Do you hold out for target bucks?

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johndeere506
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Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:01 am

Im curious how many of you would target a certain buck, and hold out no matter what, or if you will shoot something smaller but still a good buck?

I have a maybe 115" 9 pt showing up at last light, in an easy access blind. The HUGE 8pt, is showing up an hour later now. I would be happy with the smaller 9pt, but its hard to say I'll shoot it knowing I "want" the much bigger, 1 year older 8 point. What did you do in a similar scenario? Did you regret it or happy with your decision?


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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby Trailcamaddict » Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:32 am

This reminds me of something I heard on one of my Canada trips. "Don't pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last day!"

Personally I don't ever have a target buck - I will take anything that looks good at the time. Certainly I have a couple on camera each year that look good but I don't specifically target an individual.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby headgear » Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:43 am

Generally speaking no, I spend more time chasing a target buck but if I see one that makes my trigger finger happy I will take him. Can't be too picky on public land anyway.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:06 pm

This is private land but heavy surrounding pressure. You cant shoot the biggest in the woods every year, it just doesnt work out that way. I think I like shooting and harvesting bigger bucks too much to only shoot the biggest.
Public land I can totally understand too.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby oldrank » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:19 pm

I hunt public where target bucks die fast. .. if I was to wait i would end up with a lot of unfilled tags. I do enjoy hunting mature bucks but most years im lucky to see one or two. Id rather make sure my freezer is full first then worry about targeting the big boys. Much more realistic for me.

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iowa whitetail
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby iowa whitetail » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:31 pm

i target a few mature deer every year and stick to them. it is a very hard thing to do but rewarding when you get him. Yes i will pass good deer for them sometimes younger deer that mabe the same size or bigger just depends. good luck on getting him
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby Zap » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:32 pm

I am trying to this season, we will see how it goes.....
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby PK_ » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:33 pm

I thought all bucks were targets... :think:

I have done that twice and regretted passing the bucks I did each time.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:43 pm

I have a target buck on almost every property I hunt the last 5 years. I'm not filling a lot of wall space, but I'm having a lot of fun in the process. If it wasn't fun, I'd probably start slamming the nice "smaller" bucks I've been seeing.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby kurt » Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:03 pm

This is new to me and challenging to say the least. But the reward is great. Taking pictures or video's of other big deer passed is as close to catch and release as possible and fun too.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:45 pm

I go after 1-2 target bucks every season. I'm actually on one this year. But if a good buck for my area comes into range, I take my opportunity. Early season I may pass because the rut can bring unknown bucks. But I made the mistake of passing a 120-125" 8 at 17-18 yds when a bachelor group came thru, hoping a big 10 i had seen was with him(140-145). Well guess what? A 1.5 old 8 and 5 pt was with him, and I got burned. Worst feeling for the whole season for me. Never again. But when you do target one and nail him it's the best feeling I've experienced thus far in hunting.

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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Nov 20, 2014 4:44 pm

My record isn't very good for taking target bucks. I had a target buck this year and never got the chance to go after him. I had a plan all drawn up. Never got the wind I needed when I needed it.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby Bigburner » Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:04 am

I would like to think so at least before the rut. My goal is a 4.5 yro old buck. Hence nothing to show for it yet this year. I hate killing something outside of my expextations and I'm good at eating tags. Don't like it but thats the way it goes sometimes. If I feel the work and dedication I put in earned me a particular buck Its pretty rewarding. But stumbling in to a mature buck has happened to me a few times but i would like for it to at least have the age. Giant antlers are one thing but age trumps all.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby Southern Man » Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:13 am

I target all bucks :mrgreen:

If I know of a particular buck I'd like to kill, I'll hunt for him. But if an opportunity comes around on another that pleases me, I'll kill him. Just depends, there's a lot of variables. We can take 1 buck in KY so that tends to make you a bit picky on what you kill.
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Re: Do you hold out for target bucks?

Unread postby JoeRE » Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:00 am

Before this year it was quite a while since I killed a buck I was not targeting. Since 2006 I think bucks I shot were always deer I expected to see. Thats a little deceiving though because I generally pick out at least half a dozen deer to target across all the land I hunt. The couple times I have gone after one buck did not go well but usually when I find half a dozen bucks to go after I get one of them.

The buck I shot this year was not on my radar although I had a few pics of him in the last two years - but had no idea he was in the neighborhood. He was a drifter, seemed to float around long distances w/o a defined core area. Some bucks stay like that, particularly less dominant ones. I won't pass up a gift horse!

Hunting late season with a muzzleloader is a different story...I often see bucks never seen before, bucks move long distances looking for food in the late season.


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