The progression of a big buck serial killer

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Stanley
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:03 am

Stanley wrote:
xpauliber wrote:For the guys like Dan and Stanley, that are at a point that it doesn't matter if they get a buck or not, was there a specific event that changed your perspective, such as shooting a mature buck 5 years in a row? Or maybe shooting your 15th Pope & Young buck?

Or was it simply looking back one day on your hunting career and the satisfaction of knowing that you were able to get the job done under all kinds of different conditions? (Dan mentioned this in one of his responses) Knowing that you didn't just have one magic stand that produced in the rut. Or you didn't have Uncle Leroy's 500 acre private farm all to yourself to hunt.

You became a big buck serial killer by learning as much as you could about your prey and adapting to the situation. This is what I hope to become.

I just look back and laugh when i think about how I used to hang stands 3 weeks before season started and then hunt those same stands all season with no regard for the wind and thought i was hunting. Lol. I wasn't doing anything more than sitting in the woods holding a bow. I guess that's part of the progression. No one is born a BBSK.

I'd like to hear Spy's take on this thread. Hear about where he feels he is in his hunting career.

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I would say everyone has a little bit different perspective on when a guy knows he doesn't need to take a buck to have a great season. There are many variables that are out of your control also. You could have a life changing event, change your perspective before reaching your goal. Loss of a child or wife can change things in a hurry. You could become an alcoholic and lose sight of your goal. You could fall for a woman and lose control (happens all the time). You could develop health issues. The road to becoming a consistent big buck killer has many paths. The guys that take the high road and are killing big bucks on private land are considered by some less skilled. I give them credit where credit is due. If their goal was to hang bucks on the wall and they did it, are they less skilled or possibly more resourceful? The guys that hunt specific beds are definitely skilled and considered by some the best of the best (I would tend to agree). The guys that hunt guided hunts (I don't) are considered by some bottom of the barrel skilled wise. If their goal is to hang bucks on the wall and can do it in 5 days how can I pass judgment when my goal is the same and it takes me 45 days? The big name TV professionals hunt the best places year in and year out. Should we put on the hate because they are successful? Those poor guys have to hunt they can't take a day off. I'm glad I don't have to do that. They are extremely successful at putting bucks on the wall, but pay huge price for it. I kind of touched on a few things lots of guys talk about when the word big buck comes up. I have opinions, but try to be a realist, about the best method or what it takes to become a big buck serial killer. I may not have answered your question as asked. I do hope I gave you some things to think about. Hunt like you want and have fun doing it.



Lets face it you have to be a little selfish to become an accomplished big buck killer.


You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby rack addict » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:11 am

Lot's of good stuff on this thread. I'm at the point now where I feel like I've killed enough 2.5 yr olds (5) to feel confident in my abilities. This year I'm going to have a targeted buck or bucks and if I can't kill that one then I'm wiping my but with the tags. I don't care if I shoot nothing I'm not going to shoot a buck just to say I shot a buck. This past season I killed my biggest buck so far 113 in. So I'm going for 130's or bigger.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby xpauliber » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:35 am

Lots of great insight guys!

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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby jlh42581 » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:17 am

Cant answer, dont kill anything worth while. Had the worst season in history last year.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby tim » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:32 am

im by no means a big buck serial killer but as i get older i just try to do the best i can in the time i have to do it. im passing better deer every year it seems but doesnt mean a 3.5 year old will be safe even. i try not to put myself in a box with my goals, i want to have fun, sometimes fun is passing a buck i know i coulda killed if i wanted to sometimes killing him is better. the path that leads me to the buck is often the deciding factor for me. i love using trail cams now i use them smarter. my main goal is to stay healthy during the entire duration of the season so i dont miss any of it.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby dan » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:35 am

Tim & Stan... Great posts! 8-)
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:41 am

I started out shooting any buck, which usually ended up being a 1 1/2- 2 1/2 year old. Shot a bunch of these and then really didn't see the point in accumulating anymore little racks so I decided to hold out for something larger.

Beginning with the 2003 season I set a standard for myself of shooting a buck that scores at least 130". Since then I have only shot 2 bucks exceeding this score even though I am on nice ones every year. It's tough to accept not killing something at first when you are used to shooting bucks every year.

I am at the point right now that if I don't kill a buck it's not the end of the world. I am passing on decent bucks every year to reach my goal. As long as I have these encounters and have a few chances every year at a slob buck I am completely happy wether I kill one or not.

