Is Counting Inches Killing Deer Hunting?

Here is one of them that might score 70 inches. Killed him as my hunting vacation was almost over. Was exhausted but kept pushing and ended up arrowing this buck right before dark.

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So you admit that you killed him because you hunted hard and it was nearing the end of your vacation/hunt. I and many others on here go buckless when given that choice. But if you needed to kill a buck im happy you succeeded. I am not saying it's the next level up but it's a totally different game when you eat tag soup by your choice in hopes of getting the buck you passed on this test next season. Looking back on bucks you killed is great as you stated....think about the story to relive when you can span a few years to the culmination of all your work.

 

So you admit that you killed him because you hunted hard and it was nearing the end of your vacation/hunt. I and many others on here go buckless when given that choice. But if you needed to kill a buck im happy you succeeded. I am not saying it's the next level up but it's a totally different game when you eat tag soup by your choice in hopes of getting the buck you passed on this test next season. Looking back on bucks you killed is great as you stated....think about the story to relive when you can span a few years to the culmination of all your work.[/QUOTE]

I would have shot him on the first day of my vacation. I have 2 buck tags. Just so happened that year that he was the only buck I was able to get an arrow into and I was happy to kill him.

I've gone buck less as well some years when I chose not shoot certain types of bucks. But that year and that shot felt right so I released an arrow. And every hunt that feels right and the buck feels right, I'm letting an arrow fly..95 inches....130 inches. Whatever.

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That's what I love about this country...you can do whatever makes you happy. With the exception of imposing on others. If "Feels Right " is your management style then awesome. But don't imply that me chosing to count inches is the problem. Where did we turn to end up saying oh yes I wont shame you for your little buck and yea it is prolly my fault that hunting is dying cuz I have standards that does not involve "feelings"
I don't have a problem with anyone or anything ....until it's pushed down my throat or told to me that I should begin to change. Being more selective in my tag usage benefits the herds, the numbers and the image of hunting itself. So please explain how counting inches is the issue. I take doe every year, I don't have sponsors, I don't have a YouTube page. I hunt for me so I think I'll go ahead and decide what's best for me.

 

Like I said in my original post, I don't care what others do. I know what makes me feel happy in the deer woods. I have evolved a bit but I am still a killer at heart.

 

I think alot of this is geography based. Here in Western Massachusetts, there have been years when I only see 1 or 2 bucks all season.... and I hunt hard and put my time in. I scout. I run cameras. I do get some nice bucks on camera, but seeing them is another thing. Private lands not allowing hunting (majority), too much hunting pressure, etc are big issues around here.
Each season I base what I choose to shoot on what my cameras tell me. This year in Eastern NY (Massachusetts line) I had one buck on camera all season. 1 buck! a 1.5 year old 5 point.
In Mass I did have some nice bucks on camera by our standards, and was lucky enough to kill a nice buck with my bow for this area and saw some other nice ones. My buck didn't score much, but I don't care. He is nice for this area. It doesn't always work that way.
Doe tags are by lottery and I maybe get one every other year if I'm lucky in 1 of the zones I hunt. So, if I want venison, I don't always have the luxury to "just shoot a doe instead".
I don't think measuring inches is ruining the sport, unless you take it to the level of obsession that the woman in the article did.
I think people putting others down for what they choose to shoot is.
I've said it 100 times before, If I had the opportunity to hunt areas of the country where the deer density and number of mature bucks was higher, I would certainly be more selective. I try to do that around here to the best of my ability.
I do think that if some people on this site had to hunt some of the spots out here where I hunt and didn't have access to a large piece of private property, they would become quite frustrated... maybe seeing a few deer in an entire season.
I passed on a spike buck and a small 6 point in one of my spots this year a few times during bow season with hopes one of my daughters would shoot one of them during gun season.
Opening day both were shot. That was that.

 

I read "deer" blogs from time to time...usually more for comic relief, then for any other reason. They're written by people just like you or I. What they write about is usually nothing more than their personal opinion. It's all subjective and how they perceive the word around them.

I wouldn't let a "blog" written by someone who, I assure you, knows much less about deer hunting and the grand scheme of things, then nearly everyone that has replied in this very thread, get me to worked up. To even ask such a ludicrous question "Is counting inches killing deer hunting" is obviously planted to stir debate, and it's working, lol.

 

I think the only thing that is "killing" hunting is the progression of a progressive centric society. Several generations getting further and further away from an agrarian centric society/nation. Younger generations more interested in video games, sports, drugs, pop culture, etc... than hobbies like hunting. Cheap and plentiful food in the nation also plays a part.

As far as "inches" are concerned....I'm almost of the opinion that inches are part of what is keeping hunting alive as well as it is.

 

The woman in that story seems like a pretty extreme situation. One way I think the craze for inches has hurt hunting is the access to land. I think landowners that used to let people hunt all the time or would let people hunt once they got their deer has drastically decreased. Now a lot of times it seems to be limited to few people such as close friends and family and nobody else is ever allowed to hunt. Also private land that used to be available for access to hunters is now pay to hunt for guys in search of inches.

 

I totally agree with this. All of us are doing a poor job of recruiting future hunters. It's up to us to put our own selfishness aside at times and take a youth under our wing and teach them about hunting. We could be just a couple generations from losing our hunting tradition all together. I didn't grow up hunting, but I did have someone help me along in the beginning. That planted a seed of desire that has lead to the passion that I have today. I know I haven't done a good job of passing that passion along, but that's a goal that I have set for myself going forward.