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Shooting bucks

Why do all these people insist on shooting big bucks only? Serious question.. I see so many people holding out for a "shooter" and spending tons of money and hours to do so. You can't eat the antlers and nobody but you gives a $hit about how big a buck you shot. The amount of time and money folks spend to hold out for mature deer is ridiculous. Some of these folks I'm pretty sure have never killed a doe with a bow but think there's a 200 incher out there if they hold out. Some people shoot young bucks just because it's a buck, then bitch the following year about no big bucks around. Maybe you should've killed a doe instead of that 2 year old. I hunt mostly public but do have some private land I hunt as well. I've killed deer every year I've hunted, always shooting does on public. So many guys think they can come out here and have success without putting in the work. Don't doubt the scout! Get out early and watch the deer, see where they move and pattern them. Don't over hunt areas, if you live in metro areas you're going to have to travel to avoid the pressure. In all the years I've hunted public I've never had a camera or stand stolen. Get out there and have fun, don't stress over it and enjoy the outdoors, that's what it's all about. A doe should be treated with all the respect that a state record buck would get. I'm putting two kids on my private ground this year and they're going to kill a deer, guaranteed. I take several work friends every year and they always punch tags.. and are so grateful to do so. Trophy hunters will never be allowed on my property, ever. If all you care about is inches, you're missing the point of hunting.

If all you care about is meat, youre missing the point of hunting for bone (inches). How someone else spends their money and time is really none of your business. How someone else legally hunts, is also none of your business. Please look on the bright side, if all of us "trophy hunters" hunted like you, there would be far fewer deer for you to hunt.

Its a nice rant zach, but it reeks of envy and immaturity.

What people are you referring to? Who are you asking this question to? Maybe it's just a rhetorical question/comment. Just felt like lecturing "the Kansas bowhunting community"?

I dont care about inches but also will not shoot a young eight or ten that weighs 150lbs. When i take a deer i want it to be big in body not woried about the head i dont eat the head

For me its the challenge of waiting out for a mature buck. I regularly let even some pretty good 8's walk by me and just enjoy the show. When I want meat for jerky, chili, etc. I'll shoot a doe but won't shoot a small buck. I'd rather let them live to see another day, hopefully survive rifle season and then maybe I will get to see them next year. I saw one buck (who was very identifiable because of a unique part of his antler) five out of 6 years in a row. On year 6 I got a shot at him but hit a limb right in front of him causing a flesh wound through his back strap. (Yes, I am still sick about that one as he was the largest deer I have ever seen in the wild and it would have been incredibly cool to have one on my wall I had let walk multiple times.) I caught him the next year on a trail cam with a scar right where I knew I hit him and spent that entire season ignoring all bucks, even one that may have been bigger than him. (Did the same thing the year I hit him as well. I knew the odds of seeing him again were remotely slim, but I let two very nice bucks walk that I normally would have shot because they weren't "my deer" and because I had already wounded one.) The year I got him on the trail cam, he was not as big as the year before but definitely the same buck, just on his way down. Am I a trophy hunter? Maybe, but I don't do it for bragging rights or to post pics of "monster bucks," I just have found a lot of enjoyment of letting the young boys walk and waiting for the ones with the big bodies and yes, nice racks.

Amen z. I want the challenge of ‘big’.And it’s that and more. Don’t like that challenge or think it’s ‘wrong’,TS. Meat is fine but readable available. Wish this platform would support phone vids. Got a bunch of ‘chases ‘that are great.Today hope U are out,they are really going.

I hunt for the challenge and frankly feel a much greater sense of accomplishment and reward if my standards are met. If my standard is 160" thats my choice, and If I go home without a filled tag, so be it. If someone else's "point of hunting" is to kill a deer, any deer, that's their choice. Like Darrell, I too enjoy watching the behavior of and letting smaller bucks walk by with the hopes of hunting them next year.

Get a youtube channel mr pearson, download easily from your phone. Plus you can then delete it from your phone to save memory.

