Speaking of realistic goals, one factor I believe that's often overlooked is the typical range of a rutting buck. Even if you have 500 acres, the 3 1/2-yr-old bucks that survive in "your" hunting area may be contributed to more by what's happening in the 5,000 areas surrounding your hunting area than on your hunting area itself.
BSK said:
hunter3405 said:
BSK said:
hunter3405 said:
We are trying to manage the land to promote bigger bucks.
Would you be thrilled to kill one of these bucks? . . . . .
killing a buck like that would make me very happy . . . . . . .
Having worked with lots of groups first developing QDM programs, one of the things I stress is creating "realistic goals," . . . . .
Personally, I would recommend getting some 2 1/2 year-old bucks under your belt. Once 2 1/2 year-old bucks no longer thrill you or challenge you enough, then move your standards a step higher--to 3 1/2+ year-old bucks.
I agree,
but would add much of this success equation has to do with how you adjust your "mindset" and how much patience you have in general. Not to mention, such things as peer pressure and whether or not you feel the need to "prove" anything to anyone other than yourself. There are some people who have no desire to take any bucks younger than 3 1/2 even when they first begin deer hunting. Some have to develop this mindset. Some already have much patience, others may never develop enough.
But if you have the mindset and the patience, the best way to learn to harvest 3 1/2-yr-old bucks is to take absolutely take no 2 1/2-yr-old bucks. If you want to step that up to mature bucks 4 1/2 & older, the best way is simply decide that's what you're after, and realize if you take one at 3 1/2, you are usually reducing your opportunity this year and next for a 4 1/2 or older.
But that said, any younger buck you shoot will not get any older, so you're shooting yourself in the foot anytime you say your goal is 3 1/2 or older, but you decide to take a 2 1/2. Few guarantees in life, but there are probabilities that a 2 1/2 roaming "your" neck of the woods is likely to present again next year should he survive. Your choice as to whether you have "some" chance of that happening or "no chance" of that happening.
There is also the issue of older bucks commonly trailing younger bucks. Anytime you decide to take a particular buck, you may never know what may have been trailing along just a few minutes behind him. Hunters are often very close to taking the buck they want, but by settling on something less, they never realize how close they came.
So to add to that "realistic" mindset, you cannot settle for something less without greatly compromising both your present and future opportunity on your prior goal, i.e. having a goal of a 3 1/2 but settling for a 2 1/2.
Be sure you've asked yourself, "Is this really
MY goal?"
My personal "mindset" is at a point where I see mature does as better "trophies" than young bucks, and I believe they're better tablefare. So I just enjoy watching and learning from the bucks, and every once in a while, one comes along that's what I'm after.
More important to me, my hunting is more for the "purpose" of hunting, than any "goal" of having to kill a particular deer to have a successful hunt. Some days, some years are simply better than others. My "mindset" is to enjoy them all.
