DanO wrote:
I can't the believe the deer populations the U.S. posters seem to be seeing. Will out Ontario herd ever reach those kind of numbers? Anyone?
Dan O.
The population boom here in the states has really taken place in the last decade. Isn't it interesting that here in the states the trophy hunters want to make a pilgrimage to the holy land of big bucks, that being Saskatchewan in your country.
Larger breeds of animals are normally associated with very cold weather, hence the large bucks in Saskatchewan. Bucking that trend (pun intended) are the recent monsters being taken here in the states with Kansas, Illinois and now Ohio coming to the forefront. I think it has to do with the vast croplands of corn and beans available to the deer in these states. I do feel, however, that the records that continue to fall on almost a yearly basis will show that the true monsters are going to come from urban areas here in the states.
I will only shoot bucks that have antlers wide or wider than ear tips. This will put the buck in my area to 2.5 years or older. Hunters dont understand that by killing all the 1.5 age class bucks there isn't much of a mature deer herd to do the breeding, so the little baby bucks ( 1.5 ) start doing the breeding and this causes bad stress on the entire deer herd. Does don't get breed or get breed late and then the fawns come into the world late causing them to be stressed from the start.There are many reasons why the herd should be mature. Antlers are only a biproduct of a healthy mature deer herd. The dumbest and easyest deer to kill in the woods is the 1.5 year old buck. If hunters would let these little guys go and shoot some of the does, they would find that there would be more bucks to see and shoot. I will admit I use to shoot all brown, but now I know what it does for the herd to let the little guys walk and shoot some does. We have started Co-Ops on deer management and you wouldn't believe what the herd looks like now. You can go on stand now knowing that you will see a mature buck. Its great and we will never go back to the old way of management; shoot all brown. Everytime you as a hunter pull the trigger, you are making a management decision. You the hunter control the deer herd; not the DNR. So if your hunting sucks, step back and look at the way the hunters are treating the deer herd; remember your the deer manager.
Constitution states "That all power is inheret in the people:that ...it is their right & duty to be at all times armed"...Thomas Jefferson 1824.
I have been hunting deer for 17 yrs. and so far I've taken six bucks.None bigger than 8 pts.Last year I guess you could say I took a management buck. Only 8 pts. with a 9 inch spread.I hunt meat. In my circles any buck is a trophy.I'm kind of glad for the 3 point minimum rule.Also I have taken seven does.
ALWAYS GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR BOUNTY.
REMEMER, AIM SMALL.....MISS SMALL.
VORTEX,WITH RIGHT STUFF PKG.
My part of Minnesota enables me to treat my 'deer fever' with an all-season license, so I can hunt from Sept 15 through Dec. with x bow, rifle/handgun, and muzzleloader. And I do. I can take 3 deer (up to 4 more with 'management tags') but only one buck. Having hunted most of my 67 years I no longer feel the need to just kill any buck, so I'm getting more picky about which one it is. Passed up two 8 pointers and a 10 since season started because they were too young (and dumb), so the search for a mature buck continues. But I also like eating venison too, so a doe went into the freezer yesterday. I enjoy just watching deer nearly as much as hunting. Last night I sat on a picked over corn field and watched deer cavort until it got dark. W/O any weapon just a spotting scope. I've taken my share of deer, ranging from 'eater fawn' to 'baloney bucks'. There is 'bone' hanging from those that were special in one respect or another. Lately it's become more about the quality of the hunt, spending quality time in the outdoors, the quality of the 'deer company' I keep while hunting and respect for the animal that thrills us.
I generally Hunt for a 2 year old or better now as I have been Hunting a long time. This year I dont know. The EHD virus and the Government Shooters on neighboring county property have culled my herd pretty good. Its just good to be out there though.
Mike P, ya'll get bigger bucks out in Ohio than we do in Va... here anything in the 125-140 range is a HUGE deer for us which is where I try to keep my standards. When I was young, I shot anything and everything LOL.. now if I want something to eat, ill shoot a doe since its simple and bascially you can take one at anytime during early seasons here. Ive got 3 bucks im after this season(have their sheds from last year) and all are 3.5-5.5 years of age. Ive got nothing against those that shoot smaller deer since everyone doesnt get in the woods all the time and have chances at buck after buck. I expect my kids to shoot the first buck they see also lol. But for me to bag a smaller buck is a waste to me since maybe that deer to someone else would be a trophy
Cossack wrote:Lately it's become more about the quality of the hunt, spending quality time in the outdoors, the quality of the 'deer company' I keep while hunting and respect for the animal that thrills us.
Well said Cossack. I couldn’t agree more. My three hunting partners and I have a relationship that transcends the pursuit of major whitetail bucks. The whitetail buck became the cornerstone of friendships that have lasted decades.
crazyfarmer wrote:Ive got 3 bucks im after this season(have their sheds from last year) and all are 3.5-5.5 years of age.
