Deer Hunters

["J"]

I'll be the first too say that I'm more of a meat hunter then a trophy hunter (as proven by my trophy wall) but if I had/have a good one running a property I'm hunting I'll give it a valiant effort in trying to harvest him and put him up on the wall too admire and relive the excitement of that hunt/season....
I've only harvested one buck that I targeted and it wasn't a wall hanger caliber by any means but that buck was fun too Chase, try too outsmart and eventually be able too arrow.... I have the rack but won't mount it....
Late season hunting has its pitfalls, weather and temps weigh on you spending hours on stand getting cold, wet, wore down by hours, weeks, and months on stand waiting for that target(s) too show only to have it drop one side before it offered a shot....
I read the post by Clay and it got me too thinking (I know, dangerous right?) we chase these animals, wearing head gear, the gear is the trophy but only a small part of the animal.... We try too outwit him, cut off his next move, create environments that would be too his liking all in the manner too offer us a minute of time to stand still with in range of us..... All that time and energy and resources all for not due too a small part of the animal that is missing......
You finally outsmart him and ole Mother Nature put the kibosh too your hopes and dreams.... Ain't life a bitch lol....
This post wasn't meant too be a knock on anyone, just a rambling of what goes thru my head at times.... I guess his post got me too thinking that the headgear isn't so much the trophy as it is a reminder of the trophy that was taken..... Them antlers don't outwit you.....

 

[Mike]

Agreed!!

 

[giles]

Had I not been contracted to kill a doe first, I wouldn't tried to kill one of them yearling bucks last night. After this season...anything is gonna get at least a picture on the wall!

 

[Dustinb80]

Nice post J

 

[finelyshedded]

Very true J! I agree wholeheartedly buddy.

 

[Dannmann801]

I think racks CAN get guys all screwed up, but it's up to each hunter to have his perspective, and others to be respective.
(Dann raps)

Personally I've always wondered why weight is often overlooked and the rack is the first thing focused on.
I'd rather shoot a fat slob 6pt than a skinny 10pt

I just think everyone should have fun hunting.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I like killing old deer, that's what motivates me these days. Buck or doe, if they've made it to 3 or 4 years old, that's a trophy. The antlers and mounts are just there to serve a memorabilia of one of the great hunts. I'll take meat over a mount given a choice...

 

["J"]

I guess my thought process has been, if you see it prior to season, make it a target animal, spend your season(s) chasing it then why not shoot it when you finally get its pattern down and have the opportunity.... I'm chasing the animal not the rack.... Or am I....

I guess it boils down too the challenge to get all the stars too align and in that instant make it happen....

 

[MoonLab]

nice post j

x 2....

 

[Joel]

Big antlers are exciting for some reason. I set out this year trying to get one just slightly bigger than the one I have on my wall. That's what I ended up doing but not because I am a great hunter, I just got lucky lol.

Its hard to explain but I am kind of scared to shoot a giant one. Im afraid a buck like the one I shot this year won't be satisfying if I shoot a monster. I've never had one scored and hope that I never feel the need to. There's nothing wrong with having a buck measured if that's what you're into but it's just not for me.

These past couple seasons I've had just as much fun shooting does but still feel the need to shoot a buck to wrap up the season or whatever.

 

[cspot]

Seems to me that most on here are relatively young guys and most don't have kids old enough yet to hunt. When you start taking your own kids out, it totally changes your outlook on hunting. Hard to explain, but it is a blast to watch them hunt and get excited. You won't really even care if you kill a deer for yourself.

I also think that if you don't enjoy the work and process of hunting, that you set yourself up for disappointment. I know for myself that the preparation and planning is part of the fun.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Seems to me that most on here are relatively young guys and most don't have kids old enough yet to hunt. When you start taking your own kids out, it totally changes your outlook on hunting. Hard to explain, but it is a blast to watch them hunt and get excited. You won't really even care if you kill a deer for yourself.

I also think that if you don't enjoy the work and process of hunting, that you set yourself up for disappointment. I know for myself that the preparation and planning is part of the fun.

This...

