I know its part of hunting and it is what it is. I wish it was only a dozen bucks. Mn has the worst deer regulations when it comes to hunting dates. Gun season prime of the rut (Nov 9th through the 17th this year). Then again for 2 weeks around December but that season (the December one) don't bother me. It's not during the rut with bucks running around all over. I've busted my *** passing on 2 and 3 year old deer to only have them get shot the same year or the next. It wouldn't bother me in the least if these same hunters (my neighbors) were passing these young bucks too and benefiting off of their hard work by shooting these older bucks. Instead their benefiting off of my hard work as usual. They SHOULD stop over and shake my hand for letting these bucks get bigger so they can shoot them. When your big/older buck numbers are low the way it is it makes it VERY frustrating. Minnesota ranks usually number 1 or 2 in the nation with 75% of the bucks being shot are that of 1.5 year olds. I believe PA prior to APR's was right there with Minnesota. Now Michigan has joined the pack with Minnesota I believe. So far this year that I know of there have been 12 bucks shot in the section where our land is in. I know for a fact its more then that. These are just the ones I know about. As of yesterday only 3 doe's that I know of were shot.
One of the biggest issues we have here in Ohio is "what age buck should people harvest?". Me and my brothers are still taking eye-appealing 2.5 year old bucks. Were moving towards only 3.5 year olds next year. We have guys that HATE us because we dont let every buck get to 5.5 years old. We also have guys that shoot EVERYTHING that walks by. We dont own enough land to manage it perfectly, but were working towards it.
but schultzy everyone knows that can't be the same buck, that buck from 2010 obviously has terrible genes, will amount to nothing and is worthless...needs culling. All you "cullers" take this thread and shove it
I'd ask the neighbor's if they believe in QDMA, if they say yes then tell them you're doing more harvests inline with QDMA than they are. QDMA protects fawns, yearlings and some 2 1/2 year olds and encourages the harvests of some 2 1/2 year olds on up....they're trophy management, not the same at all. We do something similar to you guys Siman so I relate...but sad thing is we're the ones more picky than our neighbors...sad I know.
I'll NEVER tell anyone what to shoot EVER. It's just frustrating buck hunting here in Minnesota. Like I said our gun season dates suck. If you get yourself one here bowhunting your doing something VERY right. I'm sure its an area thing too. Other parts of Minnesota I know have some excellent hunting.
My farm is bordered by 14 other pieces of property. 5-6 dont hunt or allow hunting, 5-6 allow other hunters that i don't know, and a few are in with us. Its not a terrible situation, its just hard to expect any deer to survive year to year. We only have one buck on cam that we FOR SURE had on camera last year (1.5 yo to 2.5 yo). We possibly had my brothers buck on cam as well, which would make him a less then appealing 3.5 YO (scored 101").
I get looked at weird when neighbors or just hunters around here in general hear me speak of passing younger bucks. They tell me I'm nuts, somebody else will shoot them. Lol. Well they are somewhat right. My neighbors shoot them. Speaking of doe's, we have way to many. Yes its nice to have lots of doe's but by giving out some management tags it would save on some younger bucks being shot. Were a one deer area here. Most on this forum have never experienced this.
We take 5-10 every year off the immediate property, last year i knew of AT LEAST 21. Trail cameras still show 3-4 mature does with fawns using the property after weve taken 5 this year already.
Our neighbors luck into a big one every now and then....problem is all the work we've done is just now pumping bucks in harder than ever...they'll start lucking into more I'm sure, but in the end we even take some pride in that success too because we know more than likely that buck was around because of what we've done.
Man thats a nice one Steve. Wish you could have caught up with him. At least he wasn't a bumper ornament. I know how it is...here in VA where I live, its non-stop gun season from the 1st Saturday in Nov, until the first Saturday in Jan. Muzzleloaders and Rifles take down a ton of deer in November for sure. Makes it hard for em to grow long enough to get good and big. But it is what it is. Good luck, maybe you'll find a roamer :D
Schultzy- I agree with everything you have posted in this thread. Hunting in my part of MN you will be lucky to see a mature buck let alone get a chance to harvest one. I really hope they implement APR for the entire state and at least give it a try. I know of 4 deer shot in our neighbors this slug season. A 2 spikes and two forks. I have seen one decent buck in 20 some sits this year. They don't get a chance to become mature, let alone 2 years old..
I remember when you first posted goofy, think you had thought maybe a fractured skull plate at the time. Wondering if you were able to examine the skull cap or not? Hard to believe what he turned in to, I was worried if he grew a point the next season it may take his eye out. I couldn't imagine only being able to take one deer a season, that definitely makes it tough. Add in the fact that you do it with traditional gear and its even more impressive. Good luck getting on another.
Thanks cls!! I hardly ever see the neighboring land owner being he lives about 40 miles away so getting to see the skull isn't looking good. It wouldn't surprise me if he even noticed that the right pedicle comes out about an inch or 2 below where the other side comes out. Oh well, life goes on. Thanks all. Good luck to all the rest of the season. Like Mike said (WV Hunter) lets hope a new one shows up. Its getting to be that time of the year.
Sorry Steve, I didn't go through and read all the posts. It's always tough when someone else ends up with an animal you've been after. Blessings........Pastorjim
