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"if i don't shoot him - someone else will - so i better shoot him"

I must follow the lead of Shovelbuck. I have never shot a deer because I was worried that someone else might shoot it. I have only once made any kind of excuse for shooting a deer. It was a fawn that ran behind a doe that I killed. The same slug hit the fawn and broke it's leg. I hunt DEER because I enjoy it, and I shoot deer because that is why I hunt them and enjoy every one of them. I don't hunt bucks or antlers but will take a good shot that presents on a huge buck or on some days a spike, again because that is why I hunt DEER.

I disagree with the post that said something like trophy hunting is the end of a long journey. If you read Shovelbuck's post about the stages of a hunter you might understand a little better. To me trophy hunting is much more in the middle or upper portion of a hunter's life. I have never been a trophy hunter maybe because I enjoy the hunting too much to even think about being disappointed about missing or not even seeing a trophy buck. I currently have prostate cancer that is in remission but it will return in the future. As a result of that and my age I may only have a very few more seasons left, and I fully intend to enjoy every minute that I can be afield. I have even gotten a crossbow license and am so looking forward to my first ever deer with it over the next couple of months. That deer, whatever it is, will bring me lots of excitement and happiness and pride with or without horns! :way: I am a legal and ethical hunter and if I choose to shoot something that is my choice and subject to only my personal requirements toward satisfaction, not the neighbors or anyone else that I might hunt with or talk to about it!
 
Cooter said:
Skip I love to hunt. My only true hobby or passion other than my family.

Let me ask you this. If deer all only lived one and all grew the exact same sized set of antlers would you hunt them. I would. From what I read in your post there would be no enjoy left in it for you. That's why I enjoy turkey hunt more than deer anymore. Lot less of a pissing match.
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If they were all basically the same? Interesting!!!..... Probably not. Why I don't get into duck or turkey hunting. Cause over and over it is almost the same critter with slight differences. Look how vast a difference a 6 yr old is vs a 1 yr old. Or a 7 yr old with kickers and mass vs a 2 yr old 8. Then- look at how much harder it is to kill a 7 yr old than a 2 yr old (whatever- just examples). They r darn near different animals. A 2 yr old duck or a 4 yr old duck- don't hardly think I could ever tell a bit of difference. So- ya- age, character, ability to avoid hunters, wisdom & survival makes a mature buck so much different than a young buck. PART of why I love this deer hunting like I do. Otherwise I may as well get into bowling, chess, BINGO or line dancing. To me- the variation on so many levels for whitetails is one of the coolest parts of it.
And no, I don't shoot things because I think my neighbors will. I shoot what's a challenge for me and what makes a thrill, reward, accomplishment and memory. All on top of just being outdoors where if I kill nothing I'm still super happy to b out there. I love passing deer. I love challenging for mature bucks (that's just ME- u have ur version of what u like). Is that surprising that guys who, say, hunt for older bucks and does for example- could enjoy this sport so much and find it so fulfilling?
 
Yes almost the same animal but the hunt is different out come is different. Every turkey I have shot has been a different and exciting hunt. That's what I'm out there for.

I'm sure you could put some sort of numbers to it. They have with turkeys.

You could go with wieght, longest chin hair, and lenght of hoof or something to measure out to be better than the next guy.

I agree a 5 year old buck acts different than a 2 year old buck. That's the same with turkeys. Old does are different than a young doe. So why are you not crazy about that and posting and pushing that?

Mobile Cooter using IW
 
bowmaker said:
I must follow the lead of Shovelbuck. I have never shot a deer because I was worried that someone else might shoot it. I have only once made any kind of excuse for shooting a deer. It was a fawn that ran behind a doe that I killed. The same slug hit the fawn and broke it's leg. I hunt DEER because I enjoy it, and I shoot deer because that is why I hunt them and enjoy every one of them. I don't hunt bucks or antlers but will take a good shot that presents on a huge buck or on some days a spike, again because that is why I hunt DEER.

I disagree with the post that said something like trophy hunting is the end of a long journey. If you read Shovelbuck's post about the stages of a hunter you might understand a little better. To me trophy hunting is much more in the middle or upper portion of a hunter's life. I have never been a trophy hunter maybe because I enjoy the hunting too much to even think about being disappointed about missing or not even seeing a trophy buck. I currently have prostate cancer that is in remission but it will return in the future. As a result of that and my age I may only have a very few more seasons left, and I fully intend to enjoy every minute that I can be afield. I have even gotten a crossbow license and am so looking forward to my first ever deer with it over the next couple of months. That deer, whatever it is, will bring me lots of excitement and happiness and pride with or without horns! :way: I am a legal and ethical hunter and if I choose to shoot something that is my choice and subject to only my personal requirements toward satisfaction, not the neighbors or anyone else that I might hunt with or talk to about it!
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I hope you stay healthy!!
 
