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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,154
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,154 |
When I'm hunting meat, I shoot the youngest looking deer/elk I can find. Once the freezer is adequately filled, I will hunt the horns. I've long since stop caring if I actually shoot anything on most hunts.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost....
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
Allen, no criticism here.
The diff between you and me is:
The day I go deer hunting and don’t want to kill a deer is the day I hang it up. I really enjoy the hunt and the icing is shooting, to me.
Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,578
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,578 |
I've said it before and i'll say it again,'you kill what ever makes YOU happy'
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,807 Likes: 19
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,807 Likes: 19 |
I would have let him go, taken a chance he is better next year. I let a good one walk the weekend before Thanksgiving hoping my grandson would have a shot Thanksgiving. Well, he never saw him, but I don’t regret it.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 284
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 284 |
Most times, let a busted up buck walk. It’s really ok if you don’t shoot them. Every buck doesn’t have to be shot.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,616
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,616 |
Have Dog
Will Travel
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,631
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,631 |
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,220
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,220 |
I'm glad this has been a civil conversation where no one looks down on others for hunting how they want to hunt. I know at least one site where it would have been a knock-down drag-out kind of thread and I didn't want that.
Sounds like some of you have some great places to hunt. But sounds like 260Remguy may have the best set-up! If I were in your situation my Friend, I would probably look at things a little differently than I do now. Especially with the bucks that Nebraska turns out. Sounds like a sweet deal! I married into the 7Ks and "friended" into the 2Ks. The fellow who owns the 2K property is a bachelor farmer who is a gun nut and I have done a fair amount of work for him at no cost. In exchange, I'm the only person other the him who is allowed to hunt deer on his property. There are some restrictions, but I can live with that. Actually, I prefer to hunt fox squirrels, as still-hunting for them is good practice for deer hunting in like terrain, there is a liberal limit to how many you can shoot and you can never shoot enough of them to negatively impact the population, and they are easier to get out of the woods than even a small deer.
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043 |
Remguy...you definitely married right it appears! I haven't squirrel hunted in years as my eyes just never seemed to be able to pick them out I guess due to my astigmatism and even with glasses things never seemed very clear under those hunting conditions. My daddy though, was one of the best squirrel hunters I have ever known. I have killed my limit (8 per day) several times when I was younger, but just never cared for it. Now, hunting for them with a good tree dog is another matter. I loved that. Do you soak the fox squirrels in Coke or buttermilk? I believe that is what momma used to soak them in to tenderize the tough rascals.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,220
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,220 |
Remguy...you definitely married right it appears! I haven't squirrel hunted in years as my eyes just never seemed to be able to pick them out I guess due to my astigmatism and even with glasses things never seemed very clear under those hunting conditions. My daddy though, was one of the best squirrel hunters I have ever known. I have killed my limit (8 per day) several times when I was younger, but just never cared for it. Now, hunting for them with a good tree dog is another matter. I loved that. Do you soak the fox squirrels in Coke or buttermilk? I believe that is what momma used to soak them in to tenderize the tough rascals. I like to shoot them with the 17HM2. I soak them in a salt/vinegar/water mixture in the refrigerator overnight. I sprinkle them with Adolph's, wrap them with fatty bacon, and bake them.
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043 |
I bet that is good! Being from the South, there were only 2 ways we fixed squirrel-squirrel and dumplings and fried. A lot of people down here like a squirrel mulligan but unfortunately my family didn't make that. You make me want to kill a couple and try your recipe. Thanks!
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,313
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,313 |
Talked to a man who works at the LGS today and asked him if he was getting to hunt or had he killed anything. He is a member of the lease I'm on but also hunts on another lease. In fact, I'm not sure if he ever hunts on our lease. He said he had seen a number of bucks and some fairly nice ones, but he was hunting a really good buck (he had seen on camera I assume). He said this weekend he had a really big buck come out chasing does and hinted it might have been the one he was after. I asked why didn't he kill it. He said part of his rack was broke off. I said that would have just given it a lot of character. He said he would rather let it go and hopefully get a shot at it next year and it be 150" of bone.
