Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Head Hunter vs. Meat Hunter…

I have never actively hunting for "big bucks" until last year when I bought property next to a few friends who have been managing for big bucks for a number of years. That being said, my criteria over the years has changed from "any legal animal" to "mature animals". I am just as happy killing a mature doe as I am a mature buck. They both eat well as long as you practice proper field care and processing methods. While my hunting partners are obsessed with what a deer scores, I care about what he, or she, ages. We have a camp minimum on bucks, but most 4.5 year-old deer on our property meet that grade.

Last year's buck was only a 6-point (3X3 for you western guys), but he was 7.5 years old (verified by Matson's Lab). That is a heck of a trophy in my book.

Do you know how to serve coffee?

Just reviewed my lifetime hunting stats...verdict: 99.99% of the time I venture forth with high hopes and return with a dink.

Kingston brings up a few good points about the Pa deer situation.
There are more deer than rifle season would indicate.
Early seasons do take a toll, as big (I think) is trophy hunting inspired methods. We wouldn't have seen as many deer 30 years ago with
so few hunters.

Both numbers, and ass sitting, never move types.
People of little skill and others that do nothing more than walk to a stand.
Nobody hunts on their feet anymore.

The herd is still about 1/3 of the past.

Spend a few evenings spotlighting.
Used to see more deer in a single field than we now see in an 8 mile stretch.
And then see a bunch in mist other fields.

Laffin here, too.

😂🦫

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LOL.

My son recently killed his 4th buck. Another forkhorn. He has a giant 3×3 that was not a young deer to his credit, his second deer.
After he got this latest deer, he told me he'd like a bigger buck next year. I explained that it's pretty simple: shooting a big deer just requires not shooting the first one you see, or any smaller bucks you see, and continuing to hunt hard until you find a big one.

I'm almost certain that his second buck showed up the day he killed his first one, but he just couldn't see it. It was a big 3×3 then, too, and was within 100 yards for at least a minute, but my son couldn't see it moving up the ridgeline in front of us. Eventually it headed into some timber, as I watched it for several minutes. My son didn't see it until just before it disappeared. Luckily, that buck pushed a forkhorn out of that patch of timber, which came running straight for us. A year later, nearly exactly the same antlers, but heavier. And the first buck he spotted that year.

LOL

Sometimes I shoot because of the antlers.
Sometimes I shoot for the freezer.
Sometimes I shoot because of the experience.
Sometimes I shoot because of location.
Sometimes I shoot just because.....

My tag do with as I please. Sometimes it is tag soup.

I can afford meat.
I want the biggest animals I can find.
If I can't find them I have zero problem eating the tag.
Zero shame.
Different strokes for different folks.
We need to quit beating each other up.

I have enough horns. I’ve been shooting for meat for the last ten years or so. I have a nice buck on my land I have been watching him grow for three years. I wouldn’t shoot him until he scores very well. Until he scores very well. So I’m not sure I fall in your categories.

Neither, I hunt for the sport.

Kill for the thrill leave em in a ditch.

Yep, It is your tag to do with what you please.

Well spoken I operate very similar to this as well.

Meat:



Luv'n it.....

I am a big fan of exercising "Dominion"

ya!

GWB

Both ....

Bigger rack, bigger body = more meat

I make specialized tools to kill efficiently.... and selectively

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A really stupid comment. You do understand that anti-hunters often come to sites like this looking for idiotic comments like the one you just made to use against all hunters don't you? Dumb, really really DUMB!