It seems the older I get and the more deer I encounter... The more the "story line" means and the less the score and kill means to me. When I glass a buck in a field and then set a trail camera up on him and get his photo, it's a rush... Then to see the animal from your treestand, then to find it's shed(s) are awesome experiences that I take a lot of joy from. It is like a story you are constantly adding new chapters to with every encounter... I do not have to shoot a buck to get an immense amount of enjoyment from the experiences with him. Killing the buck ends the story. Don't get me wrong, putting the animal on the ground is my main goal, but is not needed for me to have a successful hunt. I don't know if this is weird or not, but after you have numerous encounters with a buck, especially over a couple seasons you almost feel a connection with it. So, am I crazy? How do you feel?
Well I think you're crazy but not for those views. I agree whole heartedly. I still kill my fair share and hopefully I always will. This may be way off base, but I feel the patience that I've learned over the past few years outweighs the number of bucks I've killed. I guess what I mean is that even though I haven't killed a whole bunch of bucks, I still am pretty selective. A lot of this comes with the enjoyment that I experience from being out and the things that occur. I have get the same amount of enjoyment it's just that less of it comes from killing a deer.
I can certainly see where you're coming from. With me, I can't say I'm as successful as I would like to be in terms of "ending" the hunt. However, I do get enjoyment out of putting the time into the preparation for the potential of that one time encounter.
To be honest, I wouldn't know. I don't think I've ever seen the same buck more than once but......I hope I see the buck I let walk last year, this fall. Then I'll understand more of this story you're referring to. This is the aspect of deer hunting I need to become more involved with. Unfortunately that requires time, and during this time of year that's the one thing I don't have much of. But if I wanted to badly enough, I would make a way.
I understand exactly what you mean. I feel a connection with all the critters that run through our farm. Getting into bowhunting after being a gun hunter for years is the one thing that is helping me mature as a hunter. I had more success/learned more about deer behavior this past fall, than I did in years of gun hunting. Finally having my own piece of land to improve and take care of has a lot to with it I think though.. Now days, half the fun in hunting whitetails takes place in winter, spring, and summer. Being able to watch a buck throughout the year is fun. Even if I dont get a shot, just seeing one multiple times is cool. Ya give him a silent "hello again"..
Scott,It sounds right on the money to me! I truly believe the appreciation of all those things is not only a healthy out look to have it also contributes to being a better hunter.
For the last several years I've found that it's more about the hunt than it is the kill. When I explain why I enjoy hunting I put it in to terms saying that there is never a repeatable day in the woods. I've always seen or heard something different every time out whether it's a deer, squirrel, hawk, rock, tree, leaf, etc., etc. I've never seen the exact same sunrise or sunset either... I got shut out on Whitetail this year but I certainly had a great season... And of course, sitting in a treestand gives me time to think about family and work...:d
Scott, even with my limited time in stand, I think I have an appreciation for what you are talking about because of my limited experience with "the kill". Instead of focusing on last year's kill, I am focusing on this year's sheds, this year's glassing, this year's possible trail camera venture, etc. Everything seems to focus for me on the story right now, rather than the kill, because I lack that final chapter, or ending to the story. I think that is what I am going to enjoy most about shed hunting, as well as possibly putting out a "low-impact" scouting camera, is the feeling you get (the exact one you are likely describing) when you finally see a buck you have history with, regardless of whether a shot presents itself. I think with each year, I put more and more time into hunting. The time I put into hunting now, won't come to full-fruition until fall, but I already feel more connected to deer now than I ever have before.
Welcome Scott, it's a great addiction. After nearly 30 seasons I still get that feeling. Hell, I had that connection with a piebald doe. She was special. A couple seasons ago I looked forward each sit to be visited by buddy, a lone button buck that came by every evening. I wonder if I'll see him this year as a 4.5 year old and how I'll never ever know. I once said I wish I could paint ball stain certain deer so that when I see them again, I'd know. Without special antler configurations, sometimes we'll never know. Take my Halloween buck, 2 years ago we video'd a buck we called robo buck, no not Rob buck but robo buck. He wasn't too far off from my Halloween buck but only a few inches tall of his head with 6 points. My bucks left side just might be him, same area, and a 3.5 vs a 1.5 that year. But alas, I'll never know. I read your journal/blog entry buckeye, I enjoyed it.