Part of the problem this season of hunters not seeing deer is because of all the does needing killed for meat. If people would just kill one for meat it would possibly be alright, but when people kill 3,4 or even 5 it eventually hurts the population. It has taken some time to get to this point but now is upon us and will take a looonnnggg time to get back to what we once had. (If ever again)

It's kind of strange before does busted up i was seeing lots of two yr old bucks, this time of year when big's are lockdown the smaller bucks are still running and chasing may have been the wind this weekend but i didn't see any of that

Jumped a tall mature buck bedded with a doe on a pasture fenceline.. time to hunt those places which deer travel away from the normal timber and creek bottoms.. take a left at nowhere and dont stop till you get to fugawi

Liketobowhunt could sure have been wind. Strong winds came up few hours ago n only seen 2 fawns since. Wind very bad now. Moved an hour ago to a ground blind which is threatening to leave me.

Zach, bear with me...instead of "BeardsAndBones" you should be "JakesAndSteaks" or do you let Jakes walk?

There is nothing wrong with "Shooting Tomorrows Trophy Today" just as there is nothing wrong with "Saving Todays Trophy for Tomorrow"

“Can’t eat them antlers”

Put a doe at 15 yards, and a huge buck at 25 yards and watch where the arrow goes.

Two different friends were CETA guys, UNTIL they killed bucks netting 167 typical and 230-something non-typical. They were instantly experts on scoring and trophy deer.

Don’t expect people to live by your standards. Same for the “if you want meat, shoot a doe” guys. It’s your name on the permit, shoot what makes you happy. Shoot how many makes you happy (within the law.)

All I'm saying is if you look at basically every thread on this forum, it's all about mature bucks.. I just want to know why someone would spend twenty some days in a row hunting a needle in a haystack or spend thousands of dollars to kill a buck. Is it a pride thing? I do hunt the big boys on my private spot during November but I also have an entire month to hunt once it's over. I'm not telling anyone how to use their tag I'm just curious why antlers are so important.

Z hunter I don't know what your problem is, other than your reading comprehension is terrible.. I'm anything but envious of these guys, I have an entire half section of private with a spring fed creek running through it.. it's got several mature bucks that move through and too many does to count. I hunt it for free, other than gifting the landowner plenty of sausage and jerky.. And yes, I'll shoot a jake in a heartbeat

Appreciating and hunting mature animals came along long before the trophy hunting craze. Get to know an old rancher and he will tell you what a big buck looked like long before these idiotic TV shows ruined everything. I outgrew killing everything that moved when I shot my first antlered buck at the age of 15. Big bucks eat just as good as the dink you should have let walk. I don't shoot does very often either. Because of this, I have plenty of bucks visit my small farm in search of them.

Thornton exactly what you said about TV shows ruining it.. I hate what hunting is becoming, it's not about harvesting your own clean and healthy meat anymore. It's turning in to a wealthy mans sport and before long the average guy will be squeezed out, every year more wahi lands disappear.

Beards and Bones do you like to catch little bass and hang out with ugly women? Do you order a kids meal when you go out to eat? Not me, and I like mature deer.

West that's a horrible analogy and has nothing to do with my question. I'll catch small bass all day by the way, the white bass run in spring can be crazy! Have you ever done that, or do you only charter fish in the Keys?

Almost as horrible as your original post! I figured you like catching small bass.

Tree stand bow hunting = meditation for me (answer to one of your questions by the way)

Reading this thread = pure entertainment

I read and inevitably am disappointed with the bantering that occurs here. I don't proclaim to have the answers, but to much dissension on a group that should have solidarity toward a common goal of promoting the sport we all love.

Spreck get over it, we don't have to agree on everything to be on the same team!

West what makes my original post horrible? I thought it was pretty good.. I asked why some people trophy hunt exclusively, gave the new hunters some solid advice, and talked about getting a couple kids on their first deer. Guess I should've started another one about how to kill a mature buck since antlers are the only thing that matters.

B and B I thought you were a young hunter!

