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Post by badbrad on Feb 17, 2017 13:20:51 GMT -6
"I blame Michael Waddel, Stan Pots and Keith Warren type." As your Avatars all have you standing behind big bucks......funny!
That's true Mo. That doesn't mean if we don't shoot a big buck we still aren't having fun. I guess what I am getting at is that some hunters have let the drive to shoot only monster bucks ruin their enjoyment of hunting. Maybe in some cases set unrealistic goals of their hunting experience and then are disappointed when they don't meet those unrealistic goals. That doesn't mean if you set your limit to shoot a big buck that you aren't having fun. But too many people let it consume themselves where they lose touch of the big picture.
Too often its about a dick measuring contest instead of about the hunt. That is what I see at least.
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Feb 17, 2017 13:25:26 GMT -6
"I blame Michael Waddel, Stan Pots and Keith Warren type." As your Avatars all have you standing behind big bucks......funny!
That's true Mo. That doesn't mean if we don't shoot a big buck we still aren't having fun. I guess what I am getting at is that some hunters have let the drive to shoot only monster bucks ruin their enjoyment of hunting. Maybe in some cases set unrealistic goals of their hunting experience and then are disappointed when they don't meet those unrealistic goals. That doesn't mean if you set your limit to shoot a big buck that you aren't having fun. But too many people let it consume themselves where they lose touch of the big picture.
Too often its about a dick measuring contest instead of about the hunt. That is what I see at least.
Could not agree more.
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Post by Tooln on Feb 17, 2017 14:13:18 GMT -6
I look at it this way. I hunt for the meat. I won't shoot a doe as my property won't support that. Yea it would be nice to shoot a wall hanger, but you can't eat the horns.
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Post by jbird on Feb 17, 2017 17:51:31 GMT -6
I'll confess - put a little buck and a big buck in the same spot and I'll shoot that big one every time. However - how I react and handle that situation is what makes the difference. I don't need a parade! I wont be hooting from my tree stand or pounding my chest or pumping my first or sending "BBD" texts. Will I be excited? You bet your ass I will be. That is part of why we do this. That doesn't however mean I have to flaunt it or use it as some sort of means to try to portray myself to be better than someone else. Take some photos, put that deer on the wall and have him scored. Nothing wrong with that. You want to toot your own horn over and over and over again about it.....and go on about how your "better" than other people .....well then when someone finally gets fed up and punches you in the mouth (physically or figuratively) then you got what you deserve for acting like an ass-hole!
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Post by chummer16 on Feb 17, 2017 19:12:15 GMT -6
I shot a 2.5 yo spike and a 4+ eight this year and I was equally excited about both. Maybe I don't buy into horn porn because less than 1% of buck around me reach 100". The buck in my avatar I had four years of pictures. That was pretty cool. It will be tough to ever top that hunt, especially since the whole family was there and helped out. I think the DNR's have ruined the fun of hunting by dropping numbers to where they have. Like Whip, my greatest memories were from 5-15 when Thanksgiving day we would have 10-15 hunters doing drives all day before dinner. We always got 1-2 deer but saw dozens through out the day. Didn't matter who got the deer it was just a great time. Those times slowly died out, most of those people don't even hunt anymore. For many that was the only day they hunted. When you start stringing years together where no one sees a deer people stop showing up. The ones from that party that still make the effort spend the night playing cards at camp telling stories of the good old days, then sleep in and maybe or maybe not even go out. We used to have one doe tag for three hunters, now we have 4 tags for one hunter. At least I have the memories of "herds of deer" probably will never see that again. Rant over.
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Post by Sandbur on Feb 17, 2017 19:59:03 GMT -6
I started hearing about "inches" sometime in the late '80s. I think we like to romanticize the past. Competition over biggest antlered/horned animals likely goes back to the caveman days. I will agree that many guys have gone way overboard
That is the key right there Stu. Guys have gone way overboard. I blame Michael Waddel, Stan Pots and Keith Warren type.
Who is old enough to remember Noel Feather?
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Post by wiscwhip on Feb 18, 2017 5:17:22 GMT -6
That is the key right there Stu. Guys have gone way overboard. I blame Michael Waddel, Stan Pots and Keith Warren type.
Who is old enough to remember Noel Feather? Met him at the WI Deer Classic many moons ago when I was a young lad. The quest for horn porn ended his career, sad.
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Post by Sandbur on Feb 18, 2017 6:15:43 GMT -6
About 10-12 years ago, my wife gently told me that my daughters would not hunt with me if I did not change my attitude. I would complain if the neighbor shot a doe, or if he shot little bucks, or if he shot a big buck. It was evident to my wife that horn porn was causing me to no longer enjoy the hunt as I was always frustrated.
It took a few years to change, but I put a smile on my face and shook the hand of any hunter who shot a deer he was happy with. It works and I am back to enjoying the hunt.
I try very hard to NOT be critical of the deer others choose to shoot.
I have not said a word, but still do not understand hunters who complain about someone else shooting yearling bucks, but then they shoot a yearling and say they shot him to take the genetics out of the herd. Heck, be honest with yourself. You shot that buck because you had a legal tag and you wanted to shoot him, just like me and any other hunter who finally decides to pull the trigger. Some years you might decide to wait for an older buck and some years you might just decide you want some venison. Nothing wrong with either way of thinking if you have a legal tag.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 18, 2017 7:47:05 GMT -6
I have not said a word, but still do not understand hunters who complain about someone else shooting yearling bucks, but then they shoot a yearling and say they shot him to take the genetics out of the herd. Heck, be honest with yourself. You shot that buck because you had a legal tag and you wanted to shoot him, just like me and any other hunter who finally decides to pull the trigger. Some years you might decide to wait for an older buck and some years you might just decide you want some venison. Nothing wrong with either way of thinking if you have a legal tag. You're a better man than me Art, if somebody I knew said they shot a yearling to take the genetics out of the herd I'd chastise that SOB big time. "Culling" is one term/idea I have very little time to listen to...99% of the time it's pure B.S.
