Let a really good one go today...

[7mm08]

Nice buck and to keep coming back like that! What did you bathe in this AM?


nice to have such a selection...... I can't imagine.

 

[Grandslam11]

What a great deer. Congrats on the encounter.

 

[bgant]

Its amazing how you change as a hunter. I killed my last buck in December of last yr. Before that is was November of 2016. Over the past few yrs i have let alot of great deer go. This morning it was a buck named the water tower buck. He was a buck that i knew of but didnt use my farm much. He also wasnt a target buck for me. He came in with a doe at 12 yards this morning and came back 2 more times over the next 90 minutes. I couldnt run him away. Beautiful 10 pt. I guess i am getting soft but he just wasn't what I wanted and i felt no need to end the life of such a majestic animal. Their are better deer on the farm and their is one or 2 who could change my mind. He would have been hard to pass with my bow. Here are few pics (i have great video but dont know how to upload) i also put a pic from sept 1st of him.

If you need someone to thin him out of your herd, send me a PM!

 

[GOHUNT]

I think the older we get we mature as deer hunters

Maybe you've matured FROM being a deer hunter....

 

[DoubleRidge]

Maybe you've matured FROM being a deer hunter....

Can't speak for xtremedeerman ....but I think (and I could be wrong) what he meant was....after many years of deer hunting and after killing many deer....it becomes about more than just "killing" ....no doubt killing is part of it....but as you get older and as you've met goals you had set for yourself....killing isn't required as often to feel satisfied....I know some diehard deer hunters who have taken many good deer over the years who may actually go a season or two or even three without pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow....and it's not because they didn't have the opportunity....they chose to not kill for a variety of reasons....but you can bet...their deer hunters.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Perspective is the single word that encompasses this thread. You are blessed to have lots of quality land with like minded neighbors. Most of us are not in that situation and never can or will be. So our perspective is different than yours. You pass up a giant and feel good about maturing as a hunter, knowing there are bigger fish to fry. A lot of guys hunting in TN are mature hunters who've hunted a lifetime & never seen a deer like that because they don't exist in their area, so they'd feel good killing that buck. For them it would represent a pinnacle, a crowning achievement to reward their lifelong hunt. For you the accomplishment was not killing him because you're after bigger ones. We all see things differently. No right or wrong, just different. Perspective.

Several good points

 

[PalsPal]

I'd like to see pics of the better deer!

 

[Boone25/06]

That's an amazing incounter with a very impressive mature buck. I would love to be able to study mature deer in such a manner, but as others have stated its hard to do with the number of hunters and size of farms now. That is a throphy to all hunters no matter how you enjoy it. To some they would hang it on the wall and enjoy the memories forever and to others they enjoy the memories of the encounter with the chance of seeing him again next year. I hope you have a chance at him next year with an even harder decision. You are definitely blessed with good land and possibly neighbors with similar goals , a very rare thing.

 

[DeerCamp]

The congratulations due here is not that you passed a deer of a certain size or age, but that you passed a deer that YOU felt like you should pass and didn't shoot just cause "your neighbor would have shot him anyways" or any other reason other than "this is the deer that I want".

Passing bucks like this isn't a sign of maturity of a hunter in itself - this is a great buck. Showing restraint because this wasn't the one you wanted is.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Not to go off topic....but I thought on TNdeer one time someone mentioned a book that was about the "four seasons of a hunters life"....it talked about early goals or desires when starting out vs midway through the journey then later in the process and so on.....which is obviously different for everyone for a variety of reasons.....but if anyone knows anything about this book please share.....I've looked and can't seem to find anything?

 

[TX300mag]

Not to go off topic....but I thought on TNdeer one time someone mentioned a book that was about the "four seasons of a hunters life"....it talked about early goals or desires when starting out vs midway through the journey then later in the process and so on.....which is obviously different for everyone for a variety of reasons.....but if anyone knows anything about this book please share.....I've looked and can't seem to find anything?

I'm not sure if it's a book, but I've seen it written in Several outdoor articles.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I'm not sure if it's a book, but I've seen it written in Several outdoor articles.

That may be the case.... maybe the quotes I remember reading on here we're from an outdoor article verses a book.... Just remember there were some interesting comments on the topic.

 

[TX300mag]

That may be the case.... maybe the quotes I remember reading on here we're from an outdoor article verses a book.... Just remember there were some interesting comments on the topic.

I think it dates back to a 1970s University of Wisconsin study. They identified five stages:
Shooting
Limiting
Trophy
Method
Sportsman

 

[DoubleRidge]

I think it dates back to a 1970s University of Wisconsin study. They identified five stages:
Shooting
Limiting
Trophy
Method
Sportsman

Yep....I believe that's it!.....I remember those topics we're discussed in the conversation....I have a direction to go digging now..... Thanks!!

 

[Good time Charlie]

I think it is great to pass on something you do not want....when you hunt a specific deer ,,,,you have entered a whole new dimension of hunting....good job

 

[Boone25/06]

I think it dates back to a 1970s University of Wisconsin study. They identified five stages:
Shooting
Limiting
Trophy
Method
Sportsman

I agree with and can see the different stages except I'm not sure where the taking new hunters or children fits in ( maybe sportsman) I'm in the stage of taking my son hunting and rather him shoot it than me. I've passed several deer hunting alone that are trophies to me with the hopes of it showing back up for my son the next weekend. It might in a weird way fit in methods / sportsman. My method of hunting trophies is to allow my son to shoot them to be trophies for both of use. I used to think if he killed it I could have but as time passes I'm not always sure, he's on fire with the hunting drive and a heck of a shot.

 

[Gray Ghost]

Nice buck and congrats on accomplishing goals. I like your philosophy about respect for the animal! I feel the same.

 

[Tom Collins]

Yeah let's see the bigger deer you're after

 

[redblood]

Yeah let's see the bigger deer you're after

Here a few .

 

[redblood]

Here are some on this farm. 2 pics are repeat deer. All arent bigger but i have insight that all are more mature from the yrs i have watched them