Careful crazyfarmer, your about to come over to the dark side! There is no turning back once you come over. The lure of the antler is a seductive mistress and she will punish you each season with demands that exceed those demanded the year before. Every year it must be bigger and wider. Then you play the mass game. Soon typicals will not quench your thirst and you become a drop tine junkie. It is the path of no return.
There is a bright side. At the end of that road you run into guys like me and my hunting partners and all the other antler addicts at hunting and fishing shows and deer and turkey expo’s. Were easy to spot. We are the ones trying to convince ourselves that our behavior is completely normal.
LMAO... ive been there for atleast 4 years LOL... I spent 2 years chasing 1 buck. I hunted him about 35 days straight the year before last. But He happened to stray on another farm and was killed during ML season by another and I swear I didnt sleep for a week afterwards. He ended up scoring 152 for just a 8pt which is one heck of a 8pt. G2's were 12 inches tall along with 8inch G1's. The sheds I have from last year should put the 3bucks im after well into the 140-50's. I'm also after mature deer like someone said about.. as long as he's atleast 3.5-4 years of age he's a shooter. Those are easy to spot since they look like cows body size wise.
well, back to rubbing their sheds for goodluck LOL
Big Buck Fever... It's a sickness I am more than happy to be infected with. I have endured a lot of self induced stress, grief, and some seasons where I was completely skunked with nothing to eat at the end but my tags. I wouldn't have it any other way though.
It would be easy to say that because I hunt public land where a deer seldom makes it past two years old that I should be shooting anything that crosses my path but I always hold out for a big one. R.J. sometimes expects the worse, thinking that if he passes up the little one that the guy over the hill will take him. Where I hope for the best, thinking that if I pass on him, then he might miraculously make it to next year and meet me again with a few more pounds and extra points. Or I think if the guy over the hill does take him that that might be the guys last tag, so the next time I'm out, the guy might be home while a monster walks under his stand untouched and over to mine.
My plan going into every season, allthough it doesn't allways work out, is to shoot the first nice 8 pointer or better that I can. After that I go looking for a bigger one. If the season is coming to an end and I still havn't gotten lucky or if I want meat at any time, I look for a mature doe.
I love to hunt for racks for many reasons, the main reason is because it is so difficult and because I never tag out meaning my season never ends early. I wish more people did it because I think it would do nothing but good for the hunting community. I understand though why some people would shoot any deer they see no matter how small it was, which is why I am not realy convinced that antler restrictions are the way to go. I wish people would just make a concious effort to let the little ones walk unless their circumstances required them to take other actions. That alone would bennefit us all.
A bad day in the woods is better than a good day anywhere else.
i hunt on around 8-10 tracks of land and each is different. usually during bow season, i rarely pass on anything that is 1.5 years older. i have a friend who takes every deer that i dont want so nothing is wasted. i think i gave him 12-15 deer last year. on 2 of my 'farm-ett's" i have to shoot everything or i will lose my hunting privliges. i am much more selective during ML season.
I may have taken my first step toward the dark side as Mike P. calls it. My hunting buddies and I decided to only shoot does and mature bucks with 8 points or more. I accidently shot a button buck last week, but, I really thought it was one of the does that entered the briar patch at the other end. Anyway, I did let a nice spike walk . . .it had very long horns for a spike. We are wanting to thin out the does to put more pressure on the bucks during rut. If every buck has 30 does to breed . . .no need for them to get out of bed, so to speak.
When I first started hunting in South-Western Virginia 30 years ago, I was lucky to see a deer, much less a buck. So, if it had horns, it was shot. Back then we could only harvest a buck. In the last ten years I've seen a huge difference in the herds. I now see several deer at a time. Some groups will have 30 deer in them. We have fewer hunters and more deer. The town of Galax, VA. is having real trouble with the city's herd and really do not have a solution because the controlling bodies do not want to allow hunting within the city limits. That will have to change because way too many complaints about cars hitting deer or deer hitting cars. They will probably allow archery in selected areas next year. There are some big boy bucks in the Galax city limits . . ..
I'd rather wear out than rust out.
Perception trumps intention.
Always remember that 95% of the time the first deer to enter a food plot or get to a bait pile is usually the button buck. The Alpha Doe is usually the last and she will wind check everything and look all around the plot. And yes the suburban whitetails are huge. It's to bad that they will die slow to a car bumper rather than a razor sharp broadhead. The dark side will test your skills, good luck.
Constitution states "That all power is inheret in the people:that ...it is their right & duty to be at all times armed"...Thomas Jefferson 1824.
Its just good to be out there though.
