Is buck hunting on a certain pattern lame?

[Southern Man]

Now lets say a hunter has a dynamite buck bed that produces bucks year after year (hypothetically). Is he a good hunter, poor hunter or an opportunist.

Again, opportunistic.
In both of those examples, isn't that what we as hunters look for? A tactic that consistantly works? I'm not sure anyone would purposely choose a hunting strategy that would make hunting more difficult unless the end result were greater, such as what Ed was saying.


I consider the better hunter to be the guy that can adapt to whatever property / terrain, private or public, and get the job done, maybe not every year but fairly consistantly. And not necessarily all mature bucks.

Public or private land might not be an issue either depending on the property. Not all public is highly pressured and not all private is a cake walk despite what some think. If a hunter kills on public land using the same tactics that he used on private land, that doesn't necessesarily make him a better hunter. But the guy that can be consistantly sucessful whether he's hunting in marsh/swamps, hill country, farm country, or different states even, now that guy has learned the buisness.

[glow=red]I have seen people post up that hunting like that isn't skilful. Why would they say and think that?[/glow]

I have seen it also. And not sure why. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

[Bucky]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

x2

I spent 10 years upgrading WI properties... I now have a handful of good ones Year in and year out though the biggest buck I will see or capture a picture of is on public property

[Stanley]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

x2

I spent 10 years upgrading WI properties... I now have a handful of good ones Year in and year out though the biggest buck I will see or capture a picture of is on public property

There is a lot to learn on any properties. Throw in learning food plots and game cameras. I believe you have a pretty well rounded out hunter.

[virginiashadow]

If someone is killing nice bucks year in and year out using the same pattern, GOOD for them! However, they should be honest not only to others, but themselves when discussing skill level in hunting down big bucks. I will take nothing away from their accomplishments, but honesty in their endeavors is all I ask. Too many people get caught with trying to impress everyone with their buck kills that they forget about their own development as a hunter (If they even care). I for one care about my development as a hunter so I try to be as honest as possible whenever asked about my hunting grounds, my own skill, and the luck involved in my hunts. I want to get get better every year and cannot do that if I let my ego get involved.

Hunting where I do has forced me to become a flexible, mobile, and thoughtful hunter in order to consistently kill bucks with my bow. However, all of those bucks minus 1 have been 2.5 year old bucks. I will not lie and I will not pretend to be something that I am not...I am NOT a good big buck killer nor a good big buck hunter in general. I am like a yellow belt in the martial arts world when it comes to big buck hunting...hahaha.

So when I boil it down....Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. That being said, I am happy for you if you have all of those things and my goodness I would lo ve to be in those spots! :) But I would be honest about where I hunt.

Great post by the way. Are you saying his skill level is not much even if he is killing big bucks consistently? What should he do to improve on his skill level while accomplishing what he set out to do? is it also possible that his skill level may be better than you give him credit? Is it possibly easier to develop skills with more big buck encounters than the guy that is hunting hard and not seeing many bucks? Just playing the devils advocate.

I am not saying anything about his skill level bc I DO NOT know about it. All I am asking for from someone who kills big bucks year after year on primetime properties during primetime periods is to be honest when asked about the size of the bucks they hunt, the lack of pressure on the land, everything.....that is all I am asking. I am in no way diminishing anyone's hard work or skill....b/c in reality I don't have much of either.

And I will agree with you, one learns more about big bucks when they are actually around them and see the fruits of their labor via sightings. Point taken.

[virginiashadow]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

ABSOLUTELY Spysar, absolutely. Maybe I am just slanted b/c I have been reading what certain people (not on this website) have posted over the years. They are not honest and act like they are the be all end all of big buck gurus when in fact, they are not....if I offended you or anyone else with my post I apologize. Again, I am just tired of people who let their egos take hold and act like they are the crap when it comes to big buck strategy when all they do is sit 1/2 stands in primetime property year after year.

[dan]

The truth of the matter is none of us are hunting on the same level playing field. My public land might be way better than someone from mid-michigan. One of the guys might be living in a terrible area, but he can afford, or save enough to travel, while his neighbor trasvels to better areas for the season. One guy might own 100 acres surrounded by brown its downers, while another owns 1000 managed acres surrounded by a park...
All we can really compare ourselves to honestly, is ourselves...