I'm not a trophy hunter and I would have killed it in a heartbeat. How many of you would rather have tag soup and take a big chance on whether or not you will get a shot at the deer next year, than kill the deer this year and not quite score what you want it to?
If you were looking for, and at, a possible B&C I might could understand it. But this is a buck that most likely will never be a record book buck based on how many deer in our area make that cut. It would still be a trophy in my estimation. What say ye? Shoot a broke horn buck that would otherwise be a shooter? Or not?
I'm a little surprised at the two pages here. Shoot the buck and be done with it.
Brushbuster: "Is this thread about the dear heard or there Jeans?"
Plugger: "If you cant be safe at strip club in Detroit at 2am is anywhere safe?"
Deer are somewhere all the time
To report a post you disagree with, please push Alt + F4. Thank You.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,827
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,827 |
I usually kill small bucks.
Don't have the good area I used to.
If I was after a certain buck, or size of deer............and he came along busted.........well, if I want him perfect I'd have to pass and try the next yr.
Would not shoot him and have a taxi fix the break.
It'd be cool just to see the target critter in legal light, let alone pass on him because he was busted.
Give me something to look forward to next yr
Last edited by hookeye; 12/08/18.
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,871
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,871 |
I wouldn't knock someone for shooting him. Personally, I'd let him walk and wait for next year. If he's a trophy without the break, hopefully he'll spread his genetics some this year. It sounds like shooting a deer on your place isn't an issue. I'd rather shoot does or culls if the freezer is empty.
Last edited by TxHunter80; 12/09/18.
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 666
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 666 |
Unless bucks out-number does (yeah, right) or does aren't legal game where you hunt, that buck walks (if I know he's broken) and I don't care who kills him intact (legally) next year. The guy across the fence passed him already, then you did what you feared he would do.
Not directed at the OP, but deer hunters in general, it's a vicious cycle fueled by the ME syndrome. Deer hunting seems to bring that out in people more than money even does.
M7
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,171
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,171 |
If I had a pic of a big deer then shot it with a busted rack I would just get the taxidermist to recreate the busted portion from the picture. It wouldn't diminish the trophy.
TRUMP- GABBARD 2024
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,827
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,827 |
I don't care what other people shoot.
Might be a bit bummed if I pass on one that gets smoked.
Maybe the big one I get was passed (for whatever reason) by somebody else.
Shoot what makes you happy.
I shot a small one this yr. No does around and no venison in my freezer.
10 yrs ago I shot a busted racked deer, only 125 inches.
I didn't notice he was busted.
If I had, he'd have walked, even if not a trophy.
Even if a small rack, I like em not broken. That's just me.
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,043 |
Interesting thread. M7-It has not been a problem on the lease I have been on for several years now to kill a deer, but none of the stands I have had or have now have been spots where I see a lot of deer. As far as buck to doe ratio, it is not unusual for me to see as many bucks as I have does. Some on our lease have stands where they see a lot of deer and mostly does. I have not seen but 7 or 8 deer this season and all but 1 of them have been bucks.
I am blessed enough to be on a lease where no one cares who kills what and everyone gets along well. Some of the guys don't even eat venison and give away the ones they do kill...IF they shoot one. Some years they don't. And none of the venison we kill goes to waste. I enjoy hunting on this lease more than any other club I have been on since they started leasing company land here almost 30 years ago. I hope I can afford to hunt here a few more years.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,314 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,314 Likes: 3 |
If I was after a certain buck and he never materialized, I would take a doe. I kill many does.  I would not have killed the busted antlered buck, hope for next year. Around here they never get any bigger once you put a hole in them.
Black Cows Matter!
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,135 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,135 Likes: 3 |
First legal animal offering a sure shot. Unless I have a choice of several. If one is a cull, I'll take that one. If not, see 1st sentence- Or the "best" animal. Broken antler or not would make no difference in my hunting situations., but I can see where it might in some. Heck, ram regulations often specify "broomed" (broken) tips! And I have a moose rack on the wall with an extra set of tines on both outsides, growing from the bottom of the palms. That should make up for it, tho I didn't notice it until I walked up on his carcass.
The only true cost of having a dog is its death.
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