2014 Rut info thread

[justin_h635]

Was thinking 2nd buck on the age.

 

[Okie4570]

Gotcha.........I hope he's got a good heart doc, on some BP and cholesterol meds, I bet he's in the 215lb range.

 

[retrieverman]

Huntersworld
The buck rule on my place is "don't shoot it unless you're going to mount it", and I practice what I preach. I'm hunting my own land but have neighbor/leasers hunting my south and east fences (literally have stands and feeders set up ON my fences), so I fully realize that every buck I pass could easily get killed on the next property. That's just a chance I have to take.

 

[ousoonerfan22]

That one buck is a hog! I don't blame you on the nontyp buck give him another year or two to gain some mass and he will still be a trophy in my book.

 

[120 Acres]

Huntersworld
The buck rule on my place is "don't shoot it unless you're going to mount it", and I practice what I preach. I'm hunting my own land but have neighbor/leasers hunting my south and east fences (literally have stands and feeders set up ON my fences), so I fully realize that every buck I pass could easily get killed on the next property. That's just a chance I have to take.

Thats me.

I sit in my stand and can hear 2 other feeders fire off at different times. I have been pretty good about letting some nice bucks walk only to never see them again.

I also have a bow hunting only rule that I stick too. Thats just not the case with the folks around me. I watched a little 5 point walk past me down to the property west of me last muzzle loader season to hear the big ole BOOM. I knew what had happened. Just nothing I can do about it.

There are more than enough does around to harvest, but if it has antlers, its chances are slim. Its pretty discouraging, but I am not a trophy hunter either, but it would be nice to get a chance at a big rack.

 

[Sticky Stokes]

Nice pics and bucks Okie, I bet your boy was about to implode! Hope you get a shot at that 2nd buck, he is a bruiser

 

[Eagle Eye]

Thanks for sharing your philosophies guys.
I think I will adopt the "don't shoot unless you mount" principle for bucks.

 

[makeithappen]

shoot the does for meat.

So, yes somebody else might shoot him as he travels among private grounds, but on public ground the hunters are doing the same. Its just a personal decision one has to make, and hopefully other hunters will do the same.

What is a quality deer to some is not quality to others.

Incredibly true, Dennis. I've noticed progressively better bucks over the last couple of years on public land alone. My first archery buck was a spike. Since that time, I've learned to enjoy the chess game of getting larger bucks within bow range. You realize the second they walk out of range that you may never see them again, but should they survive, you might get another chance at a bigger dear the next year.

 

[Lurker66]

I'm same way. Let a Lotta deer pass then just kill a young one. Bucks or does don't matter as much as in past. I just want tenderloin n jerky. I still won't pass a really big one.

 

[dlbleak]

nice deer okie. the 'toad' looks like he might be on his way down in antler size. not much tip to tip measurement there but i don't think it will matter if he's laying on the ground in front of you!