[bonemonger]

deer hunting is a sacrifice and each hunter must choose what he is willing to sacrifice to meet his goals. some hunters are willing to spend thousands of dollars and time away from their families, some choose to move to locations where the hunting is better and maybe make less money, while others buy land to hunt. you cannot judge a hunters sucess by the way he or she chooses to hunt, only by the way their lives are affected, either positively or negativiely by their decisions. i choose to hunt close to home, in turn keeping my hunting expences down. for me i would never spend the money on a tag in Iowa because i can kill deer at home and be just as happy. there is such a diverse amount of ways to be sucessful that i refuse to diminish any one elses choice of tactics.

[Stanley]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

ABSOLUTELY Spysar, absolutely. Maybe I am just slanted b/c I have been reading what certain people (not on this website) have posted over the years. They are not honest and act like they are the be all end all of big buck gurus when in fact, they are not....if I offended you or anyone else with my post I apologize. Again, I am just tired of people who let their egos take hold and act like they are the crap when it comes to big buck strategy when all they do is sit 1/2 stands in primetime property year after year.

I don't see any apologies necessary. It is all great controlled discussion with differing thoughts about hunting big bucks. Your input is greatly appreciated on the subject.

[Stanley]

deer hunting is a sacrifice and each hunter must choose what he is willing to sacrifice to meet his goals. some hunters are willing to spend thousands of dollars and time away from their families, some choose to move to locations where the hunting is better and maybe make less money, while others buy land to hunt. you cannot judge a hunters sucess by the way he or she chooses to hunt, only by the way their lives are affected, either positively or negativiely by their decisions. i choose to hunt close to home, in turn keeping my hunting expences down. for me i would never spend the money on a tag in Iowa because i can kill deer at home and be just as happy. there is such a diverse amount of ways to be sucessful that i refuse to diminish any one elses choice of tactics.

That is so accurate. Some guys eat sleep and live big bucks. I can say my place at the Thanksgiving table was unoccupied more than once over the years, as I am sure many others have been.

[Edcyclopedia]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

ABSOLUTELY Spysar, absolutely. Maybe I am just slanted b/c I have been reading what certain people (not on this website) have posted over the years. They are not honest and act like they are the be all end all of big buck gurus when in fact, they are not....if I offended you or anyone else with my post I apologize. Again, I am just tired of people who let their egos take hold and act like they are the crap when it comes to big buck strategy when all they do is sit 1/2 stands in primetime property year after year.

I don't see any apologies necessary. It is all great controlled discussion with differing thoughts about hunting big bucks. Your input is greatly appreciated on the subject.

This is the part both VS and I share (if I may speak for Brett)...
We have killed many deer, we have killed small bucks and even "starter bucks" (I just coined the phrase ) aged 2.5 and maybe even a 3.5...
How can I play your/everyone's reindeer games if I haven't killed your/everyones/elite big bucks?

We sure try hard enough and as I eluded too in my first post, am a college player (maybe a double AA player) in the land of proffesional Big Buck Players.
I don't post my opion much as I listen and learn and try to aborb others experiences and wonder (just like from mags and TV) which ones will help me...
Frankly I am starting to ignore some of the "big buck talk" as I feel it doesn't pertain to me, just like those mags everyone talks about...
Frustrating at times, but I'm OK with my achievements and limited abilities.

I take my family, career, retirement and health 1st --> then deer hunting a close second.
I eat breath and sleep deer hunting but DO NOT put in the effort my good buddy does because I can't/won't.
His trophy room shows the 6-days a week scouting efforts and mine shows the every other Saturday scouting efforts (at best).

As others stated - finding better areas CAN increase your chances and hope to prove that true in the fall with my first out of state rut hunt if my cards fall right. (public land of course)

[Stanley]

Be honest with others and don't act like you are the be all end all of big buck killers when you are sitting on prime ground, hunting prime times, and sitting in a perfect pinch point and killing big bucks. .

Did you ever stop to think, that maybe a die hard white fanatic worked his tail off, to be on prime ground, at prime times, in a perfect spot???? And its all part of his master plan that he's been thinking about all year???

Do you think these scenarios just happen??

ABSOLUTELY Spysar, absolutely. Maybe I am just slanted b/c I have been reading what certain people (not on this website) have posted over the years. They are not honest and act like they are the be all end all of big buck gurus when in fact, they are not....if I offended you or anyone else with my post I apologize. Again, I am just tired of people who let their egos take hold and act like they are the crap when it comes to big buck strategy when all they do is sit 1/2 stands in primetime property year after year.