I try not to get hung up on having to kill something to be succesful. If I am having fun that is all that really matters to me anymore.

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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby rizzo999 » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:03 am

Dewey wrote:I started out shooting any buck, which usually ended up being a 1 1/2- 2 1/2 year old. Shot a bunch of these and then really didn't see the point in accumulating anymore little racks so I decided to hold out for something larger.

Beginning with the 2003 season I set a standard for myself of shooting a buck that scores at least 130". Since then I have only shot 2 bucks exceeding this score. It's tough to accept at first when you are used to shooting bucks every year.

I am at the point right now that if I don't kill a buck it's not the end of the world. I am passing on decent bucks every year to reach my goal. As long as I have these encounters and have a few chances every year at a slob buck I am completely happy wether I kill one or not.

I try not to get hung up on having to kill something to be succesful. If I am having fun that is all that really matters to me anymore.

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Exactly! It was a little tough at first passing on deer that I had the years prior jumped at the opportunity to tag. Then for a year or so debating "is it worth passing those bucks?" Finally, I was able to shoot a decent (low 130's) 10 pointer that I had passed the year prior about 6-7 times. That was the turning point for me. Everybody has their respective standards and I am not on this Earth to judge anyone but myself. Great discussion from everyone!!!
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:17 am

jlh42581 wrote:Cant answer, dont kill anything worth while. Had the worst season in history last year.

Did you have fun? That is as important as anything in my thought process.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby Stuart » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:33 am

Good posts Dan ;)
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby gjs4 » Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:38 am

My walls are not adorned but what i see as commonality is PERSEVERENCE with only education coming form failure. Killing mature deer is like playing poker..Unless you buy the game or stack the deck you will win an dlose outside of your expectations. In the same aspect- (private, public, WI, MN, PA, NY, AK...) he who has thebest ground needs the lesser skill set.

When you have permenant circles from bino use and napkins with property sketches all over the truck youre getting somewhere....or when you leave dinner running out the door becoes the barometer moved, its the third week of december on a nne wind and you know the ideal set to be for the moon and rut phase.....it beats the old days of tinks on your orange coat and spraying lead on every drive

buts thats just my take and l preach better than i harvest
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby moondoondude » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:11 am

When I was about 14 I killed my first big buck. I watched him eat beans all summer, built a really crappy wooden ladder stand where he was coming out, hunted it on the right wind, and killed him the first time hunting that stand. For as long as I have been hunting, my dad is the only one who doesn't just say oh he gets lucky every year. Year, after year, after year. He knows I work really hard at it (sometimes obsessively), even though I'm sure others could work less and get the same results - but I work hard at it because that's what I enjoy to do.

After that I have found ways to take deer in every part of the season, my kills are dispersed evenly from early season, rut, and late season. For every big buck I shoot I pass 5 or 6 more that would hit 125. I choose to pass a lot of deer because it has worked for me. I put in a ton of work finding my deer year-round - I keep total accountability of them regardless of the time of the year - I know where they eat, where they sleep, and where they drink, and how they get to each of those places. It makes killing them easier. It also can put some unwanted pressure on the herd, but it's what works for me.

Not much has changed for the past 10 years I have been bow hunting - my biggest change was that I traded in my Bear Whitetail Hunter for a new bow which made everything much easier. I started shed hunting too, which has helped a lot and has increased my time in the woods. Finding over 100 sheds a year can give you an idea of the time I put in. Deer is my number one hobby.

Basically, there are a ton of things that go into me killing big deer. I don't like shooting them as much as I like seeing them and watching them, especially if I watch the same ones over and over - it's almost like a pet thing but different. That is part of the reason I pass a lot of deer, especially if it's a big one and I'm sure I can find his sheds.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby Southern Man » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:56 am

Stanley wrote:
jlh42581 wrote:Cant answer, dont kill anything worth while. Had the worst season in history last year.

Did you have fun? That is as important as anything in my thought process.


Yea me too....
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby jlh42581 » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:15 pm

Stanley wrote:
jlh42581 wrote:Cant answer, dont kill anything worth while. Had the worst season in history last year.

Did you have fun? That is as important as anything in my thought process.



Always, if it wasnt fun, I wouldnt go.
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Re: The progression of a big buck serial killer

Unread postby bk123 » Sat Jun 16, 2012 5:02 pm

All I have to say is thank you Dan for creating this site and thanks to everybody for all the great tips and stories. I feel like I am at a major turning point in my hunting career and a lot of it has to do with the beast.

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