I am just curious as to what age, size of buck everyone is targeting this year, from brown its down to holding out for an old monarch? Some of you have already scored. What's on the whitetail agenda for the rest of the season?
At least legal=13" inside spread with the compound I will shoot a spike with the longbow. My county has antler restrictions. minimum 13" inside spread or at least one unbranched antler.
I don't really put a score on a shooter anymore... It is all about the look. I didn't run any cameras this year but for a week on one piece so I can only go by what I saw glassing this summer as far as what I have to work with.. I found one big buck and a few nice ones. (As you may have read, I blew it on one of the nice ones last week).
Usually, I would say nothing below 130" or so and 3.5 years unless it's the last day of the season, but this year has been so darn tough so far, I think I might settle for a medium-bodied 6 pointer just so I can put some meat in the freezer. As a rule, I don't like to shoot does (just a personal preference, not a judgement) so I think my buck standards might have to slip a bit this year. I'm hunting on public land and am new to the area, so for the first time in my hunting life I'm feeling a concerned...
For me, I am gonna target the 4 year olds and older. Really don't care about score. Plan on shooting a doe in the late season on my Montana doe hunt. I have 3 buck tags to fill counting my E. Washington tag and 2 Idaho buck tags. I've never killed 3 bucks over 4 years old in a year and would like to this year. 2, I have done before and I would be very happy with that feat again..... 1 good one would be enough I just dont want to eat tag soup on bucks ever again!
Whatever gets my heart racing (and is legal of course) Idealistically, I would like to say I want to top last years buck, but I would be happy with one smaller, especially if he has some character.
In NC 100"+ in OH 130"+ Edit* I let a 125-130" 8 pointer walk Saturday evening, not being from a big buck state, that was the hardest thing I've ever done in the deer woods.
Good question. This year I wanted to have more of an open ended if I get excited when I see it, I’ll know attitude. In PA my initial thoughts were any decent 2.5 yr old would get drilled. But I saw a hog at one of my hunting spots last Friday and knowing he’s there has put a little hesitation in my mind about shooting something too far below him. Tonight would be the 1st I’ll be able to hunt him, but I don’t know if I am going to have a good wind. So my PA line has gotten a little blurred. The reality, is that there have always been bucks that big or bigger at this spot, but now I’ve actually seen one and know where he was bedded. OH is going to have to be really nice.(125”+) Especially if I would get one in PA early & know I’d have the gun season over there in what is likely going to be a really good spot. But talk is all fine & dandy when I’ve not actually been faced with the shoot/don’t shoot scenario of having a 120” buck under me. Things could change in an instant.
Funny you made this thread, Troy... I've actually been giving more and more thought to this lately -- especially this year. I've got five whitetails mounted downstairs, along with an assortment of bobcats and other predators -- as well as an antelope and my elk will be done by the end of the year, too. I've also got three 2.5-year olds mounted on nice oak placques (euro mounts) ... For that reason, I'm really wanting to start raising the bar. This may mean I start going buckless a few years now, but I simply don't need to kill another 2.5-year old... I'd really like to set the cutoff at 140-ish, but we'll see how hard something in the '30s will be to pass if he steps out. Hopefully, I can.
Very good Greg, best of luck, imo a 140 inch deer is an underated buck. I have killed several in that high 130/low140 mark and they are great bucks, quite often a buck around my area will NEVER be more than a 140 inch grossing deer even in his old age! all this to say... 140 class bucks in my neck of the woods are studs! GOOD LUCK with your quest! They look good on the wall too.
yeah Ryan, with what you have around in PA and what you have for potential in OHIO, i have a feeling mr. Rybo will run a dandy down this year... same with the KING!
In IL I'd like to say he needs to be over 130" for the first buck and then if I get one the next will need to be a slammer or something unique. In MO I don't have near the properties to hunt that I used to. So if I think he'd look good on my wall I'll probably let an arrow fly. But nothing is set in stone!!
I'm big on letting these deer mature, but that all comes down to what kind of whitetails your property holds too! Personally where I do most of my hunting in illinois, I will let deer in the 130's walk, I have over the past 3 to 4 seasons. If he is pushing close to 140, then I'll probably drop him. Now that I have a 164 class under my belt this year, i'm holding out for Mr. T who I believe to be a 5 1/2 year old this season; he should gross close to 180 or better typical. I feel good knowing I let these deer grow another year or so, then these 150's and 160's start showing up, I know they are around, I guess I'm patient and know good things will follow when I let some of these younger deer mature!
I drew a line in the sand last year and been eating the tag. Blew my shot at him but atleast did get myself in front of him. This year Im hoping for a shot at him again but am not going to limit myself to chaseing only him. Had a really nice 8 infront of me the other evening, prolly 130 class so I guess bigger than that.
I set my goal to kill a 3.5 year old, that scores 130"+ I know of a few bucks running around on our farm that will go over this mark, but I can't say with 100% confidence that if I shoot a buck it will meet those standards. One thing I want to do this year is kill a buck over a decoy and get it on video. If a 120" 8 pointer plays the role, I may find myself letting the arrow fly.
