All this talk of hunting mature bucks...

[BackWoodsHunter]

has really got me thinking, and I think it is kind of goofy. I am not a mature buck hunter, don't claim to be. If a nice buck walks by I will send an arrow his way (noticed I did not say shoot him, I often just scare the deer I see). Anyways, it seems to be Dan's approach, and desire, to hunt mature deer. Since he started this site I have seen a lot of people join and begin to beat the mature buck drum but why? Is age everything to those of you who hunt mature bucks? Is there more satisfaction in shooting a 150" 4.5yr old than there is in shooting a 165" 3.5 yr old? I think you see where I am going with this. Dan stated in another post many of Andre's booners were only 3.5yrs old, and Dan has posted a few bucks in the last few years that were mighty fine deer that were only 2.5yrs old. I know some guys are posting 2.5yr old bucks that are bigger than the average 4.5yr old deer in my neighborhood. Are you hunting mature bucks because you like the challenge of hunting a wiser animal, are you hunting them because you think they have always carry the biggest racks, how tightly do you hold to your standard of killing a mature buck? Would you pass an exceptional buck that isn't fully mature in hopes of hanging your tag on the mature buck? Even if their racks were comparable?

It is nice, in my opinion, to see deer in a wild herd of all age classes and structures. It is my goal to get myself in position to shoot, or shoot at, a bigger buck than the last one I saw. It often does not happen, which is fine that is hunting. But I don't for see myself setting my standards at shooting a certain age class of a deer, maybe some day, but not today. I am not even overly horn crazy. I don't want to place my tag on a basket rack 8pt opening weekend when I know there is a P&Y deer in the woods and a few others bigger than the basket rack, but in another scenario where that basket rack is the big man in town, I will be proud shooting him.

[BigHunt]

has really got me thinking, and I think it is kind of goofy. I am not a mature buck hunter, don't claim to be. If a nice buck walks by I will send an arrow his way (noticed I did not say shoot him, I often just scare the deer I see). Anyways, it seems to be Dan's approach, and desire, to hunt mature deer. Since he started this site I have seen a lot of people join and begin to beat the mature buck drum but why? Is age everything to those of you who hunt mature bucks? Is there more satisfaction in shooting a 150" 4.5yr old than there is in shooting a 165" 3.5 yr old? I think you see where I am going with this. Dan stated in another post many of Andre's booners were only 3.5yrs old, and Dan has posted a few bucks in the last few years that were mighty fine deer that were only 2.5yrs old. I know some guys are posting 2.5yr old bucks that are bigger than the average 4.5yr old deer in my neighborhood. Are you hunting mature bucks because you like the challenge of hunting a wiser animal, are you hunting them because you think they have always carry the biggest racks, how tightly do you hold to your standard of killing a mature buck? Would you pass an exceptional buck that isn't fully mature in hopes of hanging your tag on the mature buck? Even if their racks were comparable?

It is nice, in my opinion, to see deer in a wild herd of all age classes and structures. It is my goal to get myself in position to shoot, or shoot at, a bigger buck than the last one I saw. It often does not happen, which is fine that is hunting. But I don't for see myself setting my standards at shooting a certain age class of a deer, maybe some day, but not today. I am not even overly horn crazy. I don't want to place my tag on a basket rack 8pt opening weekend when I know there is a P&Y deer in the woods and a few others bigger than the basket rack, but in another scenario where that basket rack is the big man in town, I will be proud shooting him.

honistly bwh im a young hunter and right know i could care less what age class it is ...its hard enough to get close to any BIG buck for me ( not mature but big) ......if the buck gets my blood pumping ...then hes the one

i set my standerds by using trail cams ...and what i see on them is my target bucks , ...i dont say ok this year im only shooting a 150 and up ....if theres not one on my land then i dont set that standerd....i go after the bigest buck on that property..it may be only 100 class or a 110 or a 130 or a 140 what ever it is thats the one im going after

[Dewey]

I like to hunt mature bucks for the challenge. I have only shot one that I consider mature so I am far from an expert on hunting them and although I have had plenty of encounters with large bucks, encounters and killing them are two entirely different things. I have been holding out for a 130" buck and have to say if one is in front of me and provides a good shot I am shooting and I could careless if he is only 2 1/2.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[bowhunter15]

I think a lot of the satisfaction of shooting an older deer comes from the fact that you outsmarted the smartest, most difficult animal to kill out there.

I don't typically have the luxury to have the inventory of many lands that I hunt. If I see a big buck out on stand, I don't know how old it is. All I know is that I'm gonna try to put an arrow through him. And at this point, I really don't care how old he is.

[JV NC]

I'm an opportunist.

Around here, if you get a shot at a 3.5yo, you'd better take it. I've passed exactly ONE in the last 7 years. I average SEEING one buck/season 3.5 & over.

Our firearms season begins in the heat of the rut (11/5, this season) and runs through 1/2. You can take 2 bucks in my dist. of NC....with folks to my west being able to legally take FOUR.

Yes. I'd take the smaller-racked (within reason) older buck. And yes, it IS something that occurs around here. The 4.5yo I took in '07 scored a whopping 103" and some change. Every 3.5yo I've killed out-scores him.

Hunt/shoot what makes you happy. If it wasn't for the internet and TV hunting shows, we wouldn't hear much about this mature buck phenomenon. People would just shoot what made them happy.....which is as it should be.