I don't see any apologies necessary. It is all great controlled discussion with differing thoughts about hunting big bucks. Your input is greatly appreciated on the subject.

This is the part both VS and I share (if I may speak for Brett)...
We have killed many deer, we have killed small bucks and even "starter bucks" (I just coined the phrase ) aged 2.5 and maybe even a 3.5...
How can I play your/everyone's reindeer games if I haven't killed your/everyones/elite big bucks?

We sure try hard enough and as I eluded too in my first post, am a college player (maybe a double AA player) in the land of proffesional Big Buck Players.
I don't post my opion much as I listen and learn and try to aborb others experiences and wonder (just like from mags and TV) which ones will help me...
Frankly I am starting to ignore some of the "big buck talk" as I feel it doesn't pertain to me, just like those mags everyone talks about...
Frustrating at times, but I'm OK with my achievements and limited abilities.

I take my family, career, retirement and health 1st --> then deer hunting a close second.
I eat breath and sleep deer hunting but DO NOT put in the effort my good buddy does because I can't/won't.
His trophy room shows the 6-days a week scouting efforts and mine shows the every other Saturday scouting efforts (at best).

As others stated - finding better areas CAN increase your chances and hope to prove that true in the fall with my first out of state rut hunt if my cards fall right. (public land of course)

It should never be misunderstood, guys that kill big bucks consistently, are not killing big bucks consistently because those big bucks don't exist where they are hunting. It would be ludicrous to hunt big bucks where they don't exist. I think a lot of the controversies come from guys hunting where big bucks don't exist and then turn it into if you hunted where I hunt types of mind set. I see these eccentric comments on hunting forums all the time.

[Dor]

"It should never be misunderstood, guys that kill big bucks consistently, are not killing big bucks consistently because those big bucks don't exist where they are hunting. It would be ludicrous to hunt big bucks where they don't exist. I think a lot of the controversies come from guys hunting where big bucks don't exist and then turn it into if you hunted where I hunt types of mind set. I see these eccentric comments on hunting forums all the time."

Well stated. It's fine not to travel to hunt where they are, but don't complain if you don't. You need to make it a priority if it is truly important to you.

"guys hunting where big bucks don't exist and then turn it into if you hunted where I hunt types of mind set"

That is always laughable , why would one want to go there? That's sorta the whole point of the matter.

[virginiashadow]

"It should never be misunderstood, guys that kill big bucks consistently, are not killing big bucks consistently because those big bucks don't exist where they are hunting. It would be ludicrous to hunt big bucks where they don't exist. I think a lot of the controversies come from guys hunting where big bucks don't exist and then turn it into if you hunted where I hunt types of mind set. I see these eccentric comments on hunting forums all the time."

Well stated. It's fine not to travel to hunt where they are, but don't complain if you don't. You need to make it a priority if it is truly important to you.

"guys hunting where big bucks don't exist and then turn it into if you hunted where I hunt types of mind set"

That is always laughable , why would one want to go there? That's sorta the whole point of the matter.

If many of you guys hunted where I hunt, I guarantee you would take out bigger bucks than I do each year based on skill. To kill big bucks, you have to go where they are located at higher rates and/or have skill...period. If I did a better job of asking people and actively looking for better spots around my house I would be in the vicinity of a larger percentage of big bucks. I am not a good salesman, hate begging, and actually enjoy walking out into the big woods on public lanr and trying my hand. That is my own decision.

There are so many things that I could to secure better spots to hunt, but I just do not do them. I guess it is just not worth it to me at this point in my life. I scout and hunt hard every year.

[dan]

There are big bucks everywhere bucks are hunted... I shake my head at comments like "there are no big bucks where I hunt".
In every area there are some bucks that are bigger than the rest. If thats a 2 year old that scores 90, its still a big buck if 99% of the hunters shoot 1 year old forks... Some areas a 4 year old might only score 130 or 140, its still a great buck for that area... Who cares what someone in a different state or area thinks?

[Pullintoobs]

Well stated Dan. I bet that in ANY area, that someone thinks there are no big bucks, There is a guy or a few that consistantly put down big bucks. I think the people that say that sort of thing are missing out. If one truly believes there are no big bucks around they shoot small bucks. They are not doing what is neccessary to find and kill a good one. Heck not even kill one just see one! There is no way all small bucks get killed. NO Chance of it.