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I couldn't get out this morning because of work but my son went and got his first Bow Kill, couldn't be prouder. Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I have a saying, "shoot what you like, like what you shoot". That encompasses anything from a yearling doe to a monster buck. As long as you are happy, never mind what others may say or think!!! We all hunt for different reasons. One size does not fit all, when it comes to shooting deer. I honestly feel that EVERY deer is a trophy to be cherished. That said, I've killed a pretty good number of deer over the last 45 years. From small button bucks, and doe, to some respectable mature bucks. I don't need to kill any more deer, as I've nothing to prove. Yes I love the meat! But I'll survive if I don't have any. Over the last year or so, I've even contemplated hanging up my hunting hat. Perhaps when my grandson is on his own I may do just that? The time spent in the woods, the quiet time, the smells, sunrise and sunset, the cool breeze in my face on a frosty fall morning. This is the part I love. And if I shoot no deer, that's ok by me. But when I do decide to shoot one, I try for a three year old or older buck. Rack size doesn't really matter, as long as he has a little age. That to me is a bit more of a challenge, and more of what I "like" at this point of my hunting journey. One thing is for sure. When I make the decision to shoot a deer, any deer, I'll really "like it!!!

I am fortunate to own or have access to some decent properties with decent bucks on a fairly regular basis come rut. Over the last 5 years, I have killed 4 that were good 3.5 year old or older bucks. But last year heading into the rut, I kinda thought I was losing perspective on why I hunt. I wasn't having as much fun just seeing doe and smaller bucks. Confession time: My buddy shot his best buck (one that my partner passed the same morning), an 11pt 2yr old early rut. He has only been hunting a few years and was ecstatic. While I was happy for him, my first thought was geeze that would be a great buck in a year or two. I didn't say it to him but the fact that I thought it really bothered me. When I realized that, I intentionally shot a small buck. Why, I don't know. When my partners asked why, I really couldn't explain it well. It just seemed the right thing to do to me to remember why I hunt and to continue to share in the joy of others success. Since doe are usually not all that difficult to kill around me, I will wait for another 3.5 or older buck again, but hopefully maintain the joy of just being out there this year. If I see a big boy, great. If not, that is completely OK too. And I will celebrate when anyone I hunt with has success - doe, small buck, big buck - who cares. I really don't want to lose the excitement of THE HUNT regardless of what I shoot or others shoot. I guess a shooter is a 3.5 year old or older but at times, I guess that can change. lol

The deer means nothing to me the hunt means everything. I would rather track and kill a spike in the snow in the Adirondacks than kill a 10pt from a tree stand on my property. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Getting ready 45 degrees light wind. Going to stay on my property for this hunting trip. Man it feels good. GOOD LUCK everyone woohoo!!!

Welp, there goes my work productivity for the next 2.5 months

I turned my left over into my lunch. Toasted bagel with goat cheese with my Salmon topped with the spinach Chester is hoping I drop it!

For me it would depend on how much work I had to do to get a shot. I put a stalk on a doe a couple years ago while she was in a field feeding, it was a bunch of low crawls and finding stuff to hide behind . The experience and rush of that hunt sticks with me as much as the biggest buck I ever took.

Now I’m ready. First shot. FP at 20 yards. Second shot is first broadhead ever. Some crap after but ended up on a great shot. Sodfather got me dialed in. Slick tricks flew much better than montacs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here My first archery hunt and can’t wait !

Good thread, Rob! For me, I simply try to do a bit better than the previous buck if I can. I’ve been lucky enough that the last three bucks over five years have been progressively bigger. Those other two years I passed a few that were close in size because I was holding out for the big boy on the trailcam pics, but of course never saw him. So those years no buck, but I did take a doe or two. Never saw the passed bucks again those years – other local guys all dropped them early in the rifle season. I like having a good venny supply so I can’t say that I would keep passing if my freezer was empty near the end of the season. To be honest, if it was the closing days and I was deerless, the little four or six point gets whacked. I haven’t had to do that yet. DMP’s are difficult to get in our area, but I do get a landowner’s tag and have never had to make soup out of it. My buddy and neighbor whom I’ll affectionately call an antler snob has frowned on every buck I’ve taken since he found the antler religion about 15 years ago. To be fair, He’s shot the only two monsters in our area over that time. But he’s gone multiple years without deer in that pursuit. I’m not a meat hunter per say, but I don’t hunt deer to not shoot deer. Especially multiple years in a row. The buck in my avatar is my best to date and was from last year. I’m told I should’ve passed on him, think of how big next year, blah, blah, blah. No bigger bucks were taken last year that I know of, and the only larger racked buck that was spotted was missing most of his right antler. I get it. It’s all about the rack for some and I respect that. But while I’m interested (and who doesn’t want to shoot the local giant), It’s not the only thing for me about deer hunting.

