The biggest buck I've ever walked...

[arkwaterfowler]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I hunt the same area as the OP and 140 inches is our minimum for a shooter. It all depends on the area you hunt size wise - not all areas have good soil and agriculture.

To his point, I think its great that some potential high grade 3.5 year olds will have a shot at becoming something really special. Keep it up.

 

[lungpuncher1]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I hunt the same area as the OP and 140 inches is our minimum for a shooter. It all depends on the area you hunt size wise - not all areas have good soil and agriculture.

To his point, I think its great that some potential high grade 3.5 year olds will have a shot at becoming something really special. Keep it up.

Well he definitely didn't reach your alls minimum opening day.

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[huntinkev]

I believe that was exactly what the 2 buck limit intended....to change hunters mindset to be more trophy minded.

 

[arkwaterfowler]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

We hunt in the same area lungpuncher - he is on his own standards. You have a keen sense of the obvious.

 

[lungpuncher1]

The only thing obvious is the timing of your post.

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[rukiddin]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

This forum represents a very small percentage of hunters and their mindsets. On here, it may seem like everyone is doing great things by letting deer go but I'd bet you the farm that if you take a random sample of 100 deer hunters from across the state without knowing their preconceived mentality on bucks (trophy hunter or not), show them a pic of a 140" buck and ask them if they would kill it, 90% would pull the trigger in a heartbeat. All the while, number of buck tags is irrelevant, one tag or ten, the average hunter will gladly burn a tag on a 140. Some may poach, most will abide by the laws and vast majority will kill hell outta a 140" deer. And I'd be one of'em!

 

[fairchaser]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

It really doesn't matter. It's your tag you can spend it however you wish. I've killed some nice deer but I'm not in your league of passing 140 inch bucks. That is a rare deer in TN I don't care where you hunt. If he was only 3.5 it would be nice to see what a year will do for his rack. I don't know you so I will give you the benefit of not thinking this question is just braggadocio. I used to hunt when there was a one buck limit with no does. When you pulled the trigger your season was REALLY over. If I had any buck in my sights there was no hesitations and I was happy with my season. But that's just me. I hope you shoot a good one but each one is a gift and there are certainly no gimmes.

 

[spoon]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

.

 

[landman]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

It really doesn't matter. It's your tag you can spend it however you wish. I've killed some nice deer but I'm not in your league of passing 140 inch bucks. That is a rare deer in TN I don't care where you hunt. If he was only 3.5 it would be nice to see what a year will do for his rack. I don't know you so I will give you the benefit of not thinking this question is just braggadocio. I used to hunt when there was a one buck limit with no does. When you pulled the trigger your season was REALLY over. If I had any buck in my sights there was no hesitations and I was happy with my season. But that's just me. I hope you shoot a good one but each one is a gift and there are certainly no gimmes.

There are more and more counties and pockets where several 140" plus
Deer are killed every year, it's getting to more a more common place

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Bang flop in cooler headed towards Florida.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

...or should I have said draw stick flop...

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

It really doesn't matter. It's your tag you can spend it however you wish. I've killed some nice deer but I'm not in your league of passing 140 inch bucks. That is a rare deer in TN I don't care where you hunt. If he was only 3.5 it would be nice to see what a year will do for his rack. I don't know you so I will give you the benefit of not thinking this question is just braggadocio. I used to hunt when there was a one buck limit with no does. When you pulled the trigger your season was REALLY over. If I had any buck in my sights there was no hesitations and I was happy with my season. But that's just me. I hope you shoot a good one but each one is a gift and there are certainly no gimmes.

There are more and more counties and pockets where several 140" plus
Deer are killed every year, it's getting to more a more common place

I personally would not call a 140" deer "common" for 99.9% of the state. They are out there, but they are not "common".

 

[landman]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

It really doesn't matter. It's your tag you can spend it however you wish. I've killed some nice deer but I'm not in your league of passing 140 inch bucks. That is a rare deer in TN I don't care where you hunt. If he was only 3.5 it would be nice to see what a year will do for his rack. I don't know you so I will give you the benefit of not thinking this question is just braggadocio. I used to hunt when there was a one buck limit with no does. When you pulled the trigger your season was REALLY over. If I had any buck in my sights there was no hesitations and I was happy with my season. But that's just me. I hope you shoot a good one but each one is a gift and there are certainly no gimmes.

There are more and more counties and pockets where several 140" plus
Deer are killed every year, it's getting to more a more common place

I personally would not call a 140" deer "common" for 99.9% of the state. They are out there, but they are not "common".

