Speaking from experience hunting in Iowa in 2012 I told myself anything 140 inches and under walks. I held true to that too and passed 3 different 140 to 145 inch bucks. All were 10 points what looked to be 3 year olds. One might have been a 4 year old. Anyhow my goal was a 150 inch buck. I saw 4 of them and had one in range the very last day of my 6 day hunt. Wrong angle (quartering too) at 8 yards. I passed on the shot as I believe its not a good shot to take. 5 seconds and two steps later he hit my walk in trail and blew out of there. No regrets what so ever. At home here in Minnesota anything in that 130 inch range is getting an arrow. Big difference in buck numbers and size from Iowa to the **** hole where I hunt here in central Minnesota.
Iowa, Illinois, or Kansas I would want to shoot 140+ and would shoot anything over 120 if it's all I had a chance at last day. Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Kentucky I would say over 120--130 target for whole trip.
I've passed on high 130's - mid 140's here. If I was going to go out of state to hunt a big buck state... it has to be 160 or bigger with me really holding out for the bigger to the very end. There is no point in going to me... just to kill something I can or have killed here. I would rather kill a doe for meat then a 130 - 150 in a big buck state on the last day. I won't mount anything I kill here unless it is bigger then 150. 150 - mid 160's are top end bucks for this area and there aren't very many of them with very, very few making it to the 160's. In the 26 years that I have lived here... I have seen only 2 bucks that broke 170 and I killed one of them. 150 class buck is not a top end buck for a big buck state... not even close. Granted... all areas in a big buck state are not equal. Go big or come home empty handed. Tim
Since the biggest buck I have ever taken is in the 90`s, a 120 is an absolute giant to me!! That being said, knowing the size of the deer out in Iowa, hopefully I would have the where with all to not shoot the first 120 that walked by, but.........!! 120`s is big for me, thats all i`m saying!
I think it really depends on the area you're hunting and your own personal goals. I went to Missouri this year and I told myself and my buddy that my goal was a 150" deer. Now, my biggest with a bow in PA was 136" so thats quite a step up. However, we were hunting property that had plenty of deer in the 140-150 range, so it wasn't like I was asking to hunt the next world record. Now, I also consider the deer with the cool looking racks, the kickers, stickers and such as well. In PA, we don't get too many deer with anything other than a squeaky clean rack. I love that junk some deer put on. I was very blessed this year and did end up taking a 150 class deer. If you think that deer is a trophy and you'd be proud to have it hanging on your wall, take him.
Depends on the property but probably 150+ unless they have many huge bucks (170+) then I would wait for a little bit.
Something else I think about a lot is what type of hunter I want to be. Right now, I'm about consistency on nice bucks. In PA, nice is a 120 or better deer. In the midwest thats probably something closer to 140. Someday, I might change my tune and want to shoot for something much higher as a goal. Can't shoot a 170 if you shoot the first 140 you see. As I said, I never killed anything bigger than a 140 with a bow or gun, so going to Missouri, knowing what was there, I decided I'd shoot for a 150 and lucked out. However, sometimes I think folks get caught up in what they see on TV and set their goals so high that the chances of obtaining them are almost impossible given the area you hunt, etc. But again, its really personal preference and no one should ever be ashamed of their personal goals. We all have to start somewhere. We all have different goals and the definition of a trophy is usually different for everyone.
Well said MuzzyMan I couldn't agree more. There were 3 guys from Michigan hunting the first shotgun season where we are going to be hunting. 2 of the guys have never hunted Iowa and shot 130-135 inch bucks and were THRILLED I heard. They were the biggest bucks they ever shot. The guy who shot the last buck hunted there last year and knew he wanted to hold off a bit and shot a beautiful 155 inch buck. I doubt he was any happier then the other two because they all shot their personal best bucks.
going back to kansas next year and i'm looking for a 140+ i seen 2 in that range and in bow ranger after i filled my tag haha go figure!!
Seems to me you have shot and seen many big deer. Don't know you that well.....but I would hold out for something 140-150 above if you know they are there. If a 130 inch deer doesn't make you that excited why shoot it? If it does make you excited then shoot. I know it could make a difference since you are hunting out of state and spending more money than someone in state like myself. Last year I shot a 130 inch buck during archery season and I'm thankful for the buck, but I wish I wouldn't have shot it and waited for something better even if it doesn't come along. How are you hunting shotgun season? Stands? Walkers and standers? Good luck. I usually get a doe tag for shotgun season, but went too late and they are out. Saving my gun license for late muzzleloader and I can use the bow again on a buck. We hunt in a group and I enjoy the social part way more than the poor hunting by half our group. I'll be smoking some front shoulders from doe my dad shot last weekend, grilling marinated loin and drinking some shastas.
An honest 140+ buck is a pretty good buck in most places, even the best places...on a short hunt, 5 days ...you better really think twice about what you can do in such a Short time..... I also think that until you go on several outfitted hunts for whitetail some hunters perception is a little screwed up but watching to many hunting shows.... Even In the best places most outfitters if they are lucky are running 25-30 success for bow hunts... So adding to that, if you think in a 5 day hunt you can pass....140-150ish deer with any regularity you might be in for a rude awaking.
While I agree with everything you say... I would never go on a guided hunt. To me... I want to hunt a big buck state. I don't want to sit in someone else stands where they did all the leg work. My success or failure would be 100% on me. TV shows have no bearing what so ever. The odds of killing a 170 or better in 5 - 7 days are very poor at best. They are still better then the odds of me killing a 170 class buck here when I have only seen 2 bucks that made it to 170 in 26 years. Filling the tag, just to fill the tag, isn't what's important to me if I ever do go on one of these hunts. Having the chance... even if the odds are poor to kill a 170 is the part that is important to me. Each there own. Tim
