#3098955 - 12/28/12 11:54 AM
Getting too picky....
|
passthrough76
4 Point
Registered: 01/06/09
Posts: 295
Loc: Middle, TN
|
Offline
|
|
Can take its toll on a hunter and family. I passed up the third 8 pointer that I have seen this year scoring in the 120's, but I don't think I would have been happy if I had shot him. As I have become more selective, if I don't shoot one early during the year it really starts to wear on me. The colder hunts, more time alone in the woods away from family, seeing less deer, etc. When I do finally shoot a mature buck, it makes it all the more rewarding. However, it is a long hard walk to get there sometimes.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3098963 - 12/28/12 12:00 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: passthrough76]
|
utfan1
10 Point
Registered: 12/31/06
Posts: 3597
Loc: cleveland,tn
|
|
Offline
|
|
its not too picky , just what makes us happy.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3098975 - 12/28/12 12:16 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: utfan1]
|
Mike Belt
TnDeer Old Timer
16 Point
Registered: 03/26/99
Posts: 16930
Loc: Lakeland, Tn.
|
|
Offline
|
|
The thing you have to keep in mind is realistic expectations for the area you hunt. We'd all like to nail bucks 140 or better but if the area you hunt doesn't hold a huntable population of them then you're going to have some long seasons with a bunch of unfilled tags. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with your selectivity. You'll go buckless about 99% of the time but it doesn't make any sense to kill a buck just for the sake of killing a buck if you're not satisfied with killing him. For me that's the beauty of a liberal doe season. We eat alot of venison and taking a few does along the way provides freezer meat while somewhat satisfying the itchy trigger finger until the buck I want to shoot comes along.
_________________________
BONE HEAD HUNTER
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3098994 - 12/28/12 12:37 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: Mike Belt]
|
passthrough76
4 Point
Registered: 01/06/09
Posts: 295
Loc: Middle, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
The areas(Davidson and Williamson) I hunt have some good deer every year. During bow I saw a 150 class that was later shot a ridge over. I guess that is another reason I hunt the way I do, because I know that at any moment a big one could step out. Also, I currently don't have a 4 wheeler, so just shooting some does can be a difficult task to get out of the woods.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099004 - 12/28/12 12:44 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: passthrough76]
|
BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
When I do finally shoot a mature buck, it makes it all the more rewarding.
As long as that continues to be true, and mature buck harvests occur frequently enough to satisfy you, then more power to you!
I just worry too many hunters are being influenced by peer pressure into thinking only mature bucks are "worthy" of shooting. That mindset will lead to a lot of unhappy hunters in the long run. And I say that because many areas don't have huntable numbers of mature bucks, and the majority of hunters don't have the skills necessary to kill mature bucks consistantly even where those bucks exist (and I include myself in that group).
_________________________
"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
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099007 - 12/28/12 12:48 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: BSK]
|
EastTNHunter
8 Point
Registered: 03/08/10
Posts: 1188
Loc: Rhea Co., TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
When I do finally shoot a mature buck, it makes it all the more rewarding. As long as that continues to be true, and mature buck harvests occur frequently enough to satisfy you, then more power to you! I just worry too many hunters are being influenced by peer pressure into thinking only mature bucks are "worthy" of shooting. That mindset will lead to a lot of unhappy hunters in the long run. And I say that because many areas don't have huntable numbers of mature bucks, and the majority of hunters don't have the skills necessary to kill mature bucks consistantly even where those bucks exist (and I include myself in that group).
Yup! A lot of machismo is involved too often... i.e., mine is bigger than yours.
Kill what makes you happy, and only what makes you happy, not what makes you think makes others think higher of you... Jack!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099019 - 12/28/12 12:58 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: BSK]
|
benellivol
4 Point
Registered: 03/31/11
Posts: 101
Loc: TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
When I do finally shoot a mature buck, it makes it all the more rewarding. As long as that continues to be true, and mature buck harvests occur frequently enough to satisfy you, then more power to you! I just worry too many hunters are being influenced by peer pressure into thinking only mature bucks are "worthy" of shooting. That mindset will lead to a lot of unhappy hunters in the long run. And I say that because many areas don't have huntable numbers of mature bucks, and the majority of hunters don't have the skills necessary to kill mature bucks consistantly even where those bucks exist (and I include myself in that group).
