Tennessee Deer Talk: WHAT BOW YOU USING THIS YEAR!?

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#2024565 - 08/10/10 01:43 PM

Re: WHAT BOW YOU USING THIS YEAR!? [Re: Wes Parrish]

BSK
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Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN

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Originally Posted By: Wes Parrish

Originally Posted By: BSK

Since we quit bow-hunting our success rate on older to mature bucks has gone WAY up. We now enjoy our hunting much more and the increased success rate on older bucks is one of the primary reasons we enjoy our hunting more.

IMAGINE THAT! $;\)$

Yup, at realistic frequencies. However, if we up our standards too high we would no longer be killing bucks at a frequency we would enjoy. It's all a balancing act--frequency of success versus quality (size) of success.

Each person will find a different point at which the balance point is "right." In addition, a person's balance point will probably change with age and experience.

I can say with absolute certainty that as I age, my balance point is slide back down the scale instead of farther up the scale. I no longer need to prove anything to anyone, including myself. I've accomplished every goal I ever had, and now I'm more interested in hunting "for fun" instead of accomplishment in harvest.

_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan

"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James

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#2024579 - 08/10/10 01:51 PM

Re: WHAT BOW YOU USING THIS YEAR!? [Re: Wes Parrish]

BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical

Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN

Offline

Originally Posted By: Wes Parrish

Originally Posted By: BSK

We were placing too much pressure on the deer at the time we were carrying the lowest odds weapon. . . . . . . . By the time MZ and gun rolled around the bucks had reacted to our hunting pressure by going nocturnal.

I totally agree with you about the pressure reducing future opportunity when you're carrying an more effective weapon.

However, I think that you would have still found your opportunities to take those older bucks (now) greatly increased EVEN IF you had continued bowhunting your property.

No, it was a night and day difference the very first year we tried not bowhunting. It made a HUGE difference, so big we rapidly agreed there would be no more bow-hunting on the property.

Originally Posted By: Wes

Originally Posted By: BSK

Although I'll be the first to admit, I learned more about deer behavior while bow-hunting than at all other times of the year combined.

I have a different take on this.
It's not so much the fact that you were "bowhunting" as it was you were forced (by the short-range weapon) into doing more "observation" than shooting. Thus, you learn so much more than by simply shooting the first deer seen.

Absolutely true. We became "observers" instead of hunters.

_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan

"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James

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