Profiling (consistent) Big Buck Hunters

[BSK]

I would tend to agree with those characteristics (except perhaps "modest!").

 

[MattR]

"Many even take it a step further and hunt with traditional archery tackle. These guys accept the challenge for what it is and don�t look to cheapen the experience by looking for shortcuts. They have the hunting skills to get the job done and don�t need to use advanced weapons or tools to make up for shortcomings"

So basically if you use the most efficient weapon you aren't a "Big Buck Serial Killer"? Not sure if I like the way he puts that anyways.

 

[deerhunter10]

ill agree with that except the traditional archery. traditional archery is a lost art I think. and the majority of them use what ever weapon that the season is open for. I do think many of them are modest about it. not all of them of course but many of them are I think.

 

[de novo]

He left off having a prime location to hunt. If he's routinely successful on public land his "modesty" may be confused with actual secrecy.

 

[BSK]

ill agree with that except the traditional archery. traditional archery is a lost art I think. and the majority of them use what ever weapon that the season is open for. I do think many of them are modest about it. not all of them of course but many of them are I think.

True big buck killers, you're probably right deerhunter10. In fact, I hope none of the successful big/mature buck killers on this site thought I was taking a shot at them by my post. However, I know Don (the author) and the company he keeps!

 

[kldeerkiller]

True big buck killers can kill big deer with any means necessary. It's their choice to choose the weapon. It can be done consistently on private and public if one knows what their doing.

 

[Shed Hunter]

He left off having a prime location to hunt. If he's routinely successful on public land his "modesty" may be confused with actual secrecy.

You do not need to have prime location to be a successful big buck hunter. You and everyone else in tn have access to land where there are several big antlered deer.

 

[MattR]

I agree with every thing except some of the archery stuff. Sounds a little too "elite". Of course, I have no room to criticize. I'm sure he has been around more mature buck killers than me.

 

[bowriter]

I don't agree with most of that. However, it will help sell his book.

 

[BSK]

I agree with every thing except some of the archery stuff. Sounds a little too "elite".

Now you're getting the picture...


...did I just say that out loud...?

 

[102]

sounds good

 

[-DRM-]

I don't agree with most of that. However, it will help sell his book.

Care to expand?

I think he named some valid points, but Id probably put some others ahead of those in terms of importance.

The article did remind me I need, need, need to learn to work the wind better. I would consider that one of my BIGGEST personal hunting flaws, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

 

[catman529]

Interesting read. I too don't agree with the archery part. Some people just feel good about themselves because they have the skill to bow hunt. I am not the best bow hunter by any standards, but I do it because to me it gives the best rush. I will not look down on someone for killing a monster at 300 with a 7 mag. I also will not walk up to a dead buck, bow in hand, thinking that I "did it right" by using a bow. Rather I would walk up to a dead buck, bow in hand, still shaking from the adrenaline and thanking God for the kill.

I don't think I would want to be a serial buck killer. I'd like to kill a nice one now and then. But I have many hobbies and am too divided to dedicate my life to only deer hunting. There are turkeys, fish, small game and other things to enjoy.

 

[102]

Bowhunting for deer to me is adding a degree of difficulty that longer range weapons typically do not have.

Primarily, for me at least, this "degree of difficulty" means getting close.

The closer one is to a deer, the easier it is to get spotted or busted.

 

[bowriter]

I posted this on the wrong thread so now I am just copy and pasting over here. If it confuses you, just quit reading.

I agree with many on here. I will keep this short. The ones that I know that consistently kill mature deer are the ones that 1) hunt where they exist and 2) have the work schedule to hunt when they need to and 3) know the right times to be where they should be at that specific time. If you have and know these 3 things, you will be successful.

That is it. The rest is just recycled pasture designed to hype a book. And JC's #1 is the key. If you live or hunt where big bucks are, killing one does not take all the rest of that crap. All you really need is access and time.

