Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

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Master Chief
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Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Master Chief » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:19 am

We have a thread going about losing interest from lack of success, but what about from success?

I use to be thrilled through the roof to get up and hunt, but in 2014 I shot one that was a little shy of 160 gross on TN public, and now I've hardly sat still in one spot for over an hour since. I always end up getting up and walking around looking for old sheds and sign. Nowadays I pretty much just run cameras and shed hunt but I'm trying to get the fire back so i may put the guns down and look to get my first bow buck because this weekend I just didn't care at all honestly.

Has anyone else killed a giant only to realize that you liked the pursuit more than the killing? I miss the days of wondering what it's like to kill a big one


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Jonny
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Jonny » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:48 am

At the end of the day I’m a meat hunter, so no. I love seeing big bucks, and I would love to shoot a monster every year. But I still get excited having a fawn in bow range just cause I love seeing deer from the stand
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby BackCoverBowHunter » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:48 am

From the sound of it.... you are still hunting for the big one... shed hunting, in season scouting, run trail cams constantly. Sounds like the passion is still there, just your interest has changed, to bigger deer.
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Bedbug » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:51 am

I would recommend traveling
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Master Chief
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Master Chief » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:47 am

I already have spent a decent amount of time scouting KY. Not in the budget this year, but I'll definitely hunt there next year. I will say there are a surprising amount of 130-150 inch deer around here, but breaking that 160 mark is VERY uncommon and that's what I'd like. I have a lifetime goal of a public land booner (doesn't have to make all time just the 160net mark)
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Hatchetman » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:14 pm

Happened to my youngest son.
He shot a 201# 8 pt at age 12 (his first year bowhunting) at age 16 he shot a 207# 160" 10 ptr. with the bow
To put things in perspective, we don't live in a great big buck county in wi so that 160 was really a big deal to our family. Largest buck shot in our family for 4 generations

He's 24 now and really has lost the drive to go.. I thought the opposite would happen but it didn't.
It' really makes me sad...
Would he have lost interest without being so successful early on, maybe, but it sure seemed to be a curse for him...
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:18 pm

I'd REALLY like to find out :lol:

To me it's about the chase, so I can tell you it wouldn't decrease my drive/predator instinct one bit. If all I had to hunt was spike bucks, I would hunt spike bucks.
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Boogieman1
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:22 pm

I think it's important to keep the challenge in the hunt, if that's gone I believe there would be loss of interest. Whether that's shortening your range, changing equipment, going from private to public whatever..... Without the challenge there's no sense of accomplishment
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby RidgeGhost » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:25 pm

Boogieman1 wrote:I think it's important to keep the challenge in the hunt, if that's gone I believe there would be loss of interest. Whether that's shortening your range, changing equipment, going from private to public whatever..... Without the challenge there's no sense of accomplishment


I agree there has to be a challenge. But master chief, maybe the challenge is, can you do it again? Killing another 160 on public land ain't gonna be easy.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:58 pm

Yeah it does.
My 96" & 105" take up to much space... ;)
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Boogieman1
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 2:38 pm

Edcyclopedia wrote:Yeah it does.
My 96" & 105" take up to much space... ;)

:lol: Where those the ones featured in North American Whitetail.
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SamPotter
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby SamPotter » Mon Nov 06, 2017 3:05 pm

For me it did the opposite. I killed my biggest 11 years ago and have been trying to top him ever since.
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby tim » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:30 pm

I agree with sam. Hope I never lose interest that would suck. Always about the next one......
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby Zonk54 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:19 pm

If i ever get to the point where I say "the buck I just killed is a cull buck and good to get out of the herd" then I know it's time to quit.
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Re: Can killing a big deer lower the excitement for hunting?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:11 pm

Pick up a bow and that may just light the fire back. Killing a 150+ under 20yds definitely would light the fire!

(Or frustrate you to no end when you watch the arrow fly right over his back) :lol:


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