Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting How many bucks have you killed?

I have killed 21 or 22 bucks, maybe a few more that I can't remember. That would be over 59 years of deer hunting. I am picky when hunting deer and only shoot a mature bucks, and for many years even let mature bucks walk in hopes that my kids or grandkids could kill them. I was the scout.

Now for deer meat I have shot a few doe in my time.

The elusive muley "timber buck" in the high country always out smarted me during archery, and I saw some beauties,( mostly their ass end). Around here I have taken no more than a dozen with the bow, all whitetail! Have never hunted either with my 30/30.

In the last 6 years probably 20 with bow and another 20 with rifle/muzzle. Two wall mounts.

50 years old, buck kills getting progressively slower. Probably averaging one per year. That said, took three years between the last and the one before that.

Took a nice buck on "The Bluff" in the 2018. Had shoulder replacement surgery in Aug 2019. Doc said, "NO recoil for 2 years!"
All my hunting spots kinda dried up.
Finally, in '22, got a chance to get back in the game.
Got a shot at one doe and flubbed it! LOL! Never fired a shot.
Try again this year! 😉 I'll be 73.

Have been keeping notes on my big game hunting since starting the in late 1960s. Have taken around 70 bucks--mule deer, whitetail, and a few axis.

Was mostly a meat hunter early on, but became a "trophy" hunter in my 30s, when I often went years without killing a buck. But my new wife was a great meat hunter, which allowed me to pass 'em up... Killed some big ones, of all three species.

In recent years have pretty much returned to meat hunting, partly because it's unlikely that I'll kill bigger-antlers bucks than those already on the walls. But would still shoot one if he showed up! Three years ago saw a BIG muley buck several times, but never in a place I could legally kill him....

Have found big bucks taste just as good as smaller ones--or does--if taken at the right time of year. Killed a mule deer buck in Alberta some years ago that resulted in 130 pounds of boned meat, all EXCELLENT! But he was taken in early November before the rut started. Some mule deer (but not all) can get a little iffy during the peak of the rut.

Have never had a bad-tasting whitetail buck, even during the later stages of the rut, and have hunted them in at least a dozen states.

I don't have a clue. In the 60's I hunted whitetail when there were just very few around and even seeing one was a rare thing. Now, we are covered up with deer. I see them in the yard all the time. With Georgia being very generous with tags as well as having a long season, I've killed a bunch. I still enjoy hunting just as much, but I don't usually shoot but one buck a year and maybe a doe.

I’m not nearly as mad at them as I once was.

I've never been mad at them.
The prospect of full freezer bags makes
me very happy


I don't guess I've ever kept a count of
dead deer. I've always thought of them
as unprocessed food instead of the
majestic grand master of their domain.
Same with other animals and fish I've
killed and cut up
Excepting the varmints of course.
If things get bad enough, I might be
requesting possum and skunk recipes

Not enough good ones.

Quite a few but less now because I'm picky. Has to be mature and a minimum of 150. Let two walk last year that met the minimum but not age requirement. When I hunt west river I don't follow my rules. My kids can shoot whatever they desire. I connect around every other or third year on a 160s type buck it seems. I use a rifle but will try the crossbow as well now. Finally got the doc to sign the permit.

I can't imagine passing on 150" deer. Good for you though. That's big bucks

-Jake

This last fall, I shot my 50 mule deer in a row. A nice buck for today. Almost all have been bucks. In addition I have taken quite a few whitetail bucks. I would have to get my journals out to find exactly how many. It has been fun.

This was my 25th hunting season. Usually, I get a decent buck every other year on average.

I would rather keep hunting then shoot the first legal one i see. The bucks are better nowadays than years ago. So it's easier to hold out for a good one than it was when I was younger.

Boy that’s a fact Ben.

Another fact, the definition of a good one is regional... Grin

You can usually tell the fudds who haven’t killed many deer. Shooting scrubs and does and never holding out or putting in the time while passing on little ‘uns.

Low-mid 20’s of bucks, mostly blacktail but (3) mule deer too. Also a handful of spikes and a handful of does, all blacktails. Two bucks this year. Momma loves her some blacktail venison, and man can she COOK it!

I have hunted Texas Whitetails for 50+ years. Never kept records on the number of deer I killed. Besides the mounts in the house, and not counting cull buck antlers I cut up to make things from, There are 50 - 60 racks stored in my shop for "someday" projects.

Never really kept count, but I have been hunting for 70+ years.