Evolving into a consistent big buck killer (bow)

[Stanley]

The other thread got me to thinking about this, and the guy I bumped into at the gas station yesterday. I was pumping gas and an old friend pulled up and started pumping gas. He asks if I got the old boy yet? I said no but am after him. He told me he was waiting for the big one himself (I hear this a lot). I will bet money he takes a 1.5 year old buck claiming it was getting late in the season. He has done this for 30 years. He did get a good one 5 years ago breaking tradition for one year.

My thought process; why lower your standards towards the end of the season if you are after a big buck? I may not kill a big buck this year but I will not kill a 1.5 year old either.
Another thing that doesn’t equate to me is; I killed this buck and it is smaller than I wanted it to be, or I usually kill. If you dropped the string it was no accident, you killed the buck, be happy with it no matter the size. Just my opinion.

Let talk about misses; I hit a twig and missed the only shot I got all season (I hear this a lot also). I have preached this over and over you have to have a clear shot when set up or what have you accomplished?

Let’s talk about shooting accuracy. You need to practice as the season progresses not just before season. If you get one chance at a good buck and can’t hit the darn thing what have you accomplished? When I was in my prime I could hit a bumble bee at 15 yards. I won a few crispies over the years proving this to guys. You have to take advantage of that one chance, if that’s all you get that year.

A small bit on equipment. Bow manufacture doesn’t matter. They are all good. Don’t be a logo blowie it won’t help you get the big one. I shouldn’t talk about this but will. Why on earth would you want or think you need 7 pins on your hunting site? Good grief things happen so fast out there why complicate it even further with a rift of pins you have to sort through to get off a shot.

Conclusion:
I haven’t mentioned one thing about deer hunting technical skills. I have mentioned some things that will make you a better big buck serial killer.

[wmihunter]

Great post Stan!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[xpauliber]

My thought process; why lower your standards towards the end of the season if you are after a big buck? I may not kill a big buck this year but I will not kill a 1.5 year old either.
Another thing that doesn’t equate to me is; I killed this buck and it is smaller than I wanted it to be, or I usually kill. If you dropped the string it was no accident, you killed the buck, be happy with it no matter the size. Just my opinion.

I believe this 100%! I can't quite figure out how guys can talk about wanting a big buck and then shoot a 1.5 year old. There is some type of obsession with just "filling your buck tag".

I also don't buy the "filling the freezer" argument either. Trust me, a doe backstrap tastes just as good as a bucks!

Now don't get me wrong, if a guy shoots a 1.5 year old and he's happy with that, I am just as happy for him. But I recall going to a buddy's house to check out a 1.5 year old 8 point a guy shot. I pulled up and went over all smiling and happy and shook the guys hand congratulating him up and down and his reply was, "ahh, it's just a 1.5 year old". Situations like that just makes me shake my head.

[backstraps]

Good post Stan.

When I first read the thread topic, seen you posted it I thought "what". Stan is a consistent big buck killer with a bow. Ive seen a pic of your wall.
:-)

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[headgear]

Good post stan, agree with almost all of it. However lane trimming is sometimes a luxury some of us dont' have. When I pick my trees in the spring I do some work so I have some shooting options but hunting mobile and focusing on buck beds makes it difficult to have perfect shooting lanes all the time. To start I don't want to scent up my best areas in late summer when you will be able to trim all the new growth for the year. Too much trimming in some of these ares just isn't good for buck travel, they like it thick and trimming might alter their movement if its too open or obvious. Its also a numbers game, if you are only hunting 20-30 trees a year its plenty of work but doable, however if you have 30 to 50 or 100 buck beds you like to hunt things change fast. Each bed might also have 1 to 5 or more trees you could setup on depending on the wind, you have to be in the right tree not the tree that is trimmed. Then even if you do trim things up perfectly the deer don't alwasy cooperate and you might have to slip a shot through some branches anyway. No doubt you need shooting options and I plan for them when I setup but like I said above, for me its a luxury, not a neccessity.

Sorry got a little long winded there.

[jlh42581]

Its the reason I have eatn a buck tag the last three years. My standards dont change the last day and where I live a 3.5 year old buck is a rare animal. Even at 3.5 hes not guaranteed to be a big buck. Ive had 4 opportunities to shoot a buck in the last 3 years and none of them have been a buck I wanted to shoot, therefore they walk.

