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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2012 9:49:18 GMT -5
If I held out for 160 net, I might never have even laid eyes on my quarry for my entire deer hunting career. I can't be sure if I've ever seen a net 160 in my hunting experience and I hunt a very good area. If I have laid Eyes on one that big, it was only one.
I like to kill bucks. I still get pretty excited by anything over 120, but I try to hold off for 130 -140 range or better.
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Post by swilk on Jul 24, 2012 9:51:46 GMT -5
I admit to having different standards of what I would and would not kill with a bow vs gun.
Would be awfully hard for me to pass up a 130" buck with a bow ..... only done so once that I can remember and that was last year. Regretted it almost immediately.
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Post by mrbuckfly1 on Jul 24, 2012 10:03:56 GMT -5
A 125 incher is a dandy in my woods.The 150's and 160's are rare size deer in my area but someone kills one nearly every year within a few miles of me.Its possible but hard to kill a 150 in some areas of Indiana,or at least for me.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Jul 24, 2012 10:12:43 GMT -5
For me 150"+/-. But most bucks of any size are trophies in their own special way to each hunter.
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Post by M4Madness on Jul 24, 2012 16:25:42 GMT -5
Simple fact is most hunters can't field judge anyway. That's pretty much me. ;D Since I don't hunt food sources and only hunt travel corridors, I don't have the luxury of watching a buck long enough to make up a mental score sheet. From the time I see one until I shoot, I have a minute or two at the most to decide if it is a "shooter". I just "know" a good rack when I see it. Thankfully for me, the majority of my bucks scored way higher than I thought they would when I killed them. My current minimums are net scores of 125" for an archery kill and 140" for a firearm kill. I've met those goals the last three seasons, and have had some seasons where I ate my buck tag after passing on 15-20 different bucks. Does are plentiful where I hunt, so I can afford to be selective when it comes to bucks. Having a lifetime hunting license means that I'm out no money if I don't shoot a buck, so I feel no pressure to fill a tag to get my money's worth.
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Post by coyote6974 on Jul 24, 2012 18:27:29 GMT -5
When I started bow hunting, a net 125" buck was a nice trophy and found its way to my wall. Then a net 135" buck was a trophy that found its way to my wall. Now I won't shoot anything less than a 150 class buck if I can help it. But then again if I get a chance at a unique buck in the 140 class area I'm sure I'll send an arrow at it. My standard is that any buck I shoot will have to be bigger than anything I have on my wall. I just see no reason to take a lesser buck when I can shoot does for meat. Last year I passed several chances at a nice 9 point that just wasn't quit as big as I have. I got to full draw on him twice inside 40 yards but let him leave. I really wanted my hunting buddy to get him, but he's still out there. I have lots of does where I hunt so I take a meat doe early then wait for that 150 incher to come along. Still waiting.
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Post by M4Madness on Jul 24, 2012 20:13:00 GMT -5
My standard is that any buck I shoot will have to be bigger than anything I have on my wall. You have my admiration if you can adhere to that standard. Myself, I couldn't do that, as you will finally reach your pinnacle, and be missing out on lots of great bucks after that. Take my 2010 buck for example. It grossed 168 6/8". Chances are good that I'll never get a chance at anything larger than that, and I'd hate to pass up a lot of 140"-170" bucks solely for the fact that they have to top my best buck to date.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2012 20:18:43 GMT -5
I saw a Buck this evening that was a Giant. He is probably one of the top 5 biggest Bucks I have ever seen in my life.
He was standing in the back of a pasture. I would say he was a good 160 to 165 inch Buck, maybe larger.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2012 20:29:57 GMT -5
My standard is that any buck I shoot will have to be bigger than anything I have on my wall. You have my admiration if you can adhere to that standard. Myself, I couldn't do that, as you will finally reach your pinnacle, and be missing out on lots of great bucks after that. Take my 2010 buck for example. It grossed 168 6/8". Chances are good that I'll never get a chance at anything larger than that, and I'd hate to pass up a lot of 140"-170" bucks solely for the fact that they have to top my best buck to date. Exactly! I just love to put my hands around antlers. They don't always have to be huge. Im not into killing small bucks, but sometimes, something about a certain buck or situation just "does it for me" and I pull that trigger. I've only regretted one. Two years ago I had hunted hard all year and it was getting late in gun season. I saw a buck coming through a thicket and thought he was bigger than he turned out to be. He ended up being a broken up young buck that didn't score 100 inches. I wished I'd have passed him up. I do use his antlers as rattling horns now and they sort of serve to remind me not to settle for a buck I won't be proud of.
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Post by ukwil on Jul 24, 2012 21:05:05 GMT -5
I'd say 125" with a bow and 140" with a gun. BUT, I love unique racks. If an odd rack came by me and I want it I'm taking it. Where I hunt in Ohio its 140" or bigger. Passed up a shot on a 160"+ in Ohio last year because of a safety issue. Passed on a 3.5 year old 8 point the first Friday of gun because he would never turn and let me see his spread. When he finally did I about died because he was pushing 20" wide and probably 140+.
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Post by indianaboy on Jul 29, 2012 11:38:10 GMT -5
I hunt for a 160, but will take a 140....unless the rack is unusual..or he is fully mature.. This right here ^^
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Post by schoolmaster on Jul 30, 2012 17:06:29 GMT -5
The 160 inch typical is what makes an Indiana trophy.
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Post by steiny on Jul 30, 2012 20:00:37 GMT -5
Just my two cents worth, but I think we tend to throw around rack score numbers pretty freely and most generally exaggerate the bucks that they see a bit on the high side.
There are a few exceptions, where a few individuals kill some real dandies consistently, but by and large a 140" buck is a dandy just about anywhere you would hunt, and likely is a mature buck. Not too many hunters get opportunities at or pass up true 140" deer.
Bucks bigger than that are pretty few, and B&C deer are freaks of nature, like 6'-6" tall humans. There just aint that many of them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2012 10:00:31 GMT -5
True, many people, perhaps most people will see a 130 inch Buck, and think or say it's a 150 inch Buck.
I have seen some very nice Bucks only end up scoring 125 to 130 inches after deductions.
I have seen some giant Bucks, that people thought would score over 160, only end up scoring 140 to 145 inches after deductions.
There are way more Bucks taken every year that score 140 to 160 (before deductions) than what most people think. However after deductions many of those 140 or 150 inch Bucks only score in the 120's or 130's.
A friend of mine took a Buck that scored 161 inches before deductions, after the deductions his buck scored around 148 inches.
Also there are a lot of higher scoring Bucks that are actually smaller than many lower scoring Bucks.
Somtimes smaller Bucks can out score larger racked bucks if those smaller bucks have good symetry.
For most people if we see a 120 to 130 inch 8 or 10 point Buck we are probably going to shoot it. Of course there are people in every state that have amazing properties where they can take Bucks like this and larger every season.
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Post by smitty on Aug 1, 2012 19:00:57 GMT -5
Any good buck the hunter wants to harvest ! My first buck in Indiana was a 3 1/2 yo 10 point 150 bc 20 inch inside spread haven't gotten one that big since up there . Past on plenty of dinks and good soild 120 to 130 s .my cousin shot a 160 class out my favorite tree a few years back when I didn't make it up for gun season ,seen some giants 500 yards away and across fence lines on farms I didn't have permission to hunt . Gross scores only score that matters ,
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Post by windingwinds on Aug 2, 2012 8:21:51 GMT -5
I wasn't gonna reply but hey even meat hunters have variations on what's a "trophy". For me, probably anything over 3 inches..........but that varies and as I know there is a 4 pt and 6 pt yearlings out there currently, early season I'd probably try to wait. I'd really like to see the large 6 point I saw last season(however only saw him 1 time total last year), but I don't think if I get to December with a empty freezer that I'll wait. A buck is a buck. The neighbor has already said he is going to shoot anything that is brown during gun season. My 16 year old last season said he wanted at least a 8 pointer, but the one deer he shot at was a forky yearling. (He swears he thought it was a doe, and so does his uncle but my hubby and I saw it clearly) I was proud that when he missed with one shot he did not continue to shoot at the deer as it ran off, a problem with his uncle(drives me crazy). I haven't asked my son this year if he was going to hold off for a special buck. I suspect he is going to shoot whatever to get his first deer. Now for my BIL on his own property, it seems his inch requirement is around 140s, but he has shot several in the 120s or so range, less hunters over there. The deer over there also have much better spread, locally ours generally don't seem to get past the ears........but in a wild situation it's not likely you could manage that and they are still much more appealing to me than the monsters raised in fences. To each his own.
