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Post by jajwrigh on Nov 28, 2020 19:17:26 GMT -5
This is not about ethics or ignoring laws at all...
I was pondering this question at some point this morning while watching 2 million squirrels play in the woods. I usually shoot any decent sized doe for the freezer and try to take a decent buck. I know that some people don't shoot does or only want bucks over a certain size. Does your attitude change as your season winds down? If you don't shoot does in bow and gun, do you in muzzeloader season? Or if you normally try to shoot a buck over 140", do you back off that if you start running out of time?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2020 19:23:49 GMT -5
It`s a leading question, and the answer I suppose depends on what someone would define as their "standards going down".
I`m a meat and experience hunter, but I still have my standards. Those standards are, killing a legal white-tail in a legal, ethical, and fair chase way. I adhere to those standards all season, and will still gladly kill any legal buck or doe that presents a reasonable and ethical shot. So nope, my standards don`t go down at all.
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Post by jajwrigh on Nov 28, 2020 19:30:14 GMT -5
It`s a leading question, and the answer I suppose depends on what someone would define as their "standards going down". I`m a meat and experience hunter, but I still have my standards. Those standards are, killing a legal white-tail in a legal, ethical, and fair chase way. I adhere to those standards all season, and will still gladly kill any legal buck or doe that presents a reasonable and ethical shot. So nope, my standards don`t go down at all. This is not what I meant at all, geez... Let me clarify. If you normally shoot bucks at a certain size, do you maybe take a smaller buck as the season draws to a close. Or if you don't normally shoot does, does that change in muzzleloader season or late archery?
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Post by greghopper on Nov 28, 2020 19:37:33 GMT -5
lol....
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Post by titanium700 on Nov 28, 2020 19:38:50 GMT -5
Not me. I’ll eat a tag before I shoot a smaller buck. My reasoning is he’ll be around and bigger next year.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Nov 28, 2020 19:41:50 GMT -5
I usually hold off for a decent to my standards buck, which this year was at least a 3 year old. As season winds down I do have a weird goal that I will shoot smaller bucks for. I want to shoot bucks with antlers from 1 to however many points. The old 1 pointer is going to be a challenge. Could’ve shot a spike yesterday to mark the 2 pointer off the list but I let him go. Just didn’t feel like pulling the trigger at the time. I still have plenty I need to mark off the list, so yes as season winds down my standards do change.
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Post by firstwd on Nov 28, 2020 19:41:54 GMT -5
I haven't killed an antlered deer 5 years now, I think. Might actually have been 7 when I shot an 8 pointer with my daughter that she couldn't get a shot on and begged me to take it. That deer still haunts me because I had an absolute tank on camera that was broadside at 40 yards just 8 days later.
I honestly only use 1 deer a year now that the kids are out of the house. I try to take a deer and help out those who ask, but I haven't felt any pressure to take antlers in a while. It helps that the entire neighborhood has evolved to chasing big and old deer. Once the poachers, trespassers, and road warriors got ran out of the area that transformation went pretty quick.
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Post by buckbuster13 on Nov 28, 2020 19:49:39 GMT -5
This has been an unusual year for me, I normally score with a nice buck in bow season. Rather than lower my standards with the bucks I have been seeing, I decided to shoot a doe on our reduction zone property. Now I have the deer meat that I wanted and can just wait on my buck, if it doesn’t happen no big deal. Also helps the reduction zone
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Post by welder on Nov 28, 2020 20:28:18 GMT -5
I don't lower my standards, but, unlike when people say "don't shoot a buck on the last day that you wouldn't shoot on the first day". My motto is "don't pass up a buck on the first day that you WOULD shoot on the last day". Either way, I take it in stride, this is season # 35 for me and deer hunting is my escape. I haven't pulled the trigger or drawn my bow at anything. I have been on vacation the entire gun season and a break from the real world is a trophy to me!
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Post by genesis273 on Nov 28, 2020 20:33:19 GMT -5
I usually try and take my does before muzzleloader season. Before firearms season is my ultimate preference. But, I will take one as late as I can if need be. As for bucks, I try to shoot mature bucks. I don't have a particular size set. I'll eat my buck tag before I shoot one that doesn't make me happy. My 9pt this year won't score very much but, I was thrilled about the hunt and the circumstances surrounding it. That's what it's all about. The older I get, the less I care about other people's opinion on what I shoot.