Your right about 99.9% of the counties state wide, I should have
Said your seeing more 140" deer killed every year

 

[WGK]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Great post 102, I too believe deer hunting is turning into antler crazed obsession. And can only hurt the average blue coller Hunter.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Good and valid points by the original poster--that post all by itself exposes multiple differing aspects of the new regs. Yes, it likely will make that deer get another year older. Yes, he admittedly likely would have shot it given the opportunity if it was last year. Yes, someone else's management style forced him to make that decision. Did the new regs take away opportunity, a good memory of a successful harvest (that would've been a shooter on 95% of clubs because of someone else's desires)--it sounds like it. Was a degree of fun potentially taken away because an unnecessary, unwarranted regulation? Can't speak for the original poster, but it obviously was bothering him enough to post the experience--personally, it would have me very torn inside and very upset given whys to the new regs.

 

[landman]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Good and valid points by the original poster--that post all by itself exposes multiple differing aspects of the new regs. Yes, it likely will make that deer get another year older. Yes, he admittedly likely would have shot it given the opportunity if it was last year. Yes, someone else's management style forced him to make that decision. Did the new regs take away opportunity, a good memory of a successful harvest (that would've been a shooter on 95% of clubs because of someone else's desires)--it sounds like it. Was a degree of fun potentially taken away because an unnecessary, unwarranted regulation? Can't speak for the original poster, but it obviously was bothering him enough to post the experience--personally, it would have me very torn inside and very upset given whys to the new regs.

I can tell you the OP STRONGLY supported the 2 buck limit

 

[Os2 Outdoors]

It didn't bother me to walk the deer. I have his match set sheds from last year and God willing, I'll get the 140" set this year. An all next spring an summer I'll dream an wonder what he grew into. It was with a sense of pride and hope that i let him live. God bless

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[Hunter 257W]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

After killing a nice 8 point opening day, I've been hunting hard. Seen more deer than ever.

So this afternoon i seen 11 bucks and 8 does. Buck #8 was a main frame 9 point with trash made him a 12 point. Figured he'd break into the low 140" making him one of the biggest I've ever walked. But with only 1 tag left i couldn't do it. I vowed i wouldn't pick the bow up unless it was a special buck until Christmas in Tennessee. So with this being said let's say that doesn't happen and my standards lower after Christmas and hunting gets tough after the rut along with 6 weeks of gun hunting pressure. I could easily see myself not catching up to one late season. Guess what happens then, 2 bucks just got saved from lowering the limit to 2.

Now do you suppose that's how the the buck limit was intended to help?

Don't want a bunch of bickering anti or pro buck limit changes or any of that BS. I'll ask Ruger to lock the thread if so.

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Yes, this is exactly what the reduced limit was intended to accomplish. Not necessarily making hunters pass a 140" buck(or any specific antler size), but to make them think long and hard before pulling the trigger on that 2nd buck because doing so ends their buck hunting for the year. We are still totally free to shoot whatever size buck we want though so I don't see the need to get all torn up about you passing a 140" deer. The size of the deer you passed on doesn't really have anything to do with it. If a hunter wants to shoot 2 spikes, they are absolutely allowed to do so.

 

[Savage]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I think that's the exact point of the 2 buck limit. It really wont effect the third buck that people kill, as much as the second.

That being said, I passed a buck opening day that I would have shot, had I had 3 tags. It would have been my biggest TN bow kill.

I also wish there was a better way to eliminate "cull" bucks. I fear that people wont burn a tag on a substandard buck that needs to come out of the gene pool.

 

[Winchester]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

It really doesn't matter. It's your tag you can spend it however you wish. I've killed some nice deer but I'm not in your league of passing 140 inch bucks. That is a rare deer in TN I don't care where you hunt. If he was only 3.5 it would be nice to see what a year will do for his rack. I don't know you so I will give you the benefit of not thinking this question is just braggadocio. I used to hunt when there was a one buck limit with no does. When you pulled the trigger your season was REALLY over. If I had any buck in my sights there was no hesitations and I was happy with my season. But that's just me. I hope you shoot a good one but each one is a gift and there are certainly no gimmes.

There are more and more counties and pockets where several 140" plus
Deer are killed every year, it's getting to more a more common place

I personally would not call a 140" deer "common" for 99.9% of the state. They are out there, but they are not "common".

EXACTLY right, FAR from common in TN and much of the remainder of the United states as well! I know some here lobbied hard for the 2 buck limit and I'm good with that, just don't go down the road your headed with it. TN's Buck antler size per age class has been steadily improving for years now, so keep the credit where its due, far from the change to 2 bucks this yr!

 

[landman]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I wasn't implying that the new buck limit had ANYTHING to do
with The OP......