[Stanley]

If you are consistently killing large racked bucks sooner or later you'll kill a mature buck.

[Jay]

I believe the word IF is used a little to much here. The word WHEN should be used when referring to a mature buck walking by and getting a shot. Most of the members on here whose posts I read truly believe in their set ups and that means you are hunting not hoping. Its taken me quite a while to put pieces of this mature buck puzzle together and I put a lot of time, effort, and energy into it. And I still have so much to learn. I've got a few nice bucks on the wall and I am very proud of them. Each and every year I try to be the best I can be and that means killing a mature buck. Some years I eat a tag and some years I get to be the best I can be. The difference between a dream and a goal is a PLAN!!!

[Brad]

BWHm I know where this thread came from

I don't care how old the deer is, I care how big his rack is. If I saw a 140" 1.5 year old I would kill him. I set my standards for 100" this year and I think both my bow kill and gun buck should be around the 115 to 120" range and they were both 2.5 years old, as far as I know anyways, the bow might be 3.5. I set my standards by what's in the area. Where I am hunting now the bucks I shot this year would be somewhere in the middle of antler size, there are a few bigger and a lot that were smaller. If I hunted an area with very few bucks at all, I would be happy with any buck on that particular property. I am still learning a lot when I am out there, and I love the taste of success even if I am killing the equivalent of 20 year olds (in people years). I would love to be able to kill a old buck, but I am having fun and I am happier with that then holding out and MAYBE killing a 5.5 year old buck at this stage in my hunting.

[Hunter74]

I think a lot of the satisfaction of shooting an older deer comes from the fact that you outsmarted the smartest, most difficult animal to kill out there.

That is it... And I believe it is an evolutionary thing within a hunter... I started out just wanting to kill a deer, then I wanted to kill a buck, then I wanted to hold out for a big buck and I have killed several nice bucks but all have been 3.5s... Now I want to be able to consistently harvest mature animals... And the reason is a mature animal is a master of survival... A ghost of the woods and I want to beat him at his own game...
I've had this desire for 3 or 4 years now but have really just embarked on this quest in the last 2 years... And I'll openly admit its very tough and I have not yet tasted success...

Still with each year my desire to accomplish this becomes greater... Something that really lit this fire is 4 seasons ago I learned the presence of 2 big bucks that I believe were 3.5 yr olds... This last season wich was the third year I knew of there existence and would make them 5.5 yrs old I solely hunted these 2 animals wich oddly were always together and I failed miserably only seeing one of them once during the season... However the real kicker was out of over a dozen hunters throughout the area there was only one other person that knew of there existence... This is something that has really driven me to find and hunt these animals, an animal that almost no one knows is there let alone is able to figure out how to harvest it...

[ Post made via Android ]

[Zap]

Right now I want to kill some of those old smart late season doe.

Well I might let the old doe walk by and kill one of the younger ones walking behind.....easier drag.

[JRM6868]

It's the challenge.
I think you have to look at it as a hunter and if your area supports mature deer are you out there to just shoot a buck?or are you out there for age? Is it score?It's not a bad thing to be either way people are at different stages in their hunting careers and peoples areas support different age classes. Everybody has different goals in their hunts. If your a competitive person you keep wanting to improve and as you improve your animal you hunt improves with age through his survival skills. If you kill 130" deer every year and you see a 140" deer in your area consistantly those 130's won't do it for you anymore you'll want the 140's if your competitive. Same with age.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[rudy78]

For me my standards depend on where I'm hunting. In the next few years it looks like I will probably only hunt 2 states, MI & IL. In MI I will kill any 3.5 or older simply bc there are few in the areas I hunt, most would consider 2.5 a trophy & I have shot several bigger so I don't care to shoot 1. In IL I want to shot a 4.5 or older bc I know they are there & if I pass the younger 1's they may make it. I do it for the challenge of out smarting older bucks, having said this I would have a really tough (dont think I could) pass on a buck over 150 inches. If presented with a 135 inch 2 or 3 & a 120 inch 4, I would shoot the 4 every time. For me it's the challenge & bc I've worked my way up to this point & want to keep uping my game.

[ Post made via Palm ]

[dan]

I certainly feel more pride shooting an older buck... But really, I think you have me pegged all wrong. I am happy taking a big 2 or 3 year old in a lot of circumstances, but really my hunting tactics are designed to hunt buck beds so thasty you can hunt all Ages of bucks, and not put yourself out of the game for certain age classes... I would rather hunt and shoot a mature buck. But hunting funnels, over food plots, etc... Means I don't really have much of a chance. So by pushing the envelope, and hunting where all bucks, not just those that are under the age of four, move freely in daylight, I at lerast have a chance at killing a mature buck.

[dan]

By the way, many of you may be surprised by this, but Andrae told me he could care less how old the buck is, for him its all about rack size. The younger ones are just easier to kill.

[GRUD]

I have killed a couple older deer and it is sure a thrill to drop such a monarch. With the sagging back and large belly they are just a different animal than the younger deer. Big racks are cool and all but the size and age of the animal add a lot to its character. I try to hunt a deer that has character. And I hunt first and foremost to fill the freezer every year but love spending some time hunting specific bedding for a larger buck. Also, with the one buck rule here in Indiana you can really limit your hunting time in the woods if you shoot your buck opening weekend. I know once I release that arrow on a buck my season is over for hunting bucks. So I like to hunt some does early season and fill the freezer then spend the balance of the season poking around for a nice one.