[Bbd16]

And some don't care as much. You do you, and the rest of us common peasants will do us, unless someone mistakes you for a deer in the meantime since you hate lights and people who use them.

🤣🤣🤣 some care or they wouldn’t be here fishing on archerytalk by posting polls. I just left a little advice. Don’t be a sissy. I didn’t say it had to be done my way. Or any specific way. Just telling ya how to not be stuck at average.

 

[df06]

I usually hold out for a 8-10 Pt buck. But I’ll take any mature deer later in the season. I don’t try to age guess deer. This year I passed a fork horn early on and never saw another deer in range.
What’s important to me is making a good clean kill shot, not inches or year of birth.

 

[archer8030]

Pretty much what the average hunter would have access to, small tracts of private shared by others, public, etc. Ground where you can't really manipulate it much or at all for trophy potential (food plot, hinge cutting etc).

So hunters that have access to private land that they can plant food plots on and manage how they see fit aren't "average hunters?" Why, because you don't have those things? How does what you have or don't have make you "average" or otherwise? Shouldn't that be determined by your mindset? Hell, I hunted public land here in SC exclusively from the late 90's to 2012 before I got access to private land and my personal standards didn't change one bit. I targeted does to fill the freezer and I targeted bucks that were 3.5 years old or older. No, I didn't kill many bucks on private land but that didn't change my approach. Why would it? I have been fortunate enough to hunt private land since 2012 and some of that private property had been intensely managed for many years prior to me hunting it but it didn't change my standards. Why would it? I've hunted the same land with a group of hunters for the past 6 years. There was an agreed upon "size limit" placed on bucks that is far below my personal standards but again, that doesn't change my standards. I still target does for the freezer and bucks that are 3.5 years old or older. Again, why would it change my standards? The group of hunters I hunt with are the epitome of "average hunters" in my eyes. We all work. We all have families. We all hunt when we can around work and our families. We all share in the successes of one another in our group regardless if someone shoots a "wall hanger," a doe or a basket rack 8pt.

You're not looking for constructive data because if you were, you wouldn't have put so many subjective restrictions on those that could contribute. You wanted to steer the narrative to fit your own so you created the restrictions that you did. All you're looking for is people to commiserate with. You're looking for people that always complain about what others have that you don't. You refer to the Drury's as some sort of high-brow entity. I assure you, they don't see themselves like that. Do you have a clue as to how they got their start? Do you know how many doors they knocked on to get access to hunting land? Do you know what they've done, the work they've put in, the sacrifices they've made to get to where they are today? It's clear you don't because if you knew how hard they worked to get to where they are, you sure as hell wouldn't speak about them like that.

You're not an "average hunter." You're a typical whiner. Two phrases come to mind here... "Don't complain about the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do" and "You'll never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you. You'll always be criticized by someone doing less."

Good luck with your "poll" and your pity party.

 

[Double_D_]

OP,
Your poll is hard to answer accurately. I hunt several properties and they each have their own prospects.

On a couple properties seeing a 3.5yo buck is unlikely.
On another one, 3.5 plus is possible but rare.
On another property a 5 plus is a very real prospect.

Either way, I've killed enough deer that a. 100" 2yo just doesn't do it for me. If I need/want meat, does are plentiful. So, 5.5 plus for bucks is my goal.

 

[Bbd16]

So hunters that have access to private land that they can plant food plots on and manage how they see fit aren't "average hunters?" Why, because you don't have those things? How does what you have or don't have make you "average" or otherwise? Shouldn't that be determined by your mindset? Hell, I hunted public land here in SC exclusively from the late 90's to 2012 before I got access to private land and my personal standards didn't change one bit. I targeted does to fill the freezer and I targeted bucks that were 3.5 years old or older. No, I didn't kill many bucks on private land but that didn't change my approach. Why would it? I have been fortunate enough to hunt private land since 2012 and some of that private property had been intensely managed for many years prior to me hunting it but it didn't change my standards. Why would it? I've hunted the same land with a group of hunters for the past 6 years. There was an agreed upon "size limit" placed on bucks that is far below my personal standards but again, that doesn't change my standards. I still target does for the freezer and bucks that are 3.5 years old or older. Again, why would it change my standards? The group of hunters I hunt with are the epitome of "average hunters" in my eyes. We all work. We all have families. We all hunt when we can around work and our families. We all share in the successes of one another in our group regardless if someone shoots a "wall hanger," a doe or a basket rack 8pt.