But in many areas 140" deer area common
in parts of TN

just because it not posted on TNDEEE doesn't
mean they are not being killed

Your reading what u thing are in posts not
what is posted

 

[gobblegrunt]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Really? guys come on.... I'm very certain that Os2's post was not another debate on the buck limit. Get over it, the limit is 2 and is not changing this year. It all boils down to individuals can find something to get there panties in a wad and complain, and complain. Kinda ridiculous. If it's a debate thread then debate away.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Really? guys come on.... I'm very certain that Os2's post was not another debate on the buck limit. Get over it, the limit is 2 and is not changing this year. It all boils down to individuals can find something to get there panties in a wad and complain, and complain. Kinda ridiculous. If it's a debate thread then debate away.

If his post isn't about buck limits, could you please explain this quote from his original post?

Now do you suppose that's how the the buck limit was intended to help?

It sounds like his original post is wanting answers about the buck limit to me.

 

[gobblegrunt]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

actually this statement right here answers you question buzzard....

 

[Poleaxe]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

it will be a long long time before I let a 140" deer walk, regardless of limit.

That's VERY understandable, you haven't been deer hunting all that long, you'll be an old man before you get the years of deer hunting many of us have. Matt's killed some great deer, and I remember co workers telling me I was crazy for passing 8 point bucks back in 91, waiting on a Bigger 8 ptr.

140" pass? Not for my first one this year, 2nd buck....

Passed a mature mid 130's" last year but he was the 3rd buck, 3 days later on a new given to hunt tract found a 155-160" and passed a 140" trying to kill him

For many Os2 included hunted has stages, some never change, if you keep hunting I see you always meat hunting but also getting more selective on bucks

I was gonna keep my 2 cents out of this til I saw this shot. Listen hommie just because some of us weren't breast fed up in our 30's and don't have everything on a silver platter don't go taking shots judging somebody's hunting expertise. For alot of us hunting is more than a Johnson measuring contest.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

Don't want a bunch of bickering anti or pro buck limit changes or any of that BS. I'll ask Ruger to lock the thread if so.

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actually this statement right here answers you question buzzard....

But I'm not seeing a bunch of bickering. Other than a couple posts, I'm just seeing some healthy, educational discussions. These are good for the forum and good for us hunters. Most of us posting here aren't "getting our panties in a wad" and we aren't attempting to belittle others either.

Carry on.

 

[tnbowhunter3]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I think it is great you think twice before shooting a buck but if you would shoot it in late NOV. or DEC. I would shoot it during bow season. He may or may not be around or alive in gun season. In Tennessee I do not pass on 140 inch deer ever...

 

[fishboy1]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

The whole 2 buck limit DEBATE has been a great thing and really opened up my eyes with regards to bucks.

I have a buck on my property I call Lefty. What does it matter if I kill him this year or next? Last year or next year?
A buck is a buck. Now if I put giant horns on his head, does that change the buck? Make him more valuable? Change the hunt, require new techniques, or alter the experience? Nope. He is doing his thing, and I am doing mine.

The value we place on horns is a phantom since a dead buck is a dead buck regardless of his age or rack. If nobody was around to see/admire a large racked buck, then would they be as desirable? Lets be honest, we are not making buttons or primitive tools out of antlers so their use in our modern world is strictly decorative.

Back to the debate and the "would you shoot" question.... I think the debate was a good thing. I got to see a lot of information and opinions I hadn't thought about. Got to see more of how other hunters in other situations with different goals thought. Very little bickering but a lot of information.
Would I have shot a 140" buck? Probably, why not? Might shoot a 85" buck too if I felt like it and had time/opportunity to process it.

A buck is a buck and once he is dead, he is meat and a decoration. I already have mounts in the house so I don't need more decorations, at least that is what my wife keeps telling me !

 

[Winchester]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

The original post here is really comical as it touts the 2 buck limit as why he chose to pass a buck, then says the 2 buck limit likely saved this buck and maybe another, THEN he says he doesn't want this to be a buck limit debate! LMAO
Anyway back to the discussion I will once again say that 140" bucks are FAR from common in TN (definition- Occurring, found, or done often, even prevalent. Of an animal, found or living in relatively large numbers, not RARE) I would love to know where in TN 140" bucks are "common" Like I said some posts are Comical at best!

 

[Roost 1]

Re: The biggest buck I've ever walked...

I'd like to know where 140' bucks are common in KY? I created a thread here last year about how many people had killed a 140' or bigger buck, if I remember correctly it wasnt very many and alot of the ones that had, had done it in some other state than TN........I do not think they are common..I'd even say if you have 1000's or acres as some on who lead us to believe and you and your buddies are only killing 2-3 140' or bigger each year, I wouldnt call that common.... :stir: :stir: