The best way I can describe my '24-'25 deer hunting season is.... I was Too Picky. 
Originally, I was waiting to shoot a buck and letting does pass, thinking that having a live decoy (a doe) in the area would keep the bucks in the area too. This is simply not true! The bucks' home range is just that and he's not leaving to search for does in heat. Radio collared studies have shown that bucks do not leave their home areas searching for does.
So there's that... I should've shot the does that were within my range, but I didn't and now my freezer is empty.
I was also waiting for a buck with antlers out past his ears. Nothing too outrageous, just a 3 1/2 year old or older buck. Well, the trail camera showed them being in the area....but only at night. That does nothing for me during daylight hours. I had a couple of decent 8 pointers that I passed, waiting for something bigger and it cost me. I understand that if you want a bigger buck, you're going to have to pass the smaller bucks. I learned this season that I'm not a "trophy hunter" and would be very happy to just shoot a decent buck vs. a larger buck. Here ends the Lesson.
The '25-'26 season will not happen like this and I get to look into an empty freezer all year long as a reminder.
When a buck like the one in this photo, stops at 8 yards, looks up at you and continues walking in the same casual pace and you pass on the shot....there's nobody to blame but me. Tag Soup is served to those that are "Too Picky".
Originally, I was waiting to shoot a buck and letting does pass, thinking that having a live decoy (a doe) in the area would keep the bucks in the area too. This is simply not true! The bucks' home range is just that and he's not leaving to search for does in heat. Radio collared studies have shown that bucks do not leave their home areas searching for does.So there's that... I should've shot the does that were within my range, but I didn't and now my freezer is empty.
I was also waiting for a buck with antlers out past his ears. Nothing too outrageous, just a 3 1/2 year old or older buck. Well, the trail camera showed them being in the area....but only at night. That does nothing for me during daylight hours. I had a couple of decent 8 pointers that I passed, waiting for something bigger and it cost me. I understand that if you want a bigger buck, you're going to have to pass the smaller bucks. I learned this season that I'm not a "trophy hunter" and would be very happy to just shoot a decent buck vs. a larger buck.
Here ends the Lesson.The '25-'26 season will not happen like this and I get to look into an empty freezer all year long as a reminder.
When a buck like the one in this photo, stops at 8 yards, looks up at you and continues walking in the same casual pace and you pass on the shot....there's nobody to blame but me. Tag Soup is served to those that are "Too Picky".