 

[bigten05]

Seems to me that most on here are relatively young guys and most don't have kids old enough yet to hunt. When you start taking your own kids out, it totally changes your outlook on hunting. Hard to explain, but it is a blast to watch them hunt and get excited. You won't really even care if you kill a deer for yourself.

I also think that if you don't enjoy the work and process of hunting, that you set yourself up for disappointment. I know for myself that the preparation and planning is part of the fun.

I'm lucky enough to take my daughter with me.and she loves it hasn't hunted herself yet but she's getting close. I told my buddy early rhis year if I didn't get a buck it was OK because I was able to harvest a doe with her in the blind. I've also heard my dad say numerous times he doesn't care if he ever harvests a deer again as long as me and my brothers all get to enjoy it and were all in our 20s now. I think he misses planning and taking us even tho we all hunt as a family still . Hes still the first person I call when I get one.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Anymore, the most enjoyment I get is watching a new hunter kill a deer, or someone get their first buck. I've probably spent more time on stand the last 3-4 years just planning hunts for my son and I when he is ready. Seeing different setups that will hold both of us in stand or ground blind. And seeing smaller bucks now makes me more antsy to get him out there, knowing that I can get him opportunities.

I think most hunters go through transitions for a multitude of reasons, whether it's family, age, opportunities in the field. And along with that, the criteria for what makes a trophy in their minds may end up changing as well. I have a few buddies who hunt with me each year that are experienced hunters, who will kill the first deer that is not a fawn, Doe or Buck, and call it a year just happy as could be. A part of me is envious of them at times

 

[GoetsTalon]

I always hunted by the old saying that horns make pretty thin soup lol. I've just got lucky the last few years and had some nice deer come my way.

 

[Clay Showalter]

Been thinking a lot since I first saw that my target buck had dropped a side. I don't need to kill a deer this year, as we already have 3 in the freezer. Yea I was trophy hunting this year and could have killed some smaller bucks, would have shot the one my son got if it had come my way and not his. I am glad he got the chance to get it.

This year has me thinking about why I started hunting, really only my third season of dedicated hunting, I killed my first and only deer on my 4th day of hunting my first year and it is a 144 inch deer. I was told that I was spoiled and might never get another deer like that, which is true.

So why set your goals on a big rack? I guess it is a challenge, I like trying to figure out what the deer is doing and I am learning more and more everyday. Now it is true that when that photo showed up it was a kick to the balls, it was a let down because Mother Nature got to him before I did. I knew before I came that I would see the deer during daylight and have a shot. I spent sometime looking for his shed and if I found it I would have shot him. When he showed up I thought I should shoot him and search for the shed all spring, then I thought what if I don't find it? I feel it is almost unfair to the animal, he outlasted me, why shot him with only half a rack? I didn't need the meat so I thought let him walk and will start this chess match back up this spring when I look for his sheds and try to figure out where his bedroom is. There is a chance he will not make it to next year, or he will be killed by someone else, or move on to another area. I had a big deer last season that no one got and I never saw him on camera this year.

I almost didn't come to Ohio this past weekend because of seeing the photo of the dropped rack. Then I thought I am not hunting just for the kill but for the hunt, the time in the woods, the time spent with my sons, which this year was quality one on one time with each one of them.

I came this weekend to meet some of you guys, to join in on a few deer drives, eat some good food, and fellowship with other guys that love the outdoors as much as I do.

It was a successful season because my oldest got his first deer and it was a nice one, the memories and the bond we have during that hunt is priceless. Texting him as deer showed up and texting back and forth till the deer turned, walked and gave him a shot. It was like I was sitting right beside him and not in a stand 150 yards away. Climbing down go the spot of impact, looking for the bolt, finding it and seeing bubbles, looking for blood and tracking the deer with him. Finding the deer and seeing the excitement on his face, all things that I wouldn't trade anything for.

The week I spent alone with my 10 year old was awesome, he hunted as hard as anyone could have. Almost everyday of gun season from before sun up to sun down, we changed spots moved around, stalked one windy day, jumped up a spike, not shot, he took a thorn to the eye from a brier bush. Should have killed a deer if it wasn't for his fathers dumb mistake.

Took a young man with no father on his first hunt, young man had never shot a gun before we practiced. His reaction to killing a little spike was priceless. He was shouting and fired up like he had just killed a new world record.

