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New member first deer target

When you start success is defined by just actually killing a deer. The next stage success is killing as many as you can. Stage 3 success is defined by killing trophies. Stage 4 is defined by honing your craft and developing successful strategies. Finally, stage 5 is just enjoying the hunt for what it is.

I try to keep this in mind as I talk to other hunters because we are all on different timelines along our walk.

I'm hoping to have a Stage 2 kinda year to be honest... but i've heard this same sentiment before and wouldn't argue with that for people who continue to hunt for years.
 
@Allegheny Tom I never said I didn’t care about antlers. I 90 percent of my hunting is chasing large antlers. The other 10 percent is killing something I want to kill. If I want the meat or think killing a doe or small buck today will bring joy to my life it’s going down. I do agree on the antlers matter though. Here many guys will shoot a 120 pound spike standing next to a 150lb doe. The say antlers don’t matter to them but really to them any antler is better than no antler.
 
@Allegheny Tom I never said I didn’t care about antlers. I 90 percent of my hunting is chasing large antlers. The other 10 percent is killing something I want to kill. If I want the meat or think killing a doe or small buck today will bring joy to my life it’s going down. I do agree on the antlers matter though. Here many guys will shoot a 120 pound spike standing next to a 150lb doe. The say antlers don’t matter to them but really to them any antler is better than no antler.
I wasn't referring to you. I hope I didn't come off that way.
I was speaking in generalalities.
Sorry for the confusion.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I think this attitude comes a lot with age and hunting experience. Its the old "stages of a hunter" ideology.

I'm a little fuzzy on the details but as I remember they go something like this. When you start success is defined by just actually killing a deer. The next stage success is killing as many as you can. Stage 3 success is defined by killing trophies. Stage 4 is defined by honing your craft and developing successful strategies. Finally, stage 5 is just enjoying the hunt for what it is.

I try to keep this in mind as I talk to other hunters because we are all on different timelines along our walk.

I totally agree but somehow I missed stage 3, lol. While I've taken my share of bucks (tho nothing even close to the studs you guys post here) and Lord knows I've put twice as many does in the freezer, any deer taken with a bow is quite an accomplishment and something to be proud of. I would take the first deer that gives the best shot for a clean kill. Good luck!
 
To the guys that say that don't care about antlers, I will paraphrase Paul Brunner... If a nice 8 point and an equally size body doe step out, 99% of guys will shoot the buck.
Most of the time, guys that say they don't care about antlers are full of it.
Another paraphrase of Gene Wensel..."There is a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction that comes when you pass up bucks that you could have shot".
Both of those guys had changed my perspective on what I choose to harvest, which has led to a calming effect when I have deer under 20 yards. A calm shooter is a more accurate shooter. I'm not saying that everyone should set the same standards as me...some guy's standards may be lower, some may be higher. Everyone sets their own standards.
I will say this, upping my standards has led to some tag soup over the years but it's never led to regret

That’s a very interesting point about how the passing up a shot has a calming affect on the shooter. Thanks for the insight!
 
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