Not sure why it matters but yeah, I'm a youngster at 42

BeardsandBones, your site handle say's it all. Just saying,, don't be a hypocrite. I think writer said it best in his first sentence.

99.9% of sportsmen/women, want the biggest of what ever they are in pursuit of, yes I think it is an ego thing. Many a time, early on, I've found my bones and immediately thought," what the hell did I shot him for", knowing deep down it was not what I was after, so I quit. To each his own. Good luck, have fun, and yes, you can have very much fun coming home empty handed.

Because you are handing out advise to hunters who have hunted as many years as you have been alive.

Its about time you got back on here and straitend everybody out Jeff

What is sad to me is seeing hunters judging one another. A hunter should be able to do as he wishes within the law. If that means hunting 3 sits and holding out for a 200" buck great. If they want to sit the whole season and shoot a doe on the last day great. People need to get off the soap box. I have hunted Kansas two separate years. I passed up does and small bucks. I will not ask your permission to do as I wish nor will I explain myself.

AMEN preach it bros.

This is exactly why I refrain from posting much.. do you guys even read the thread or just skim over it and change it around in your head then reply? Christ, I simply asked why some people exclusively hunt for antlers, that's it. I admitted that I myself hunt for only the big boys during Nov. That's because I have stands all over and I have 3-4 days off a week which allows me to hunt a ton. If I don't shoot a mature buck that's fine.. but I'm still gonna shoot three deer regardless. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their tag, if they wanna hunt big bucks from Sept til Jan, so be it.

West I'm betting school wasn't easy for you was it? I clearly stated above my advice was for new hunters, NEW.. NEW hunters.. it's pretty clear.

wheres scooby shawn you know all them guys that clip and everyone fights with this time of year. I for one love this back and forth stuff keeps me laughing my A$$ OFF. I for one could care less what people think about my way of hunting i hunt legal thats what matters, have fun share good times with friends. Im lucky my hunntin buddy and myself have been best friends for 56 yrs thats what its all about

Yea right!!!!! You did not ask a simple questions. You asked one, then said it is "ridiculous" that hunters hold out for a mature deer. Then you said " nobody but you gives a $hit about how big a buck you shot" and "people shoot young bucks just because it's a buck, then bitch the following year about no big bucks around". You were judging and not offering anything let alone advice.

42 you say? Based on your posts I would have guessed you at a much younger age.

Liktobowhunt lol I'm glad we can keep you entertained, these guys are way too easy not to mess with. They have a good ol boy club, they know each other outside of bowsite.. they get together at the convention every year and slap each other on the ass and get drunk and talk about how they're the best hunters in the state. They stick up for each other on here year after year and if you're not in the club they roast ya.. Look at poor West, we were talking about the advice I gave and he put up a bunch of quotes I said.. that aren't even advice in the first place. Six posts up he's complaining about my advice, then in his last post he claims I'm not giving advice

It's Thanksgiving folks, we should all just be grateful that we are healthy enough and have the means to pursue our passions.

Gather round the table tomorrow, with those in your life, and enjoy the corn-ucopia of goodness!

See what I did there?

Amen Kyle.

I'll bite though on the original question. I wait all year to hunt for a deer that gets me excited when I see him. Call it buck fever, or whatever. That nervous excited feeling when a big deer approaches and immediately gets me shaking. Those few moments are what keep me going back for more, day after day, year after year.

Other deer..young bucks and does don't give me that feeling. If it feels right, and I can reasonably assume she is old, I'm fine taking a doe. I don't hunt for meat. I sure eat what I kill, but venison is far down on my list as far as favorite meats.

There is definitely a bragging rights or ego factor. It's fun to share a successful hunt story and read others. Fact is a big mature buck is relatively rare. Besting one can be dumb luck. But chances are you've done something right on your hunt that grants you that rare opportunity for success. Which is no easy task on a mature buck. That's what makes killing one that much more satisfying for me.