You're not looking for constructive data because if you were, you wouldn't have put so many subjective restrictions on those that could contribute. You wanted to steer the narrative to fit your own so you created the restrictions that you did. All you're looking for is people to commiserate with. You're looking for people that always complain about what others have that you don't. You refer to the Drury's as some sort of high-brow entity. I assure you, they don't see themselves like that. Do you have a clue as to how they got their start? Do you know how many doors they knocked on to get access to hunting land? Do you know what they've done, the work they've put in, the sacrifices they've made to get to where they are today? It's clear you don't because if you knew how hard they worked to get to where they are, you sure as hell wouldn't speak about them like that.

You're not an "average hunter." You're a typical whiner. Two phrases come to mind here... "Don't complain about the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do" and "You'll never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you. You'll always be criticized by someone doing less."

Good luck with your "poll" and your pity party.

Man you said a mouthful here. That was as clean and accurate of a post as I’ve seen on this website.

 

[archer8030]

Man you said a mouthful here. That was as clean and accurate of a post as I’ve seen on this website.

Don't let that fool you. I throw up some dumpster fires from time to time too.

But thank you.

 

[AmbushBuck]

Public I dont care, but private I’m trying to grow some bigguns. I have a hard time letting the two year old 8pts walk. I try my best but sometimes ya just can’t help but lay the smack down on em. The older I get and the more I shawack, it should get a little easier.

 

[Crowely]

What I did for years and years....before game camera's . I scouted the area, and found a rub line with the biggest rubs. And I hunted that deer. He would be the biggest thing there. If I did not see him after a few days and needed to go back to work....I would shoot something for meat....simple. It still works.

 

[madkasel]

The “average” hunter would do a little better if they didn’t all have the same approach of killing everything moving. Everytime there’s a “how many would pass this buck” thread going 99.99 percent of the people commenting are shooting it. They all have some excuse why. 98 percent of the kills posted are 2-3 years old max.

this thread alone you’ve got people killing 7-8 deer off their already very low average property.

if we shortened gun season dramatically cut half the tags and put some trophy laws into effect all these “average” properties might turn into something with a few years rest.

a lWhile the numbers may be lower the skill it takes to get close to a 2-3 year old deer is about the skill of taking a tootsie roll from a toddler.

The “average” hunter would do a little better if they didn’t all have the same approach of killing everything moving. Everytime there’s a “how many would pass this buck” thread going 99.99 percent of the people commenting are shooting it. They all have some excuse why. 98 percent of the kills posted are 2-3 years old max.

this thread alone you’ve got people killing 7-8 deer off their already very low average property.

if we shortened gun season dramatically cut half the tags and put some trophy laws into effect all these “average” properties might turn into something with a few years rest.

a lot of people claim having great property and trophy hunting is “easy” I think targeting a fair chase 180 plus inch deer every year is far more challenging than walking into public land killing a 2 year old 6 point and a few does. While the numbers may be lower the skill it takes to get close to a 2-3 year old deer is about the skill of taking a tootsie roll from a toddler.

Huh. It's always been my opinion that nobody can judge effort. Effort is between YOU and YOU.

 

[Bbd16]

Huh. It's always been my opinion that nobody can judge effort. Effort is between YOU and YOU.

The effort has to be directed to the right place. If you put a lot of effort into being an idiot that’s not the same…

it’s kinda like running in place. Your doing a lot but You never go anywhere..

