You must be watching the same crappy show I am. How bout the Lee Cook girl though. Gotta love a cute girl in chest-waders.
Definately #5 because you can't kill what isn't there. I wish there was some good public land with in a reasonable distance. #4 is a problem I plan to take care of by next season.
Slayer how good would some of MI public land be with a 15'' spread restriction and bowhunting only Yes I need to call you
Yeah Duke, she's a babe for sure. Did you catch Dave Watson's show after that? I had the pleasure of taking him elk hunting here in Colorado. He lasted one day.
It's 3 things for me... 1. #5 is true for me...they just aren't here. Killing a P&Y is basically a needle in 25 haystacks. 2. I'm not good at killing the biggest bucks in my area yet, I know that. I have alot to learn. 3. Last...what RJ said. I'm not willing (at this point in my life) to do what it takes to kill a big one on a regular basis - meaning to go where they are. I have way to much going on in my life with kids, sports, etc...don't have the time right now to commit to it. Like GMMAT...I am fine with my situation too, there is something to say about being able to pop out on the back 40 in 10 mins notice - and be back in the house eating supper 15mins after dark. Though...I know I pretty much ain't gonna get a chance at a big one, its still fun and I still enjoy it. It would be nice though to see some nice bucks once in a while, I'll admit that. That wears on me sometimes.
It's a matter of finding the right area to give you the best opportunity to kill a big buck. Finding that place (or places) is more important than anything you could possibly do. I probably work harder at finding, getting permission on and scouting land than I do with anything else hunting related. Through beating down doors, knowing where big bucks are or aren't and working my booty off to get on land gives me the best opportunity to kill a big buck. I have several easier and more convenient places to hunt that would make life much easier on me. I could sit there and hope for a beast to happen by me. But....... odds would be stacked against me. Any state... almost any chunk of land, there is a wall hanger lurking. More states and areas give you better chances ? sure ... I'll agree with that. But they are there!
Some of the best deer denisty is in MI in some areas. When you shoot 80% of them off when their 1.5 it does no good to have a lot of deer. Give me 15 dpsm with 3-4 mature bucks and I will hunt that over 105 dpsm(with most of the kills being 1.5) any day of the week.
Just check the stats if you can on 1.5 bucks being killed. Iowa just under 50% Indiana is now at 50% PA is under 50% now, use to be well above it. MI is around 62%, but in areas like the SLP it's around 70%. The key is a tag system that helps 1.5 make it. MI has a mulligan tag system, OH does not, Ohio is also around 50%. If you can get the kill to around 50% your state will have more mature deer. Remember Iowa set their seasons and bag limits after watching states like MI, Minn and others make all their mistakes.
Honestly, this big buck killing craze is over rated. Some areas have them... some areas have NONE. Lee and Tiffany see more bucks in one set than most hunters around here see in 5 years... and they're all bigger. If you have them... enjoy. If you don't.... enjoy the hunt. And to be truthful... Lee and Tiffany are shooters... not hunters. Those with no big bucks are probably better hunters.
Any hunter could use anyone of those excuses to say as to why they didn't tag a mature buck. If Hunter A has 500 acres to hunt and is able to be in the woods 50+ days the odds are in his favor, where as Hunter B hunts 200 acres bordering Hunter A, but only hunts a 10 days each year. Chances are Hunter A has a better looking wall than Hunter B.
So you're saying people who hunt 4 year olds regularly are less good than those who don't hunt them regularly? I don't know about that one. I never get to hunt Elk.. so I'm likely a sucky Elk hunter.
Na.. I left for dinner with the wife. Watson never interests me really.. something about him screams "crier". The fact that he lasted 1 day while Elk hunting pretty much sums up what I already believed.
So if anyone of you were hunting on Lee and Tiff's place, you could be as good as they "seem" to be?? Im not sure I could be...I mean sure, they ahve a lot big mature bucks on their property, but does that mean they are stupid bucks?? I doubt it...if you were to get off the plane and step on to their farm with no help and were given a full 2 days to scout could you kill a mature buck? I just don't know that I could...I mean we have a lot of solid 135-150" bucks on properties that I hunt...I really think I suck that bad that I might even blow at Lee/Tiff's place.
5. Having more big bucks in your area 7. You don't know exactly how to hunt for them 9. not enough land to hunt 5 would always be nice. But where i hunt the most in ohio there are not as many big bucks as in other areas. 7. Im new to hunting and am learning something new everytime i go out into the woods. 9. The land i hunt on the most is only 30acres. I could hunt public land but being a new hunter id prefer to hunt my 30 acres b4 i venture into the woods with other hunters.
This is really cool. Respect. I'd answer the question, but it all is pretty relative. Hunt however you want, just do it ethically. I'll do my thing, you do yours.
I guess we have a bunch of world class deer hunters on this site. Not one person picked 7. It seems the only reason many don't kill big bucks Is because they aren't there (big/old bucks). I'll be the 1st to admit that 7 Is the sole reason why I don't get one every year. Followed closely by 7 Is 5 though. I know the number of mature bucks aren't nearly as high In numbers around here compared to allot of other states/areas. No excuses otherwise out of me, number 7 takes the cake.
