buck. But in the past 5 years everything I read or see or talk to people about revolves around big bucks. It's like does, or small bucks are an after thought. Guys complain about seeing 10-20 does or small bucks in a sit . Complain about only getting does or small bucks on their cameras. What made me think about this again was recently watching some old Dan fitzgerald videos and even a recent clip he did about the average bowhunter. I know it's to each their own but I can't help to think that we have lost our way. I mean 25-30 years ago a 125" buck in most places was a dandy. Now, if it ain't 150" or better we pass. We wait another year. We get depressed when he doesn't measure up after we recover him. Again, who doesn't love to put an arrow through a big buck? But why can't we be just as content with a bow kill no matter what? If you don't kill a monster so what? You killed a doe with a bow and it provided great table fare. Basically, I am just tired of every podcast or video revolving around killing big bucks, how about we teach and educate the younger generation about just plain old bowhunting deer? Learn the ropes. I teach kids that are 13 and they are passing up does to kill a big buck and they have not even killed their first deer!! Ok, I am done with my rant. Thanks
Big sells. It's the "bigger is better" mentality. The bigger a buck is, the more notoriety/attention it recieves. I honestly don't know anyone who aspires to shoot a small buck.
There will be those that strike this down as "you only kill does because you can't find the big ones..." I'm not among them. I applaud your sentiment here. If we harvest more does, the overall herds buck:doe gets more in balance and our hunts (more specifically during the rut) will be more fun. I'm in an area where the ratio is so far out of whack that I had the resident alpha buck standing in a picked corn field 65 yards away. This was at the beginning of November a couple during the peak of the chasing period. I gave him a small, barely audible grunt. He snapped his head around, looked in my direction for a few seconds, and then scrambled back to the tree line. He had no reason to get into a fight for a receptive doe. I'm in the 'two doe' camp every year. The unfortunate part is that I know way more than that are born every spring on the properties that I hunt, so i know I'm fighting a losing battle. But it's a tasty battle in the end, and I, like you, love to bow hunt. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
The problem isn't about settling and shooting smaller bucks. It's that the emphasis has been taken off of hunting deer and focused on hunting giants with little public concern for overall her health. I would applaud Minnesota if they introduced an earn-a-buck regulation, but I doubt that'll happen. I completely understand from a marketing standpoint that bigger sells better, but let the NDA of state biologists speak about what that does to herd dynamics, and we'll all understand a little better. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
I try for the largest deer/buck I think I'll get an opportunity for ... its pressured state land and sometimes I cant/wont be choosie .... when I had good private, I could be choosie, and I'd pass and pass bucks looking for the one I wanted, sometimes it worked out, sometimes not, but it usually did work out .... I would get several opportunities at decent bucks ... now, I have to make a decision quick, because it may be the ONLY chance I'll have in the season, do I want him or not ... if I pass, I may not ever get another try at him, or any other good buck ... on private, I would never kill a buck under 3.5 yr old, now a 2.5 yr old is a 'good buck' ... Does must be at least a 1.5 yr old and I want at least a 100 lb field dressed weight ...
I personally would rather not shoot a buck than to shoot a young buck. I’d like to see them get to their potential, I satisfy my urge to shoot deer with doe and I fill my freezer. Everyone has different goals with what they want to do as far as hunting bucks. To each their own and just have fun out there. I also don’t watch shows or feel like I have to do xyz to shoot a big buck, hunt your hunt. The people that do that and push it all are pimpimg a product 9/10 times.
Thinking more about the subject, "big" is relative. What I consider big, another hunter might laugh at. I think it just gets down to what makes each hunter happy. If it's a legal buck and he meets your standards, take him. I've killed enough deer in my time, none of which were truely BIG bucks, but they made me happy. I'm now at the point where I'll only kill a buck that is clearly bigger than my current best. It's really all about enjoying the time in the woods.
Like I said, big mature bucks are special, sure, and I like them just fine, have killed plenty of them, but what are we teaching to our young hunters? When a 13 year old tells me he is not going to go hunt a spot "because it's nothing but does" I have to shake my head. I mean when I was 13, 36 years ago, I hadn't killed my first deer yet. Any deer would have been unreal. We only got 3 tags back then and that was including a single doe tag. Times have changed and herds have grown but I can't help but think these days we are spoiled with deer numbers and big bucks have people losing their minds and perspective. I would just like to say thank you to the guys on here that are even older than me for paving the way for me. In the late 80s and early 90s here in southeast Va there was not a huge bowhunting crowd to learn from. I don't know, just seems like there is an obssesion with antler size and scores and what not. Doesn't anybody just bowhunt deer anymore?
With only 4-5 days of stand time I get per year during bow season I typically don't hold back on anything 1.5 yrs or older. Buck or doe, It might be the only deer I see from the stand that year and I need the meat in freezer. Gun season rolls around I focus on getting my kids their deer. As for my kids, I tell them to shoot whatever makes them happy. Whether it is their 1st deer or 100th. Let them set their own standard. What drives me crazy is people shaming others for shooting small deer or small bucks. The whole statement "I would have given him another year or 2...." Well good for you, too bad the deer didn't walk past your stand, lol. Especially when this is said to younger kids or people just getting into hunting. To me it's more about the table fare, the experience of the hunt and the memories that are made.