 

[madkasel]

The effort has to be directed to the right place. If you put a lot of effort into being an idiot that’s not the same…

it’s kinda like running in place. Your doing a lot but You never go anywhere..

And you are the almighty judge of that. Got it. (Hint: that is judging effort but you do you.)

I like shooting big bucks because more meat. I like younger ones because better meat.

I did a nice euro mount on a ten pointer once but won't pay money for that again. The main thing I remember about that deer is I had to borrow space in others' freezers to hold all the meat, which fed the family a long, long time.

 

[limbwalker]

In the words of Napoleon Dynamite... "whatever I feel like... gosh!"

 

[Gatorgar247]

If I'm hunting public I will kill what's legal. On my private Land lease I really prefer 6 yo or better but the rule is 4.5 or better. I rarely kill my " trophy" but will shoot a big spike or 3 point for the meat.. I've passed several in the mid 130s to low 140s this year. Honestly I don't like how rutting bucks taste so I'd rather fill my doe tags and hunt horns..

 

[Bbd16]

And you are the almighty judge of that. Got it. (Hint: that is judging effort but you do you.)

I like shooting big bucks because more meat. I like younger ones because better meat.

I did a nice euro mount on a ten pointer once but won't pay money for that again. The main thing I remember about that deer is I had to borrow space in others' freezers to hold all the meat, which fed the family a long, long time.

Who said I was the judge?

I never said people had to trophy hunt or hunt at all for that matter. I simply left some advice for the ones who wish to better their hunting career if size is the goal. You can kill anything breathing for all I care. After all you’re not on my property. My deer won’t suffer from your habits.

why do the people who shoot the baby deer get so defensive?

 

[Daddymac]

Far too may variables even within the same state much less across the nation to say what is average. Where I hunt a 120" deer in any age group is about the best you can do and the land is very average for this part of the country.

 

[madkasel]

Who said I was the judge?

I never said people had to trophy hunt or hunt at all for that matter. I simply left some advice for the ones who wish to better their hunting career if size is the goal. You can kill anything breathing for all I care. After all you’re not on my property. My deer won’t suffer from your habits.

why do the people who shoot the baby deer get so defensive?

But, to make you aware, you do present as very judgemental on almost every post ... "poor get poorer" and "baby deer" and such. You attack, people defend, you call them defensive and it repeats.

But we do agree ... people can kill what they want for all we care and it's not ours to judge the efforts of others.

 

[Bbd16]

But, to make you aware, you do present as very judgemental on almost every post ... "poor get poorer" and "baby deer" and such. You attack, people defend, you call them defensive and it repeats.

But we do agree ... people can kill what they want for all we care and it's not ours to judge the efforts of others.

U can’t cherry pick a reply that’s in defense to another poster with a crappy attitude and use that as whole. That wasn’t in my original response to the thread. His attitude which was further pointed out by another poster was explained in much better detail than I care to go into. Read his reply. He hit the nail on the head.

just take the words as they are written. Don’t attach your emotional feelings to it. I have to tell women this often. I mean what I say nothing more or less. I have no hammer. And I never claimed to be the judge. Although if I wanted to judge you or anyone else I would. But I didn’t.

 

[B Roberts]

Depending on state but as a general rule never below 3.5

 

[madkasel]

U can’t cherry pick a reply that’s in defense to another poster with a crappy attitude and use that as whole. That wasn’t in my original response to the thread. His attitude which was further pointed out by another poster was explained in much better detail than I care to go into. Read his reply. He hit the nail on the head.

just take the words as they are written. Don’t attach your emotional feelings to it. I have to tell women this often. I mean what I say nothing more or less. I have no hammer. And I never claimed to be the judge. Although if I wanted to judge you or anyone else I would. But I didn’t.

I could have chosen your tootsie roll statement from your first post. No emotion.

 

[Bbd16]

I could have chosen your tootsie roll statement from your first post. No emotion.

You sound like a tootsie roll.