Some good replies guys. I feel like the more "chapters" of the story the bigger the "trophy" is any more, not just the P&Y score. I couldn't think of a better way to word that.... Thanks.... I am brewing one with another buck, not sure if you caught that entry or not (4 beam buck)... This one is still alive and kicking to the best of my knowledge
For me, the kill is still an important part of the hunt, I don't see that changing. My goal every year is to kill a deer, plain and simple. The thing that I have been noticing is that there are certain factors coming into play each season that dictate what deer I shoot and when. It has little to do with antler size, the deers age, or the history I have with the deer. For me its all about the timing. This past season I had bucks in range that I just didn't get an urge to shoot. I had the biggest buck I captured on my game cam in front of me the first week of the season and passed him up, never even reached for my bow. The timing just wasn't right, there was too much time left in the season that I wouldn't have been able to enjoy if I had shot him. Whenever a buck comes in and he gets my nerves going, my heart pumping, and I have the urge to shoot him.... thats when I am going to reach for the bow. P.S. Scott, keep the entries coming, I enjoy reading them too.
For me.. story line is not a big deal. It is from the filming aspect that I do.. but it's personally not a huge deal for myself. I always enjoyed spending extra time in the woods.. so the story was always there for me. Plus.. It's hard to get a story-line together when your always bouncing property to property anyway. I usually only hunt a place for 1 year.. and within that year.. maybe 7 days tops... on that piece. As I've matured over the years.. giving friends the chance at a story is where I've matured. Helping 2 good friends and showing them the ropes of deer hunting in hopes they can create their own buck encounters and eventual buck kills. Helping them create their own stories.. and story lines. It's been fun.. (look out for one of them to score big this year).:d Don't get me wrong.. I love the history I have with some of the deer I've gotten to know over the years. It's just not a big a deal to me yet. Someday.. when I can finally relax and call a place home.. hunt it regularly.. I'll get there. I'm still learning WAY too much right now to stop and try to hunt just a single animal. Someday.
I understand where your coming from Scott and to be honest I've always felt that way but as time went on I got more that way. When I started hunting with a recurve I became more about the story as years went on with out even realizing It until about 7 years ago or so. Shot opportunities were cut way down thus making that relationship and story that much more Intense and special with a particular animal. Not In all cases but In allot of them I've never had to shoot an animal to complete myself and the hunt. Sometimes just seeing that one particular buck, bear a few different times or even just once Is a goal Itself and a good end to a long and sometimes short story. I have no greed when It comes to hunting, just frustration here and there. Good thread!!
Thanks Jeff. But you always knew what you where doing. Just needed a tiny push. Then you RAN with it. You're a machine in my opinion.. congrats again.
I have definately matured as a buck hunter, not killing the first antlers that show up. Hopefully waiting for that monster buck that I know is in the neighborhood. But yeah, I know what you mean about the experiance being a big part of it. Heck I am getting lots of fun right now just planning out food plots and improving my propertry for the deer and the deer hunting. But I still love to kill a few does every year too. I keep a couple for the freezer and give a few more away to family and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. I still get a rush from killing the does.
Buckeye, you are not crazy. That is usually how it works, especially after doing it for some time and bagging a few. Seeing these big bucks is like opening Christmas presents....... you never know what you'll get. That's what makes it so fun. For me, just seeing them is the prize. Bagging them is secondary ( although very exciting as well).
Seems logical to me, even though I have yet to pursue a specific buck and therefor have no first hand experience of what that is like.
I agree 100% Scott. Ill use my 2008 season as an example, It was one of the best seasons I have ever had, and all that i shot was a Doe. I had more encounters with Big bucks and small ones as well and i wouldnt trade that season for almost anything.
I've killed several specific bucks and am very fortunate to have the access to big tracts of public lands/timber company grounds to do it on, almost all of them I have killed outside of the rut. I take pride in that I got to know them on a level that put me basically in their bedrooms to kill them when they made a mistake, but overall, more big bucks have lost me than I have been able to kill. That bothers me, because I always feel like I can kill any buck that I get onto and that there is no unhuntable buck as long as I have access to where he beds. What makes me respect big mature bucks the most is experiencing their uncomparable ability to sense danger and avoid it, it humbles me to no end and keeps me inspired. My favorite part about passing up 1's 2's and 3 year olds these days is getting to watch them grow up and getting to study them as they age. There is always more research/work to do because as they age they change from a behavioral standpoint immensley, NO two mature bucks are ever exactly the same. The game will rarely play out the same when hunting specific deer, not here anyway because they have so much room to roam and options for feed. The cookie cutter method wont always work. Bucks, horses, cats, dogs you name it all have different personalities and my favorite part of hunting specific deer is learning a bucks intracacies/tendancies based on his experiences and demeanor. That in itself is a journey and a constant lesson, it is what makes up the story line if you will. It can be very frustrating at times and I lose more battles than I win. Yet, killing a buck that I have spent time with, made mistakes on and then finally capatilize on is a feeling like no other on this earth. I honestly do not believe I would hunt whitetails with the same passion/intrigue if I had the perfect spot where deer were forced to move through and it was simply a waiting game. I'd much rather build a history and let a big buck teach me his ways.
