antlers vs meat??

[jethro224]

This is to no-one in particular, just a general reply.

It seems to me that those who shoot the first legal animal or animals they see are missing out on a lot of really cool stuff. I don't watch the hunting shows on TV. They're just a big commercial with a little bit of "hunting" anyway. I've seen things they don't show on TV too. Mostly because I'm hunting big bucks.

Just last week I was within 6 yards broadside of a small 5 pointer. Drew my bow, coulda shot him easy, and let him walk.

I've had does and young bucks nose to nose at 2-3 feet looking at me trying to figure out what I was and then go back to feeding.

Watched a 1 1/2 year old 6 point and a spike sparring at 20 yards.

Had deer bed down right near me several times.

Watched a doe whup up on another one right in front of me.

Just tons of stuff I never would have seen if I'd shot those deer at the first chance.

Like I said before, I get multiple tags and I do try for a young tasty doe right away. After that I'm looking for the big ones.

 

[Finnwolf]

Dave,
Please go back and read. We were talking about a regular farmer and what you said is pretty much what I said. We're all tropy hunters the 1st day. It's what we do after that which decides if we are trophy hunters or meat hunters.
Last year, I was lucky enough to stalk within flinter range of 6 or 7 deer, morning of the last day. I waited to see which was a buck or doe, biggest and smallest deer. Still dark in the woods, never did see all the deer clearly when the tractor started up and all the deer ran like hell. I had a standard PA muzzleloader license and I'd seen no legal buck, so I could have just taken a lethal shot at any deer. I had several opportunities but I wanted to take the deer that was the largest for the meat, so I guess that makes me a meat hunter? Started the season sort of a trophy hunter.
I eat eveything I kill partly 'cause I like game meat, partly 'cause my others taught me that way. Some guys don't eat what they kill, give it away. Everyone has got their own way, live and let live. Only hunters I've ever turned in are those who shoot and let it lay or poachers. They abuse the resource and hurt us all.
Finnwolf

 

[larry wv]

You hit the nail on the head Jethro....Larry WV

 

[FishDFly]

This has been interesting to follow and read.

Years ago I read something on the evolution of a hunter. It went something like a new hunter is just happy to get whatever animal he is hunting for, one is enough. The next stage was the need to fill each tag, maximize the legal limit. The next stage was the largest of what the person was hunting for. The next stage was size is not important anymore. The final stage was just being able to go, watch the critters and enjoy the oudoors. I believe age is a large factor of what and how a person hunts. I have passed through all of the evolutions.

Another factor which influences what you hunt (meat or horns) is how many deer are in the area, what the legal limit is and how long does the season last.

In Texas, there is limited public land to hunt. A person either leases land to hunt or they own the land. Those who lease land are more apt to shoot all the deer they can legally take. Those who own the land, are more particular in what they shoot and how many they allow to be shot.

If you are a meat hunter you should get your deer as early in the season as possible. This approach leaves more food for the remaining deer.

If you are a horn hunter, you should really try to get your buck after the rut is over if possible. It's better to leave the big buck to do his work before removing him from the herd.

RDE

 

[roundball]

Years ago I read something on the evolution of a hunter. It went something like a new hunter is just happy to get whatever animal he is hunting for, one is enough. The next stage was the need to fill each tag, maximize the legal limit. The next stage was the largest of what the person was hunting for. The next stage was size is not important anymore. The final stage was just being able to go, watch the critters and enjoy the oudoors. I believe age is a large factor of what and how a person hunts.

I believe that's a good summary of the typical flow...add in the fact that maybe a hunter no longer uses venison and/or doesn't need/want to just kill for the sake of killing anymore to fill tags, brag, etc...and that's my evolution over the past 50+ years.

In fact, so much of the novelty of deer hunting had worn off by the 90's that Flintlocks are basically the only saving grace for me...learning to use and hunt with them for the past 10 years has re-kindled my interest and kept me going but not even to the extent of filling 6 tags a year with our generous deer population...really only interested in taking a good shooter or two if I'm able to get any in my sights.

Otherwise, I sit in a comfortable little hunting chair down close to the ground in natural ground blinds I build, legs stretched out comfortably, thermos of coffee & hot soup, warm clothes, watch the occasional doe or young buck wander through the oaks, or a flock of turkeys go scratching through the leaves 50 yards out, watch a hawk miss an attempt to snag a squirrel...very enjoyable time in the pretty fall woods here on the east coast

 

[FishDFly]

Jethro224 and roundball have made what I consider, a nice ending to the discussion.

Enjoy your rewards from hunting, whatever they are.

RDE

 

[Hoyt]

I always hunt for big bucks, won't put my stand up anywhere but on big buck sign. Always been an antler freak..just something about those big horns that fascinates me.

However..the freezer comes first and it's empty now and I'll eat 4 or 5 a yr. That means that even though I'm hunting big buck sign I'll shoot whatever is legal till my freezer is full.

 

[flyfisher76544]

"To Each..His Own"

Myself, I am out for meat. But I will not pass up a nice buck. But at the same time I will not pass judgement on others for the way they hunt, that is their choice. Enjoy what time you have in the woods. Just my 2 cents, not calling anyone out or anything like that.