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Post by Sandbur on Feb 18, 2017 11:35:10 GMT -6
I have not said a word, but still do not understand hunters who complain about someone else shooting yearling bucks, but then they shoot a yearling and say they shot him to take the genetics out of the herd. Heck, be honest with yourself. You shot that buck because you had a legal tag and you wanted to shoot him, just like me and any other hunter who finally decides to pull the trigger. Some years you might decide to wait for an older buck and some years you might just decide you want some venison. Nothing wrong with either way of thinking if you have a legal tag. You're a better man than me Art, if somebody I knew said they shot a yearling to take the genetics out of the herd I'd chastise that SOB big time. "Culling" is one term/idea I have very little time to listen to...99% of the time it's pure B.S. Agree, but best to just let it go with good neighbors.
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Post by Freeborn on Feb 19, 2017 7:25:33 GMT -6
I take what my land gives me and my buddy. In 6 years we have shot two does and no Bucks under a 8 point. My buddy and I are happy splitting a deer and if one of us doesn't get an opportunity on a buck we have ample does in the neighborhood.
Much of this depends who your hunting with, if its first time hunters or kids, I would make certain they have a good experience. Experienced hunters who have shot many deer and also have other opportunities, Be selective and mange for mature bucks.
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Feb 19, 2017 7:41:16 GMT -6
I take what my land gives me and my buddy. In 6 years we have shot two does and no Bucks under a 8 point. My buddy and I are happy splitting a deer and if one of us doesn't get an opportunity on a buck we have ample does in the neighborhood. Much of this depends who your hunting with, if its first time hunters or kids, I would make certain they have a good experience. Experienced hunters who have shot many deer and also have other opportunities, Be selective and mange for mature bucks. Could not agree more jerry! I let the kids shoot what they want. I can take a back seat in order to keep them interested in the out doors!
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Post by badbrad on Feb 19, 2017 7:45:29 GMT -6
About 10-12 years ago, my wife gently told me that my daughters would not hunt with me if I did not change my attitude. I would complain if the neighbor shot a doe, or if he shot little bucks, or if he shot a big buck. It was evident to my wife that horn porn was causing me to no longer enjoy the hunt as I was always frustrated. It took a few years to change, but I put a smile on my face and shook the hand of any hunter who shot a deer he was happy with. It works and I am back to enjoying the hunt. I try very hard to NOT be critical of the deer others choose to shoot. I have not said a word, but still do not understand hunters who complain about someone else shooting yearling bucks, but then they shoot a yearling and say they shot him to take the genetics out of the herd. Heck, be honest with yourself. You shot that buck because you had a legal tag and you wanted to shoot him, just like me and any other hunter who finally decides to pull the trigger. Some years you might decide to wait for an older buck and some years you might just decide you want some venison. Nothing wrong with either way of thinking if you have a legal tag. Pretty much sums up the purpose of my original post. Good stuff art!
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Post by Sandbur on Feb 20, 2017 7:15:44 GMT -6
About 10-12 years ago, my wife gently told me that my daughters would not hunt with me if I did not change my attitude. I would complain if the neighbor shot a doe, or if he shot little bucks, or if he shot a big buck. It was evident to my wife that horn porn was causing me to no longer enjoy the hunt as I was always frustrated. It took a few years to change, but I put a smile on my face and shook the hand of any hunter who shot a deer he was happy with. It works and I am back to enjoying the hunt. I try very hard to NOT be critical of the deer others choose to shoot. I have not said a word, but still do not understand hunters who complain about someone else shooting yearling bucks, but then they shoot a yearling and say they shot him to take the genetics out of the herd. Heck, be honest with yourself. You shot that buck because you had a legal tag and you wanted to shoot him, just like me and any other hunter who finally decides to pull the trigger. Some years you might decide to wait for an older buck and some years you might just decide you want some venison. Nothing wrong with either way of thinking if you have a legal tag. Pretty much sums up the purpose of my original post. Good stuff art! We all go through different phases of our hunting career. Sometimes we settle in one phase for a period, sometimes we move on. If it is legal, we must try and celebrate with other hunters at their phase. Keep hunting long enough and your goals will change.
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Post by sd51555 on Feb 20, 2017 7:58:39 GMT -6
I was going down that road of being a grumpy dick over harvest guidelines on the Slice and caught myself before I drove away my buddy. I'd love nothing more than to have 2-3 big bucks in the neighborhood, but I'm not going to have my first heart attack over trying to make it happen with my 40.
I loosened up and told the guys they can shoot whatever buck they'd like, but continue to lay off the does for the good of the herd. I also coupled that with the idea that if we got through this season and winter in good shape and showed some good fawn recruitment again, we'd probably take a doe next year.
Personally, I'll still pass on small bucks. Mostly, I'll do it because if I have extra days to hunt yet, I want to keep hunting. I still get that little kid excitement seeing does and fawns and grouse come into the food plots to chow down. Towards the end of next season, I may take one for the Lord and put one in the freezer. We'll see what happens.
The big thing though, I started to quickly hate habitat work starting last spring when the intensity level went way up in my neighborhood. I took a step back and separated myself from the bullshit and I salvaged my hobby before I threw my hands up and walked away.
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