Sunday 40 yards aimed low hit low, brass inserts, deer. Today (Wed) 70 yards white goat, slightly left. My perfect flying arrow number 8. Was kind of happy with this shot. I don't normally start off this far, 40 and in usually. If you look on both targets they have a small shot out spot, I try to aim for that. Sight is back in at this point, broadhead retest next.

For me a shooter buck depends on how the season is going and what time of year. If i have a doe or two in the freezer i tend to look for something bigger. 5 point walks by, the freezer is empty and its the first week of Nov, i probably take it. I have buddies that a shooter buck is the first one in range and buddies that wont shoot a buck unless its gonna hang on the wall. Where i hunt there isnt a lot of huge bucks to just pass anything by. Last year i passed on a 7 point that is a deer i would never have passed before because i already had meat in the freezer. I say take the one that makes you happy of course, but what is your cut line. Mine is kinda odd - I tend to pass anything with 4 points or less/ take anything 5 points or more. I generally get enough chances on a doe to check meat off the list and a 5 point is a good representative of where i hunt. I have never gotten a monster wall hanger and have held out a few seasons trying to get one. But with the neighbors all hunting hard in gun season, just not a lot of large bucks around. but i can say i am always happy with that 5 point anyway ! lol. last year passed on this 7 at 7 yards hoping for a big one. Prob should have shot it cause it was such a great hunt. I rattled him in and he was ripping up bushes showing off and looking for me. I prob wont pass him this year ..... probably. But i think a lot of that depends on what you have to hunt for sure. If you 8 big bucks around or just one it def makes a difference. and would think a big buck on public land is so much tougher than private land. I didnt even fill a buck tag last year but hoping to this year - cmon 5 point! So whats a "shooter" for you?

Great news , the easy part is over ...let that sink in . LOL

I have to disagree a bit here Pygmy. The man is watching his entire life and career being destroyed. I mean all of it. He can't even go back to his previous job on the DC Circuit court at this point. I can understand why he'd be somewhat emotional wondering whether he might be able to get his job back at Yale, or have to interview at Walmart. He's never really been exposed to the current venom, vitriol, and hatred that comes from the left. I certainly would have liked to see him stand up for himself more, ala Clarence Thomas, (high tech lynching), but the fact is he's unknowingly jumped into a championship level boxing ring and he's never even boxed before. And the people who want to beat him down are serious professionals at ruining people's lives. They do it for sport.

By far the best hunting channel on Youtube that I follow has to be The Hunting Public. These boys are pleasure to watch. For those of you that don't know the channel, they basically hunt just public land and are very informative and do things the old fashioned way. No fancy sponsors, scent control sprays, etc. They used to be part of Midwest Whitetail but took off to do their own channel. They are currently hunting up in Minnesota with some other guys that hunt public and its just great to watch the different tactics. They basically get in as tight to bedding areas as they can and don't freak out when they bump a deer. They have a great turkey tour they did last spring as well. Just thought I would share in case anyone wants to pass a few hours getting pumped up on some excellent public deer hunting before the opener.

Well i know the OP said buck, but to be brutally honest i will shoot anthing that gets me excited that day. Im a meat hunter by far, have nothing to prove as i have taken my fair share of mature bucks. To me i really enjoy eating venison, making sausage, jerky etc., it has been and will always be about the hunt, quality time with family and just enjoying what mother nature has to offer. I LOVE THE FALL AND WINTER WOODS, theres nothing nicer and more peaceful.

I think the dumbest animal in the woods is the ones sitting up in the trees. Edit: groundblinds too

I'm not sure why anybody would care about a 10/1 opener. I've seen people say because it's to warm, and I respond don't hunt then. My dad says there are to many leaves, I tell him so don't hunt then. Me I love it! I see more deer in those 2 weeks then the rest of the season combined.

Few steps closer. New cables / string. Thanks Tacks ! Washed clothes, bought quiver Shooting bhs later Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sometimes I hold out, sometimes I kill a small buck. Depends on if I have a doe in the freezer, a lot of time left to hunt, or if the mood just strikes me lol. This year I know there are some really good bucks in my areas so I fully expect to not kill a buck in 2018 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I'll know it when I see it. I haven't got a lot that I have to prove to anyone anymore (even myself). So if it can be converted into venison, it had better keep it's distance. No really, I am getting of the age where it doesn't even have to be a buck to meet my minimums. In fact smaller is probably better from a safe dragging perspective.

Ok here we go! Someone to live vicariously through! Good luck Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Tomatoes finally were ripe enough. 9 boxes yielded 44 quarts. We strain the puree to get it nice and thick. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Good looking omlettes ...not as good as Nomad used to have but quite good indeed! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Girlfriend wanted eggs for dinner....so I made her a spinach, and feta omelette. I had 2 scrambled egg, bacon, cheddarjack and franks burritos. We used some of our homesmoked homemade bacon! My first omelette by the way, looks like I did ok.