Here is a sterling example. Bobby C. Lives in Chatham, IL. He hunts right behind his house in Sangamon County. His brother-in-law lives in central, IA. Bobby kills a mature buck, scoring over 135 every year in IL (He only bowhunts). About every other year, he kills one, 150 or above in IA. He may hunt six or seven days a year at most. The rest of the time, he is a tournament fisherman. The last time I was in his house, he had 12-mounted heads that all were over 150. I call that consistent. But you should see his fishing trophies.

Okay-I just realized this is the wrong thread and not the one about the book. Poser posted that. Just copy and paste this over to that thread. That is what I am going to do.

 

[-DRM-]

Access & time - yep, I'd say that condenses it down to pretty much the basics.

 

[de novo]

I agree with many on here. I will keep this short. The ones that I know that consistently kill mature deer are the ones that 1) hunt where they exist and 2) have the work schedule to hunt when they need to and 3) know the right times to be where they should be at that specific time. If you have and know these 3 things, you will be successful.

That is it. The rest is just recycled pasture designed to hype a book. And JC's #1 is the key. If you live or hunt where big bucks are, killing one does not take all the rest of that crap. All you really need is access and time.

Here is a sterling example. Bobby C. Lives in Chatham, IL. He hunts right behind his house in Sangamon County. His brother-in-law lives in central, IA. Bobby kills a mature buck, scoring over 135 every year in IL (He only bowhunts). About every other year, he kills one, 150 or above in IA. He may hunt six or seven days a year at most. The rest of the time, he is a tournament fisherman. The last time I was in his house, he had 12-mounted heads that all were over 150. I call that consistent. But you should see his fishing trophies.

Okay-I just realized this is the wrong thread and not the one about the book. Poser posted that. Just copy and paste this over to that thread. That is what I am going to do.

IMO, there is more good info on hunting in the above two posts than in the article. Funny how a simple explanation is the best. If you: #1 have access with land with large antlered deer living on or nearby, #2 you have time to hunt, and #3 you are a halfway decent shot - then you too can be a consistent big buck hunter.


However, some will disagree.

He left off having a prime location to hunt. If he's routinely successful on public land his "modesty" may be confused with actual secrecy.

You do not need to have prime location to be a successful big buck hunter. You and everyone else in tn have access to land where there are several big antlered deer.

 

[plinker22]

I agree with every thing except some of the archery stuff. Sounds a little too "elite".

Now you're getting the picture...


...did I just say that out loud...?

Agreed!

 

[Shed Hunter]

I agree with many on here. I will keep this short. The ones that I know that consistently kill mature deer are the ones that 1) hunt where they exist and 2) have the work schedule to hunt when they need to and 3) know the right times to be where they should be at that specific time. If you have and know these 3 things, you will be successful.

That is it. The rest is just recycled pasture designed to hype a book. And JC's #1 is the key. If you live or hunt where big bucks are, killing one does not take all the rest of that crap. All you really need is access and time.

Here is a sterling example. Bobby C. Lives in Chatham, IL. He hunts right behind his house in Sangamon County. His brother-in-law lives in central, IA. Bobby kills a mature buck, scoring over 135 every year in IL (He only bowhunts). About every other year, he kills one, 150 or above in IA. He may hunt six or seven days a year at most. The rest of the time, he is a tournament fisherman. The last time I was in his house, he had 12-mounted heads that all were over 150. I call that consistent. But you should see his fishing trophies.

Okay-I just realized this is the wrong thread and not the one about the book. Poser posted that. Just copy and paste this over to that thread. That is what I am going to do.

IMO, there is more good info on hunting in the above two posts than in the article. Funny how a simple explanation is the best. If you: #1 have access with land with large antlered deer living on or nearby, #2 you have time to hunt, and #3 you are a halfway decent shot - then you too can be a consistent big buck hunter.


However, some will disagree.

He left off having a prime location to hunt. If he's routinely successful on public land his "modesty" may be confused with actual secrecy.

You do not need to have prime location to be a successful big buck hunter. You and everyone else in tn have access to land where there are several big antlered deer.