[Stanley]

Good post stan, agree with almost all of it. However lane trimming is sometimes a luxury some of us dont' have. When I pick my trees in the spring I do some work so I have some shooting options but hunting mobile and focusing on buck beds makes it difficult to have perfect shooting lanes all the time. To start I don't want to scent up my best areas in late summer when you will be able to trim all the new growth for the year. Too much trimming in some of these ares just isn't good for buck travel, they like it thick and trimming might alter their movement if its too open or obvious. Its also a numbers game, if you are only hunting 20-30 trees a year its plenty of work but doable, however if you have 30 to 50 or 100 buck beds you like to hunt things change fast. Each bed might also have 1 to 5 or more trees you could setup on depending on the wind, you have to be in the right tree not the tree that is trimmed. Then even if you do trim things up perfectly the deer don't alwasy cooperate and you might have to slip a shot through some branches anyway. No doubt you need shooting options and I plan for them when I setup but like I said above, for me its a luxury, not a neccessity.

Sorry got a little long winded there.

I understand some public you can't trim out. You can however bend some branches. Years ago I too had the mentality that shooting lanes were a luxury until I figured out; no shot = no buck. I won't hunt stand sites that have no shot, it is an exercise of futility. That is just me, I try to eliminate the things I can, so dealing with the things I can't become less complicated. Good post on your part by the way. Different opinions get everyone thinking. That is what my post is about.

[JakeJD]

I may not kill a big buck this year but I will not kill a 1.5 year old either.

I agree 100%. I pass many 2.5 y/o eight points every year. A big 3.5 y/o would garner a second look though.

We eat three deer every year. I would rather kill a doe to practice making the shots and put meat on the table that way.

A small bit on equipment.

I keep going back tothe K.I.S.S. principle in every aspect of my life, including hunting (Keep It Simple Stupid). I research, analyze, over-analyze every piece of my gear to assure that when the time comes I have eliminated all the points of failure within my control so I can execute the shot with as few of variables as possible. No peep, thumb release, one pin sight, fixed blade BH, attached quiver are just a few examples of equipment that I have fine tuned over the years to my KISS preferences.

[Badger]

I hate it when people think it's ok to pick up they're bow for the first time 2-3 days before season take 2 or 3 shots with a group the size of a dinner plate at 20 yards and think thats ok, well it's not. we owe it the the animals we hunt to be the best shot we can possibly be. That really bothers me. I know people that maim deer every year and never kill one and it's always some stupid excuse but it is never them or they're equipment. For me archery is a year long every day thing I practice rigorously that is interrupted by brief moments of bowhunting. I know every one make bad shots and I'm no exception but the chances of that happening are very very slim because I practice like a beast and don't take stupid shots.

[PLB]

Great post as usual Stanley!!

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[str8shooter]

Good post Stanley. I agree fully with everything you said. In recent years I've started shooting much less in the months coming into the season. I shoot just enough to build some strength and dial everything in, I then make sure to shoot at least 3 arrows every day of the season till I'm finished filling my tags. I've seen more success doing this than I ever did by doing piles of shooting in the summer and very little once the season opened.

[phade]

Good post Stanley. I agree fully with everything you said. In recent years I've started shooting much less in the months coming into the season. I shoot just enough to build some strength and dial everything in, I then make sure to shoot at least 3 arrows every day of the season till I'm finished filling my tags. I've seen more success doing this than I ever did by doing piles of shooting in the summer and very little once the season opened.

I started shooting one arrow ends on my 3-d targets. Stand in the back yard, too. I haven't put a field tip on my primary hunting bow in two years now. Practice broadheads.

One arrow...walk, pull, repeat. I make that first arrow count everytime doing this imo.

[Badger]

I don't know how many time I have set up only to realize I have no shot..It sucks but like Stanley said no shot no buck. getting out early helps if you need to switch your set up. I had a hunt on public a couple weeks ago where I found a good tree and it all looked good but once I got up I could see I had no clear shot. What I do sometimes is just go up with my sticks and check my shooting lanes that way If i have to move it's no big deal. another thing I have done on numerous occasions is use para cord rope I always have on me to tie back branches out of my way temporarily, this has worked well for me in certain circumstances.

[headgear]

I agree no shot=no buck but things can be a little more complicated than that. Espeically if you are going in blind on new land, you just have to make the most of it and find your openings, I have yet to hunt a spot where I had no shooting and I alwasy make sure I have a shot where I expect the buck to come from. Will I get burned hunting this way, eventually yes but there really isn't a good alternative when you are hunting buck bed mobile.

[Stanley]

I agree no shot=no buck but things can be a little more complicated than that. Espeically if you are going in blind on new land, you just have to make the most of it and find your openings, I have yet to hunt a spot where I had no shooting and I alwasy make sure I have a shot where I expect the buck to come from. Will I get burned hunting this way, eventually yes but there really isn't a good alternative when you are hunting buck bed mobile.

Like you said in an earlier post bucks can come from undetermined directions. When I set up I have a pretty good idea of what direction the buck will travel so setting up and have shooting lanes is more productive. For the younger/less inexperienced hunter I like to help them understand how important it is to have some shooting, to be consistently successful.