I blame trail cameras. I was better off not knowing those 140 inch deer actually live on the properties I hunt lol
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099024 - 12/28/12 01:02 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: benellivol]
|
Mike Belt
TnDeer Old Timer
16 Point
Registered: 03/26/99
Posts: 16930
Loc: Lakeland, Tn.
|
|
Offline
|
|
bene---Has it really affected how often or what you squeeze the trigger on?
_________________________
BONE HEAD HUNTER
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099034 - 12/28/12 01:12 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: EastTNHunter]
|
deaddownwind
Spike
Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 90
Loc: Middle TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
Too picky? I don't believe thats what I would call it. Different ppl enjoy differnt things about the sport of hunting. Some ppl hunt for meat while others may strictly hunt for the biggest buck. All in all we all share a common passion. Thats the great experience we get from the outdoors. Personally I am perfectly fine with killing one nice buck every two or three years. I have a great place to hunt so I try to wait on a a nice mature buck. My favorite part of deer hunting is going out and just admiring all the wildlife and how they behave. I catch myself just smiling for no reason sometimes while I'm sitting in my stand. It's just fun to me. I also really enjoy running trail cameras. I guess that helps satisfy my need for killing bucks along with the fact of knowing I could have killed 10+ racks if I really wanted to. At the end of the season I do usally put about 5 doe in the freezer. So I would not really call it picky, Satifying your hunting goals.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3099060 - 12/28/12 01:29 PM
Re: Getting too picky....
[Re: BSK]
|
passthrough76
4 Point
Registered: 01/06/09
Posts: 295
Loc: Middle, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
When I do finally shoot a mature buck, it makes it all the more rewarding. As long as that continues to be true, and mature buck harvests occur frequently enough to satisfy you, then more power to you! I just worry too many hunters are being influenced by peer pressure into thinking only mature bucks are "worthy" of shooting. That mindset will lead to a lot of unhappy hunters in the long run. And I say that because many areas don't have huntable numbers of mature bucks, and the majority of hunters don't have the skills necessary to kill mature bucks consistantly even where those bucks exist (and I include myself in that group).
BSK, please don't mistake me for one that only goes after a big rack. Sure that is nice, but I'm just as happy to shoot an old gnarly buck. The last deer I took was a nine point that scored around 130, but he was an old mature buck. I have come to the conclusion that the most important asset to a mature buck hunter is time. I went on a run between 2003-2008 where I shot a mature buck every year, but since then I have only shot one other buck and that was last year. The only difference is how much time I have been in the woods. I'm still hunting the same spots, I'm still hunting the same way, but just not near as much as I used to. Of course there is also lady luck that may not have been with me either. Like I said previously, that 150 class buck came up to me at 30 yards but never presented a shot. The guy with the adjacent land actually got two cracks at him. He shot him once in the neck during the first weekend of gun, but didn't kill him. He then shot him later on November 30th. I hunted quite a few times during that strectch on the other side of the ridge(300 yards away) and never saw that buck again.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: RUGER, Tennessee Todd, Unicam, Cuttin Caller, CBU93, stretch, Bobby G, Outdoor Lady, TurkeyBurd
|
12107 Members
38 Forums
115784 Topics
1410348 Posts
Max Online: 756 @ 11/20/12 09:10 AM
|
|
|
The TnDeer.Com Deer Talk Forum is for Tennessee Deer Hunters by Tennessee Deer Hunters. If you enjoy using our Talk Forum and would like to contribute to help in it's up-keep. Just submit your contribution by clicking on the DONATE button below and paying with PayPal or a major credit card. Any amount is much appreciated. Thanks for your support!
|
|
|