I disagree with the post that said something like trophy hunting is the end of a long journey
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Couldn't agree more.....

Trophy Hunting is the teenage/college stage of life when we compare how big things are.

You have reached full maturity and the end of the journey when you can walk in and out of the timber, without ever firing a bullet or letting an arrow go, and be completely content with that days experience. All the creatures and plant life of the woods are created equal.
 
Truth&Honest said:
Couldn't agree more.....

Trophy Hunting is the teenage/college stage of life when we compare how big things are.

You have reached full maturity and the end of the journey when you can walk in and out of the timber, without ever firing a bullet or letting an arrow go, and be completely content with that days experience. All the creatures and plant life of the woods are created equal.
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That exact description could easily be trophy hunting??
 
Truth&Honest said:
Couldn't agree more.....

Trophy Hunting is the teenage/college stage of life when we compare how big things are.

You have reached full maturity and the end of the journey when you can walk in and out of the timber, without ever firing a bullet or letting an arrow go, and be completely content with that days experience. All the creatures and plant life of the woods are created equal.
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I personally don't think a deer tick is equal to a 150 inch buck, if you do, well have fun out there.
 
I think people are going to start saying before long, "if I don't shoot him, he will die of EHD next September."
 
Depends on how you look at it. If you hunt in an area with heavy pressure and you would mount the deer the way he is now I don't think the statement is really that bad. We would all like to let all the "maybe's" walk but a trophy is in the eye of the beholder and IMHO hunting pressure and time you have to hunt can be a factor of whether to take a deer or not.

Few years ago we were seeing a very nice buck (150-160 gross) coming onto our property. We were up in the air if he was a 3.5 or 4.5. Problem was he was crossing two county roads fairly regularly 2x's a day (back and forth between feeding and bedding) and were having a problem with night poachers. On top of that this area while having a huge amount of timber gets hunted heavily bow and shotgun. I had one a bit bigger on the wall but he was plenty nice to mount so I decided I was going to take him given the opportunity. My buddy said he was going to pass and did on an easy 12 yard shot that season. Well we found him dead that March while shed hunting a couple hundred yards from one of the roads he often crossed. He appeared to have been hit as he looked healthy (not thin or worn down) and had no gunshot wounds. Now he is a board mount with the only memories of him being that of regret not taking him instead of proud ones of a great hunt. There are many reasons we all shoot or don't shoot and if you still feel a deer is a trophy or your time is limited or you have fears of a great deer not making it to become a monster for whatever reason who are we to judge?
 
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Most of us are goal setters. If your goal is a 140 and you consistently kill 130s, you are your worst enemy. You become the dreaded neighbor.
 
"Trophy Hunting is the teenage/college stage of life when we compare how big things are."

If someone is "trophy hunting" to impress someone else, this statement is probably true. Mine's bigger than yours is basically the same phase of maturity as "I shot more than you did". On the other hand, if one chooses to hunt trophies to satisfy an internal desire to meet or exceed a self imposed standard, then trophy hunting is a much more mature phase. One in which the definition of trophy will vary from situation to situation & hunter to hunter. It will depend on the entire experience, not so much P&Y/B&C inches or point count.
 
It's hard to shoot what makes you happy!TV has us all believing that because we live in Iowa we should all have a wall full of booners.More often than not when you are happy with your kill some SOB will tell you "I wouldn't have killed that deer" or here's another scenario "He would have been nice next year".TV has given people a skewed reality and is killing our sport by making it about the size of the animal instead of about the hunt!! It's hard to hunt in any corner of our great state and not see signs that read "Leased Property,Keep Out" so now it's about money as well! I think management is great but people need to stop thinking they are soooo much better than the next guy cuz they killed a #*^ inch deer or let a 3.5 year old walk.I kill what ever I want to that is within the Law and whether or not they agree or are happy for me doesn't factor in to my decision.I'm a hunter not a killer!
 
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I love hunting big,old deer. However, at the end of the day, that wasn't how hunting was in the beginning for myself and I've got better things to do with my time than worry about any deer anyone else has taken legally.
 
I shoot whatever suits my fancy on that particular day. Some days I'm really wanting to hold out for the next wall hanger. Other days a nice 8 pointer in the 120's will suit me. I don't think it's my place (or anyone elses) to judge someone based on what they shoot no matter their reason.

Fact is that there are not 150"+ bucks on every tract of land. A 125" off public land is just as much a trophy as a 175" off a highly managed private farm.
 
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