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Post by boonechaser on Nov 28, 2020 20:33:35 GMT -5
Don't shoot something last day that I wouldn't shoot 1st. I hunt my own properties exclusively and have predetermined targets which is basically mature bucks. (My definition is 4.5 year plus). Score does not matter.
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Post by esshup on Nov 28, 2020 20:43:13 GMT -5
I put a few every year in the freezer here. I try to shoot the bigger bodied deer, but if the season is winding down with no deer in the freezer, the smaller ones look more appealing.
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Post by medic22 on Nov 28, 2020 20:57:24 GMT -5
I don't know that I can answer this on any particular day.
I my only hard and fast rules are, no fawns and I try hard to not shoot button bucks, spikes are generally off limits.
Archery is typically dedicated to mature bucks or really good 3 year olds. Gun season I'll start considering really good two year olds, given the right circumstances and the right deer those variables may change.
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Post by scrub-buster on Nov 28, 2020 21:10:49 GMT -5
I love early season hunting. I spend every minute that I can in the woods. By early to mid November I've spent many days in the stand. Tasks around the house start to get neglected as well as my wife. As I'm spending hour after hour in the woods I start thinking of all the work I could be doing if I wasn't hunting for a buck. I start putting pressure on myself to hurry up and get done, which usually ends up with a smaller buck than I had hoped for. Does it bother me? Not one bit. That smaller buck will taste just as good if not better than a bigger one. I've never thought of myself as a trophy hunter. I would love to shoot 4.5 year old bucks every year, but a 2.5 year old and a full freezer is OK too.
Every year I tell myself that I'm going to hunt less in the early season and pace myself so I can hunt more during the rut and have a chance at a bigger buck. But by the time October 1st rolls around I'm so excited about hunting I cant help myself. Maybe next year I'll try harder.
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 28, 2020 21:16:24 GMT -5
Sliding trophy scales remind me of this Mickey Gilley song..
The girls all get prettier at closing time They all begin to look like movie stars The girls all get prettier at closing time When the change starts taking place It puts a glow on every face Of the falling angels of the back street bars.
If I could rate'em on a scale from 1 to 10 I'm lookin' for a 9 but 8 would slip right in A few more drinks and I might slip to a 5 or even a 4 But when tomorrow morning comes, And I wake up with a number 1 I swear I'll never do it anymore.
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Post by Huntnfreak on Nov 28, 2020 21:16:31 GMT -5
I don't lower my standards, but, unlike when people say "don't shoot a buck on the last day that you wouldn't shoot on the first day". My motto is "don't pass up a buck on the first day that you WOULD shoot on the last day". Either way, I take it in stride, this is season # 35 for me and deer hunting is my escape. I haven't pulled the trigger or drawn my bow at anything. I have been on vacation the entire gun season and a break from the real world is a trophy to me! Our story’s are pretty similar...I too..have been off for the last 3 weeks. Hunted everyday.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2020 21:24:55 GMT -5
Not I. Always took what family needed. That was my standard. As I got older down to 2 deer and doe and best buck. Now I'm at one deer for wife and I. Since I took a buck on Halloween It is hard to get a doe when I know it's extra. In my 20s and 30s hunted hard to get 3 or 4 deer. So now only 1 deer. Lowered my standards over time.
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Post by elmo on Nov 28, 2020 22:13:23 GMT -5
I guess my answer would be yes. I try to kill a good buck, but that may change depending on what I have seen. I don’t run cameras so I don’t have an inventory of what deer are on the properties I hunt. Whatever comes along and tickles my fancy gets to ride in my truck.
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Post by willy7948 on Nov 28, 2020 22:20:04 GMT -5
Yes, but I’m never embarrassed by what I take. If it makes me happy , brown down. Shot two 2 year old bucks this year, and I can’t say I’ve got a bit of regret.
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Post by alduflux on Nov 28, 2020 23:25:28 GMT -5
I don't shoot immature bucks under any circumstance. I do change my standards as the season gets late. Later in the season I will shoot any mature buck regardless of if it is "mountable" or not where early in the season I only shoot does and target bucks.
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