A package was on the deck when I got home and this is what was in it: Hint: the back ground pic tells it all. Can't get these brews here. I'll be posting every one as I enjoy. Thank You

Pse May have to wait awhile. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” Lol

Acorns are raining down here, scouted for deer on a new piece, saw 7 deer and shot 5 bushytails in the process. First hunt of the year for me. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Feeling much better after today. Switched to a 340 spine for my Mathews and backed it off 2 cranks. Fixed heads seem to be flying better with this combo. For my Prime shooting 400 axis with a single pin and knock off Rage heads are deadly. I may be carting that bow it just feels so good

... Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk

Wasn't in the mood to cook, or prep dinner tonight, been a long 2 weeks at work. Girlfriend brought me home a bacon cheeseburger from Yanni's

But its meat and very tender. I have seen some mature bucks do some pretty dumb stuff as well that got them killed. To each their own. Your sort of passing judgement when you say only kids and beginners should be the only ones shooting butron bucks. My theory is that we as hunters should not pass judgements on others as long as our activities are within the confines of the rules and regs.

I'll be out. I prefer not to take time off of work until later in the month, but one of my boys is itching to go so I said I'd join him.

planning on being out all morning, by myself, and then pick up my daughter after school to go out with her in the evening.

looks like access limited to one spot with the road frontage they've got. not a bad thing when it comes to hunting.

Anyone else wondering who got thrown threw that wall??

very situational for me too. I understand those that say "if you let it walk on 10/10, let it walk on 11/10" and I disagree with that. Especially if you're after meat.

Because of the few member,s giving me their support , I will stay.. But no further discussion,s on Squash.Grampa like you, I,ve wandered the Northern Wood,s of N.Y.S. for 50 yrs. The guy,s I hunted with many a time we hunted out of Star Lake back in a little settlement called Aldrich which was seven miles back in. We took quite a few deer out of there also. One followed me while I was doing a indian type hunt on 4" of fresh snow. I spent a little over 3/4 of an hour slow stalking then turned around and walked back to a good spot to sit down to go on watch. I cleaned up a snow spot and put down my hotseat and lit a cigarette. I looked back over my left should and there looking away from me was nice Billy Buck. I had the Doe Permit so I raised my 257 Robert,s had to tip the gun at a angle to get a decent scope picture and pulled the trigger.Down he went. Put it this way, my very first deer I got was a 6 point November 11,1958. I was watching a swamp type run way trail that was pretty beat up just before sunset he stepped out and that was it.South Colton N.Y. and we were staying a Seaver,s Inn. The Inn owner let me hang the deer over night in his garage and we went home the next morning. I was proud as a Peacock. Oh, I now am reloading a new 300 Winchester Magnum. You can load 100 grain all the way up to 220 grain. I put a new Barka 3/12/50/Scope on it. Purchased a muzzle break for it and it reduced the recoil down to less than my 270 I traded for it.Plus cash.

To each his own. I don't feel like I miss much while I'm reading. It helps me pass the time on stand and figure it keeps me on stand longer, which translates into more success. Do what you like!

Only 150 inch or better. Not really I've shot spikes that were more rewarding than 8s I've shot. Depends on the year and situation.

It depends on the state of my freezer. If my freezer is empty, every buck is a shooter buck. If I have a deer in the freezer, I will be more selective. Last year I passed on a 4 pointer while the freezer was empty. I was confident I would get a deer with 2 weeks left in the season. I didn't end up getting a chance at another deer so I have had an empty freezer all year. I won't make that mistake again.

I read a lot in stand. Used to be books, now it is a Kindle. I am an avid reader and i figure if i am going to be sitting there doing nothing most of the day, i might as well be reading.

Yes , plus pesto, zucchini, red pepper, little onion , cottage cheese, chicken ,mozzarella,oil ,salt , pepper .

Leap year x 2 almost. Let’s revisit a “ how old do you think think this buck is ?” Thread SOB will be 7 years older Hey, this buck now has dentures and a walker.

If I mention to the wife you guys read while hunting she might take up hunting. She always has her nose in a book Nah , I’ll keep reading while hunting to myself and she can stay home

Agreed on The Hunting Public. I think they're paired up with the DIY Hunter right now, and that fella's reviews of tactics and gear is detailed and useful. That 45 min video of the ghillie suit stalk was pretty exciting. Watching (Zac, I think) run towards the camera after a two hour crawl was joy coming right through the screen.

I guessed this shot at 38, it was 40. Dead deer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

no the sat operning for gun was the worse by far.. many just dont hunt bow till later but the gun change killled hunting camps and many buisnesses in southern tier..jmo