Our farm has a healthy deer population and I could have killed a deer on almost any day that I hunted, I was skunked maybe 5-6 times out of probably 30 days of hunting.

I was after a big old nanny, should have shot her on the 1 or 2 chances I had, my herd is pretty balanced and I really don't see the need to kill does, as they make more bucks. For me trophy hunting is setting a goal and a challenge for myself. I am not defending myself just giving my view of why I trophy hunted this year and last, this is my second year of eating tag soup. Am I disappointed that I didn't kill a deer this year? Sort of I guess, but not really because I would do it again, if I knew I would go without killing a deer. My goal is to get my boys on a nice deer, because that is what they want. All 3 have now killed a buck, the younger 2 are small deer, but when my 10 year got his 6 point back from the taxidermist and hung it on the wall he proud of it and said dad next year I am going for a big deer.

Sorry for rambling, with my season being over I was just doing some thinking and looking back over the season and forward to next season.

 

[giles]

That was a good ramble, I liked it!

 

["J"]

That was a good ramble, I liked it!

X2.....

 

[danielldehoff198]

Well I got to say I love to eat deer meat don't get me wrong but what draws me to this amazing animal and sport is the thrill of the hunt . Something about being in your stand battling the extreme West Michigan winter elements and freezing your nuts off for several days and not seeing shit. I know sounds less than awesome but totally worth the pain and suffering when you see that leg move and a tail flicker from a long ways away in the oak trees that would have kept you from seeing the deer if it hadn't been the brutally cold snow u have been fighting for days. Anyone who truly loves the sport can agree the the feeling when u see that movement u have been waiting to see for days has ur heart pounding in ur throat with pure raw adrenaline and excitement even if it is a fucking button buck it is truly unexplainable to anyone who has hasent truly put forth the effort into harvesting a trophy whitetail deer. And as a 27 year old die hard whitetail fanatic the day I lose that feeling of just seeing a tail flicker or a leg move will be the day I eat cow front the grocery store fornthe rest of my life. Though meat is delicious all whitetaill fanatics will agree with me it is truly about the thrill of the hunt and sneaking up on the Phantom of the woods in his house and getting him to fuck up getting ur fix on that rush that u just can't seem to match with any of the good drugs and can't buy anywhere else. Anyone who disagrees is a fucking get novice and the typical weekend warrior pussy that shouldn't be allowed to chase these amazing creatures and anyone who disagrees can go to the grocery store and fuck around there for there food because they don't deserve to step foot in the phantoms house

 

[Jamie]

Well I got to say I love to eat deer meat don't get me wrong but what draws me to this amazing animal and sport is the thrill of the hunt . Something about being in your stand battling the extreme West Michigan winter elements and freezing your nuts off for several days and not seeing shit. I know sounds less than awesome but totally worth the pain and suffering when you see that leg move and a tail flicker from a long ways away in the oak trees that would have kept you from seeing the deer if it hadn't been the brutally cold snow u have been fighting for days. Anyone who truly loves the sport can agree the the feeling when u see that movement u have been waiting to see for days has ur heart pounding in ur throat with pure raw adrenaline and excitement even if it is a fucking button buck it is truly unexplainable to anyone who has hasent truly put forth the effort into harvesting a trophy whitetail deer. And as a 27 year old die hard whitetail fanatic the day I lose that feeling of just seeing a tail flicker or a leg move will be the day I eat cow front the grocery store fornthe rest of my life. Though meat is delicious all whitetaill fanatics will agree with me it is truly about the thrill of the hunt and sneaking up on the Phantom of the woods in his house and getting him to fuck up getting ur fix on that rush that u just can't seem to match with any of the good drugs and can't buy anywhere else. Anyone who disagrees is a fucking get novice and the typical weekend warrior pussy that shouldn't be allowed to chase these amazing creatures and anyone who disagrees can go to the grocery store and fuck around there for there food because they don't deserve to step foot in the phantoms house

at some point in every respectable deer hunters career " a fucking button buck" is a trophy. get back with us in 27 more years and see if you still feel the same. though I try to refrain from asking such questions, I just have to ask out of curiosity what you think a "trophy" whitetail deer is?