 

[smoothy]

When I started hunting in Wisconsin in the 70's it was buck only. You could get one doe tag if you and 4 buddies tore the stub off your license and sent them in together to the DNR. Now Wisconsin has been having you get a doe before getting a buck.
I am now living and hunting in Illinois with muzzleloaders. I've gotten 3 antlerless deer the last three years. The last one with a flintlock fowler I built. That was an accomplishment for me.
But this year I took up bowhunting for the first time in 30 years. Got a doe the first 2 hours I was out, lucky shot. But when a simple 6 point buck came under my tree last week I had a case of buck fever. Why?? Is it ingrained in man or is it acquired due to all the hype other people make out getting a buck would be? I would be more excited with a 10 point buck over a doe, but would be happy with the meat from the latter. Either is ok with me.

 

[rabjr]

Now Wisconsin has been having you get a doe before getting a buck.

Some States have a "Earn a Buck" Program, which should be noted too. Here we have it in only Bow season but you have to fill two Antler less tags in order to earn an extra either sex tag.

 

[gmww]

I sure wish we had your guys problem. We have to get a permit to shoot a doe for the most part. Only a few area allow for an either sex harvest.

 

[fyrfyter43]

For most seasons (muzzleloader, shotgun - except for 6 days in early December, and most of bow season) we need to buy a buck tag if we want the chance to shoot a buck. Otherwise it's antlerless only.

 

[roundball]

For most seasons (muzzleloader, shotgun - except for 6 days in early December, and most of bow season) we need to buy a buck tag if we want the chance to shoot a buck. Otherwise it's antlerless only.

We're very lucky here in North Carolina (and I think most of the southern states) to have the climate/longer food growing seasons to have big deer herds...in fact the deer herd continues to increase in size...and we have long hunting seasons.

I buy a $40 "Sportsman's License" every year which gives full statewide hunting & fishing including all 'state gameland' properties, and it comes with a full set of big game tags including 6 deer (2 bucks & 4 does, plus we can buy all the extra doe tags we want)...and tags for a bear, 2 bearded turkeys, and 2 wild boars.

 

[bobman]

this response was not aimed at roundball or anyone I just cant figure out how to post a general comment so dont take it personal.


I know for a fact if two deer come by me and one is a huge buck he better be dodgeing and weaving.

I suspect a lot of BS on this thread.

And yes I shoot does all the time butcher them myself and eat them. Most of my hunting is with a longbow not these modern rifles you guys use :rotf:

I know a lot of deer hunters and I've never had one tell me a hunting story where he passed the trophy up to shoot a litttle doe.

I cant wait until I get my GPR so I can change my mind...ha ha

 

[roundball]

I know a lot of deer hunters and I've never had one tell me a hunting story where he passed the trophy up to shoot a litttle doe.

:grin:

 

[Snowshoe]

I agree with you. I can, however, understand a person who has so many deer walking by that his hunt would be over @ first daylight so he makes a chalange out of hunting by waiting for a big buck.
here in Minnesota several generations of hunters have been educated into thinking that it is only macho to shoot a buck. But I don't know too many of them who mount spikes or basket racks.
Our buck to do ratio is so low that i think early fawns are breeding does. I can see a lot of does and fawns but very few bucks. I think any deer harvested with a PBR is a trophy.
My dad passed away four years ago @94. He liked a big buck becaus it had lots of meat. Maybe that is where it all started.

 

[rdillion]

Well believe it or not but I and my hunting partner have let many wall-hanger size bucks walk over the last 10 years. Just me but I had rather see that big boy cruising through the woods than hanging on my wall. Understand that I am blessed to hunt on private land and we do use sound management practices. Just getting the buck/doe ratio leveled out was a big job. I doubt we will ever get to that 1/1 ratio but it is now a lot better than it was. :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I consider a trophy buck more of a challenge thus more of an achievment skillwise to take, but have shot more does than bucks over the years, I have only had one rack mounted in my lifetime, it will likely be the only one as odds are I will not take a better one with ML, it was the best ML buck I have taken, and had there been only a doe there at that time and place I would have taken her.

 

[rabjr]

I know a lot of deer hunters and I've never had one tell me a hunting story where he passed the trophy up to shoot a litttle doe.

Well it wasn't exactly litttle, as she dressed off at 120lbs but yes I have done this. There were two very nice bucks in 2006 I refused to shoot because I wanted to see what one looked like the following year and the other I watched grow up from a fawn, didn't have the heart to shoot him. I do however have both on film as I filmed them from June till hunting season.

Nothing like a nice pair of antlers coming through the brush to get the blood flowing. The two above are the only ones I've ever passed up. I have half a dozen mounted heads on my wall plus an antelope. Had a couple dozen or so European mounts but some got destroyed in a move but still have several from spikes to 8 pointers. Like I said before I'm a buck hunter and wouldn't mind if the king of the woods walked by but if a nice fat forkhorn gives me a good shot, well hes going down, period. I'll worry about the big guy in the next season or next year. I've also taken my share of Doe's, I just don't like to but understand some need to be taken out of the herd.

 

[Goldhunter]

Well believe it or not but I and my hunting partner have let many wall-hanger size bucks walk over the last 10 years. Just me but I had rather see that big boy cruising through the woods than hanging on my wall. Understand that I am blessed to hunt on private land and we do use sound management practices. Just getting the buck/doe ratio leveled out was a big job. I doubt we will ever get to that 1/1 ratio but it is now a lot better than it was. :thumbsup:

1/1 ratio! :shocked2: Dang our state manages (rather tries to manage) at 15 Buck to 100 does. I can't imagine what it would look like even coming close to 1/1. Granted, you said this is private land. How do you guarentee a great ratio unless you have fenced in deer?