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Post by steve46511 on Aug 3, 2012 9:54:40 GMT -5
To each their own, I feel and feel most of you do as well. Call me old and sentimental but any animal that gives me hours in the field, many more hours of annual planning, gun building (shhhhhhhh......its a SECRET! ) and great conversations with great friends, agree or not..........and warrants in my mind the worthyness of those last few ounces of trigger pressure or ever so slowly cranking my longbow or recurve back and sending forth a hand honed broadhead in an attempt to take it's life........... IS a trophy. Not a subject worth disagreeing about. IMHO. If satisfaction was gained in a hunt, successful ones always seem to rank near the top.......and a memory was created of a FINE time, then each can measure their own hunts with whatever yardstick they wish. I feel, to MOST....the most satisfying trophy (buck wise) is one bigger than their PREVIOUS largest one taken. and/OR the one taken with the most planning needed, and the most obstacles overcame. Sometimes one just taken on a particular day gets added "trophy points" in my book. With a birthday of Nov 13, that is a day for me annually that a good clean kill on a mature animal warrants many photos in my "memory book" but YES........the biggest buck of my life taken on THAT day in November is my "deer hunters powerball" EVEN THEN though, a goal reached of popping four does that day, the excitement of each well placed shot, the agony of dragging them all out, and relating the story to friends and family more than they can stand ( ;D ) is also "right up there" in my book for my hunting area of high pressure. So instead of a "TROPHY hunter".......I classify myself as a "trophy HUNTer". That said, I will stand behind ANYONE legally going forth to take their "trophy"....in whatever manner of method, weapon or range that fullfills their own goals. I do feel though that some I know, unfortunately, "rate" their season in inches of antlers added to the wall. While a GREAT pastime, perfectly legal, and all that......I honestly feel the pressure they put upon themselves in such quests REMOVES some of the most satisfying attributes of deer hunting. I wish EACH of you, the trophy of your dreams this year, measured with whatever personal yardstick or tape measure you deem mandatory but I secretly pray that your time afield pursuing these WONDERFUL animals is a trophy HUNT! If anyone don't understand this (right now).......no worries. Give it a few decades. You will. God Bless! Steve
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Post by jager on Aug 3, 2012 19:18:12 GMT -5
I would love to get a 140" however I got one that was just shy of 120" this year and is my biggest ever. He just got put on my wall this week and he is my "trophy". Steve I hear what you are saying about putting pressure on yourself taking away from the experience. I remember when I used to just thow on my cloths an grab my weapon and go. Now I won't hunt unless I have showered in scent away, my cloths are totally "scent free" and the wind is perfect. Sometimes I feel like I worry about the details so much that it takes away from the hunt. I still love it or I wouldn't do it, but sometimes I just wish I could just grab my stuff and go.
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Post by dawnpatrol on Aug 3, 2012 20:53:56 GMT -5
To each their own, I feel and feel most of you do as well. Call me old and sentimental but any animal that gives me hours in the field, many more hours of annual planning, gun building (shhhhhhhh......its a SECRET! ) and great conversations with great friends, agree or not..........and warrants in my mind the worthyness of those last few ounces of trigger pressure or ever so slowly cranking my longbow or 8recurve back and sending forth a hand honed broadhead in an attempt to take it's life........... IS a trophy. Not a subject worth disagreeing about. IMHO. If satisfaction was gained in a hunt, successful ones always seem to rank near the top.......and a memory was created of a FINE time, then each can measure their own hunts with whatever yardstick they wish. I feel, to MOST....the most satisfying trophy (buck wise) is one bigger than their PREVIOUS largest one taken. and/OR the one taken with the most planning needed, and the most obstacles overcame. Sometimes one just taken on a particular day gets added "trophy points" in my book. With a birthday of Nov 13, that is a day for me annually that a good clean kill on a mature animal warrants many photos in my "memory book" but YES........the biggest buck of my life taken on THAT day in November is my "deer hunters powerball" EVEN THEN though, a goal reached of popping four does that day, the excitement of each well placed shot, the agony of dragging them all out, and relating the story to friends and family more than they can stand ( ;D ) is also "right up there" in my book for my hunting area of high pressure. So instead of a "TROPHY hunter".......I classify myself as a "trophy HUNTer". That said, I will stand behind ANYONE legally going forth to take their "trophy"....in whatever manner of method, weapon or range that fullfills their own goals. I do feel though that some I know, unfortunately, "rate" their season in inches of antlers added to the wall. While a GREAT pastime, perfectly legal, and all that......I honestly feel the pressure they put upon themselves in such quests REMOVES some of the most satisfying attributes of deer hunting. I wish EACH of you, the trophy of your dreams this year, measured with whatever personal yardstick or tape measure you deem mandatory but I secretly pray that your time afield pursuing these WONDERFUL animals is a trophy HUNT! If anyone don't understand this (right now).......no worries. Give it a few decades. You will. God Bless! Steve Great post!
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