Do you downsize your standards ?
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
I am trying to harvest by age, not score. But may not hold true for everyone's situation.
- wibowhntr
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
Right now my standard is 3 1/2 or older. That being said I did past two 3 1/2 yr olds last year during the rut because of busted tines. If I shoot a buck then he is going on my wall. If I am shooting for meat then a doe gets the arrow.
- Arrowbender
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
My standards change through out the year.
Early season I hold out for something that has to go on the wall.
Once we're closer to rut I will usually shoot lesser bucks, but still looking for mature ones for sure. I just don't like missing the rut hunt because no tag left.
Last year I passed an arguable 130"er in early Oct. that I would have shot a month later. Only because of I have several of that same class mounted already and would like to raise the bar, but I'm also smart enough to realize that maybe that's what my properties produce.
Early season I hold out for something that has to go on the wall.
Once we're closer to rut I will usually shoot lesser bucks, but still looking for mature ones for sure. I just don't like missing the rut hunt because no tag left.
Last year I passed an arguable 130"er in early Oct. that I would have shot a month later. Only because of I have several of that same class mounted already and would like to raise the bar, but I'm also smart enough to realize that maybe that's what my properties produce.
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
I have the family fill the freezer, while I focus on the slobs. As the season progresses, if the freezer isn't where it should be, then I switch. I have no problem eating a tag for the year. I know I have given my all. Of the tags I have had to eat, have boiled down to errors on my part, so life goes on.
hard work trumps talent, when talent fails to work hard
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
You can't shoot whats not there... I set my goals based on what is available to hunt. That varys wildly year to year, and place to place. I wouldn't shoot a 150 if a 200+ was walking around, but I would have no problem targeting a 130 if it was the biggest buck in my area... Don't set your standards so high, your hunting something that don't exist.
- flinginairos
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
Zap wrote:I have no pre set standards.
If it floats my boat it dies.
marty
I like you Zap I'm the same way. While I DO try to continually better myself and kill one bigger than before, I don't keep myself to a strict standard. Just depends on my mood for the day really
- PLB
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
dan wrote:You can't shoot whats not there... I set my goals based on what is available to hunt. That varys wildly year to year, and place to place. I wouldn't shoot a 150 if a 200+ was walking around, but I would have no problem targeting a 130 if it was the biggest buck in my area... Don't set your standards so high, your hunting something that don't exist.
X2!!
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Lone Wolf Alpha and sticks
- vtbuck
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
If the buck trips my trigger and he mature it's game on. If I've got history with the buck even better. Score doesn't mean as much to me as age. I'm a little goofy I guess.
Perfection is a dream, practice is hard work, and achieving a goal is making that goal a reality.
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
It verys year to year. Some years I have more time or have seen something nicer in the area. The buck that I shot this year was borderline but a half hour before I saw him I was thinking about how nice to have a nice buck come through that spot in good light so when he did he got turned into meat.
I went through a stage on top end deer but one day decided shooting one here and there that isn't is more enjoyable.
It also verys by spot. The biggest one I've passed on had eight on one side but the other side was broke off. Watching it walk off into the sunset is one of my memerable hunts
I went through a stage on top end deer but one day decided shooting one here and there that isn't is more enjoyable.
It also verys by spot. The biggest one I've passed on had eight on one side but the other side was broke off. Watching it walk off into the sunset is one of my memerable hunts
- mag1
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
They vary depending on a few things. How much time I have, and how late in the season it is. I start out searching for really anything ears or wider. I don't run cameras, so I don't know what is actually where I hunt other than the type of rubs, and track size. I do know there are biggggg deer out there, 4 finger tracks, large rubs, ect.... and what I have seen. So, I don't really say it has to be over a certain " size, but a lot of small guys have gotten away with some close encounters.
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
As you said, everyone will have different opinions on this, including me. My opinion has changed 2 or 3 times in my life. I've been on both sides of this at one point or another.
About ten years ago (in my late teenage years) I shot a buck and was disappointed in his size. At that time I'd killed a few pope and young class bucks with my bow and my standards went up just as you mentioned. I spent two full seasons without killing a buck because I was in pursuit of something bigger. Long story short I took a bad shot at a huge buck and wounded him. Then continued hunting in frustration and shot a smaller buck later that year. I wasn't pleased with the deer because he was too small. I thought about it for a few weeks and realized how little fun I was having deer hunting. When I was a kid, I'd get the shakes when a doe walked under me. Every deer was fun. So I decided to get back to that.
At that moment I swore off measuring animals of any sort. I decided my goal would be to learn as much as I could about deer and start hunting for the OPPORTUNITY and experience. The focus turned to setting up good killing situations for bucks. I'm talking high percentage shots only.