In the end though, kill what makes you happy. I'm happy if you're happy. Just be a good sport about it, and keep it legal.

well said sit. Now lets get back to fightin

I guess the issue is that your post rambles and contradicts itself so much it's nearly impossible to follow or understand what you are even trying to say. You use general terms like "all these people" and "so many people". You hunt the entire month of November for "the big boys". That's exactly what most of the people you are strangely and extremely unsuccessfully lecturing do, as well. From what I can gather you are trying to tell inexperienced bow hunters to shoot does when they can. That's cool. My question is why do you hunt the "big boys on your private spot in November" if you are so adamantly opposed to the idea of "trophy" hunting or holding out for mature bucks? You seem to understand the benefits of passing on young bucks. You also seem to understand that mature bucks are quite a bit cooler to look at and harder to kill than young bucks. I guess I would disagree with Z...he says it's a nice rant, but I'm not sure it's even that. You are telling people to stop doing what you yourself do. Then when someone calls everyone out for arguing, you say "get over it, we don't have to agree on everything." Which completely contradicts your original post, which was trying to persuade the masses that your way of hunting is how hunting should be done and enjoyed.

Sincerely, A confused hunter in Kansas that shoots small bucks, would love to kill a big, mature buck, and tries not to complain about not seeing many big bucks.

Sorry cherney I didn't mean to ramble on.. I'm not opposed to how anyone hunts, it's their tag to do what they want with it. I'm just curious as to why some folks hunt exclusively for antlers. If I only had a week in Kansas that would be different, I have all the time in the world to hunt so that's what I do.. I just don't know why some people spend thousands of dollars to hunt a few days and then go home empty handed. I love sitting the woods in Nov, I love the chasing, seeing bucks tear up a tree, and does crashing through with a buck on their tail. Love it, but I'm totally fine if I don't send an arrow at a buck. You can read through the threads on here and see that there are numerous folks that are frustrated with not seeing deer. If I'm limited on time and spent a ton of money to hunt, things would be different. Leebo is busting my balls for shooting does and not a single person called him out on him telling me what to do with my tags. I shoot does because I'm a meat hunter first and foremost.. I have three private spots to hunt and have stands on three different public spots, I'll only shoot one deer at each location. Most of these spots have lots of deer on them so it's not an issue. We took four deer off one location last year and I'm still covered up in deer every time I hunt it.

Beards, you apparently have the luxury to hunt multiple spots with very little pressure and very little pressure around those locations! That isn't the case for most of use! I'm not blaming you for this I am blaming the State for allowing this. I know that Wyoming started allowing the killing of large numbers of does 20 years ago and their numbers plummeted about 10 years later. They finally stopped allowing so many does to be killed and still haven't come close to recovering from the damage. The problem is like a lot of things in our world now, by the time we realize there is a problem it is to late. Then it takes twice as long to fix it as it did to damage it!

Hopefully everyone is aware of this...

Zach...maybe it was unintentional but your post had a negative and somewhat attacking tone and that is why you are getting the backlash. You contradict yourself by saying that the season is long and you also hold out for a big buck. If that is the case I am unsure why you seem to be critical of others doing the same.

I will answer your question though. Because I only get one buck tag, that is why I hold out. If I just wanted to kill a deer I could do it pretty quick as could most everyone else in KS. We are blessed with a healthy deer herd. I like the challenge of hunting one specific buck, or at the least a mature buck. I live all year for November and essentially for deer season, which is nearly a third of the year now. I have shot nice bucks in the past, but they weren't 'the' buck I was after and I have usually regretted it because then my season was over.

Good luck the rest of your season and Happy Thanksgiving!

Matt

i think the people we have to worry about arent on this site and i dont think they are nrs i heard them shooting all around me last weekend (wernt shotguns)

Liktobowhunt hopefully those were people just getting sighted in for the upcoming rifle season! Matt I hear ya, didn't intend to come off in a negative way but I can see how it seems that way.. for those of you still holding out for a nice buck, hang in there the next week should be good! I'm back in the woods hoping something comes through.. they've been here, just need one to slip up

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