I don't disagree with having to be where big bucks exist. You don't need to be on "prime" ground though. You'd be surprised how many 130-160 deer exist on public hunting lands in TN. It may be harder to hunt LBL, Ames, Fort Cambell, Natchez Trace, or any other public land, but there are trophy class deer on them.

 

[Shed Hunter]

#3 you are a halfway decent shot - then you too can be a consistent big buck hunter.

If you're deer hunting, you need to be a great shot within your comfort zone. "halfway decent" will not cut it. "Halfway decent" wounds animals.

 

[nodog]

Opportunity is king. Opportunity is the number one job of the consistent hunter. If a hunter doesn't have access to the deer they're after, it really doesn't matter how they hunt.

When people other than the hunter know of big deer and enjoy the company of the hunter, they tell them and if possible allow them access to the deer.

This is the case in my life. Because of my relationships with others I've even been invited to stay with people who are anti hunters so I can hunt. A guy round here always shoots big bucks, he manages properties that allow him access to the deer. Opportunity!

 

[redblood]

Access & time - yep, I'd say that condenses it down to pretty much the basics.

yep

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I have hunted the most prime area in TN and killed a mature buck every year with little effort. For goodness sake, I was 15-18 years old. But we got kicked off that lease killing 115-150" deer every year for that 4 years. The lease "managers" wanted money from people that wouldn't hunt much. We hunted consistently and when they saw us driving out of the gate one morning (my dad and I) with a 115" and 150" deer killed 45 minutes apart within 100 yards of each other, they kicked us off. I hunted every weekend and every day I got out of football practice (high school). I killed a number or deer between 120-130" from that place and missed/couldnt find numerous others. From 2002 till this day, I have hunted Hickman county. Not only are there not as big of deer there as there are in Williamson, but these specific deer just don't grow nearly as big of deer, nor the numbers of mature deer. That's unfortunate to me. Personally, I feel I have 3/4 the skill to do that consistently, but I don't have the hunting area, nor the mature buck numbers to do that where I hunt now....Not to mention the time! I work in the corporate world and cant get out when I NEED to. There is nothing I can do about that. That's why in whatever post I stated previously, it is #1 where you hunt, #2 flexibility on time and #3 being there when it matters.

 

[de novo]

#3 you are a halfway decent shot - then you too can be a consistent big buck hunter.

If you're deer hunting, you need to be a great shot within your comfort zone. "halfway decent" will not cut it. "Halfway decent" wounds animals.

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

 

[Shed Hunter]

#3 you are a halfway decent shot - then you too can be a consistent big buck hunter.

If you're deer hunting, you need to be a great shot within your comfort zone. "halfway decent" will not cut it. "Halfway decent" wounds animals.

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

I never said you needed to be a great shot. I said you better be a greet shot in your comfort zone.

If you're a halfway decent shot at 30yrds keep it to 20. If you miss the the region of you're target that is representative of the vitals every one out of ten, you don't need to shoot at an animal at that distance.

 

[BSK]

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

I sure know a TON of hunters that can't do it WELL consistently.

 

[Headhunter]

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

I sure know a TON of hunters that can't do it WELL consistently.

Completely agree BSK. Many people who hunt deer (and many other animals) have no clue about shooting, even at 50 yards. Every season, know or meet someone who has "killed deer at 300, 400, or 500 yards, one guy claims to have killed a doe on the run at 350 yards" but they manage to miss multiple times each season or wound an animal that they hit perfectly that is never found.

 

[BSK]

I agree Headhunter. I know a bunch of true marksmen off a bench that can't hit a live moving deer off-hand to save their lives.

 

[de novo]

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

I sure know a TON of hunters that can't do it WELL consistently.

And I know several small kids and wives/girlfriends of hunters who have little practice and have accomplished this feat more than once.

 

[BSK]

If you like to think it takes a great shot to hit an animal the size of a calf at 50 yards with a rifle then so be it.

I sure know a TON of hunters that can't do it WELL consistently.

And I know several small kids and wives/girlfriends of hunters who have little practice and have accomplished this feat more than once.

Absolutely true.