Since then, my lethal shot percentage has went way up and I've been fortunate enough to shoot plenty of nice bucks. They may not be "nice" to everyone but that's irrelevant. My goal was to fool bucks into walking by my stand for a killing shot. Simple as that. My standards seem to change by the day now. Any good clean kill with a bow is a trophy to me.
Don't get me wrong - I like big bucks as much as the next but now i put far less emphasis on the deer and more on the hunting experience itself.
About ten years ago (in my late teenage years) I shot a buck and was disappointed in his size. At that time I'd killed a few pope and young class bucks with my bow and my standards went up just as you mentioned. I spent two full seasons without killing a buck because I was in pursuit of something bigger. Long story short I took a bad shot at a huge buck and wounded him. Then continued hunting in frustration and shot a smaller buck later that year. I wasn't pleased with the deer because he was too small. I thought about it for a few weeks and realized how little fun I was having deer hunting. When I was a kid, I'd get the shakes when a doe walked under me. Every deer was fun. So I decided to get back to that.
At that moment I swore off measuring animals of any sort. I decided my goal would be to learn as much as I could about deer and start hunting for the OPPORTUNITY and experience. The focus turned to setting up good killing situations for bucks. I'm talking high percentage shots only.
Since then, my lethal shot percentage has went way up and I've been fortunate enough to shoot plenty of nice bucks. They may not be "nice" to everyone but that's irrelevant. My goal was to fool bucks into walking by my stand for a killing shot. Simple as that. My standards seem to change by the day now. Any good clean kill with a bow is a trophy to me.
Don't get me wrong - I like big bucks as much as the next but now i put far less emphasis on the deer and more on the hunting experience itself.
- Dewey
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
Sounds like we had a similar journey and outlook on things AaronMW. I totally agree.
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
AaronMW wrote:As you said, everyone will have different opinions on this, including me. My opinion has changed 2 or 3 times in my life. I've been on both sides of this at one point or another.
About ten years ago (in my late teenage years) I shot a buck and was disappointed in his size. At that time I'd killed a few pope and young class bucks with my bow and my standards went up just as you mentioned. I spent two full seasons without killing a buck because I was in pursuit of something bigger. Long story short I took a bad shot at a huge buck and wounded him. Then continued hunting in frustration and shot a smaller buck later that year. I wasn't pleased with the deer because he was too small. I thought about it for a few weeks and realized how little fun I was having deer hunting. When I was a kid, I'd get the shakes when a doe walked under me. Every deer was fun. So I decided to get back to that.
At that moment I swore off measuring animals of any sort. I decided my goal would be to learn as much as I could about deer and start hunting for the OPPORTUNITY and experience. The focus turned to setting up good killing situations for bucks. I'm talking high percentage shots only.
Since then, my lethal shot percentage has went way up and I've been fortunate enough to shoot plenty of nice bucks. They may not be "nice" to everyone but that's irrelevant. My goal was to fool bucks into walking by my stand for a killing shot. Simple as that. My standards seem to change by the day now. Any good clean kill with a bow is a trophy to me.
Don't get me wrong - I like big bucks as much as the next but now i put far less emphasis on the deer and more on the hunting experience itself.
Well said. We have all changed our minds that's for sure. I know my standards have some times caused me more issues than they are worth. It's easy to talk about what your standards are in the off season lol.
But I do agree ...your standards ...your goals should be realistic. I know I enjoy the hunt more now than the killing. Hunting kind of ebbs and flows with life. Try to remember to keep my head down and keep plugging.
Also try to stay away from hard and fast statements about what I am going to do and not going to do. Like ..."I don't even pick my bow up for a 130" and then somehow a 120 ends up in back of the truck.
- tgreeno
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
I have never in my life made a statement that I will only shoot a "XXX inch buck".
I truthfully never know til the moment of truth, what I will do. That what makes it fun for me! As long as I am happy with the deer I shoot, that's all that matters. Even if it's just a doe.
I never have nor ever will I, hunt to look for the acceptance or approval of others...I hunt because I love to hunt!
I truthfully never know til the moment of truth, what I will do. That what makes it fun for me! As long as I am happy with the deer I shoot, that's all that matters. Even if it's just a doe.
I never have nor ever will I, hunt to look for the acceptance or approval of others...I hunt because I love to hunt!
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Re: Do you downsize your standards ?
If I like it I kill it. I'll pass bucks one day and shoot the same bucks the next day. It really depends on how much time I have to take care of the animal and what kind of drag is ahead me. My time is limited so if I need to fill the freezer I do it. If I need to get to a Cub Scout meeting after hunting, it better be a nice one that makes me miss that meeting.
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