The progression of the hunter!

[First-light]

First few years will usually shoot anything that comes by. Gets real excited at the sight of a deer, "buck fever can set in" ENJOYING every aspect about the hunting experience.

Once he gets a taste of "Bone" (8pt or better) he becomes a trophy hunter. Passing on does and small bucks. Late in the season

he may take a doe for meat. AR topic comes up and he truly believes in the mindset to let the smaller bucks walk. Hunting becomes an obsession, trying to kill

a big buck. Years are spent chasing the trophy.

A few years may go by and the "bone collector" goes dry. He starts to have second thoughts about AR. Itchy finger starts to set in a he surprises his buddies by shooting a small buck first week of season. Feels good again to harvest a buck.

As time goes by he shoots a buck almost every year with a few good ones mixed in. He says to himself, now in his 40's, this isn't bad

it's like when I first started hunting, I'm really "ENJOYING" the experience. 

We go "full circle in life" this is just a part of it.

AR or not, just ENJOY the experience!

Take a kid along while you at it.

[steve863]

I like this.  Although in my case, I don't think I ever became obsessed with horns at anytime.  Just getting to fill a tag and having some venison for the freezer was reward enough.  Those who continue to want trophies can continue to do so, yet AR's shouldn't be implemented to penalize anyone else who doesn't care for trophies.

[burmjohn]

I think the general misconception about people that support AR's from ones that don't think they are Trophy hunters. 

In 3J, where I hunted the last 16 years or so, we are still taking just as many bucks after AR then before.  I think its great that there are slightly larger bucks running around, AR isn't going to make a trophy buck, I don't think anyone on that 900 comment thread eluded to that.  I'm not obsessed with horns, like I said its great seeing some bigger ones. 

[Doewhacker]

I think the general misconception about people that support AR's from ones that don't think they are Trophy hunters. 

In 3J, where I hunted the last 16 years or so, we are still taking just as many bucks after AR then before.  I think its great that there are slightly larger bucks running around, AR isn't going to make a trophy buck, I don't think anyone on that 900 comment thread eluded to that.  I'm not obsessed with horns, like I said its great seeing some bigger ones.

I will post this and leave it alone.. buck take has dropped 30% in the AR areas since inacted.

As far as Burts post, its kind of like a modernized version of the progression of a hunter correct?

[Doc]

In my case, I do value a good set of antlers, but do not obsess over it. As I get older, I have learned that I do not have to eat venison to survive. My livelihood or standard of living is not impacted by whether I get the heaviest rack in the woods. I don't value friends that judge me by my hunting accomplishments. I prefer to hunt as a competition with my prey and not a competition with my fellow hunters. I am never going to be one of those hunter-heroes on TV or even want to be. I prefer not to measure hunting satisfaction in inches. I would rather my hunting become something much more complex than just demanding that my harvest be recognized by some record book organization.

I have looked back at what hunting has meant to me, and peer recognition has never been any part of it. I not only hunt deer, but I hunt squirrels, and predators, and that is all hunting too. And you know what, there is no record book agency to satisfy with squirrells or foxes or coyotes. There's no measurement. There's no competition to get the biggest. Why should deer be any different? It is all hunting and all means the same to me, and always turns out to be a much bigger experience than laying a tape measure on some deer's antlers. I think that over all these years that relaxed aspect to my hunting has served me well and kept the whole thing in perspective and made the whole activity fit the true meaning of recreation.

Doc

[burmjohn]

I'm not sure what the reason for the drop would be.  I can see the drop the first year, because the 1.5's would be illegal to shoot.  Whats the stats for first the 2nd year and 3rd to 4th for buck take?  (I'm @ work so caint to do much browsing, I'll check tonight).

[First-light]

Good points Doc. My 2 most fondest hunting experiences were my first and last.

The first was at the age of 12 tagging along with my brother and his friend Grouse hunting. His friend shoots a double

and I'm like a bird dog chasing down the birds delivering them back to the shooter. I was so excited and hooked on hunting.

The second happened last year when I took out a 14 year old bowhunter for his first hunt. He shoots a nice button buck on his first try,

felt like a bird dog once again. In between I have shot PY bucks but never has it come close to those two experiences.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Amen Burt. And those memories will NEVER be erased

[bubba]

I prefer the taste of venison to the look of antlers.  Do I have some nice racks sure. Have I harvested small bucks and even does sure. I find no difference in the taste of the meat.

[biggamefish]

  Right on bubba, I didn't ge a deer last year and boy do I miss the venision.  I have a little left over form the year before and I am making it last till this season. 

[sits in trees]

In my case, I do value a good set of antlers, but do not obsess over it. As I get older, I have learned that I do not have to eat venison to survive. My livelihood or standard of living is not impacted by whether I get the heaviest rack in the woods. I don't value friends that judge me by my hunting accomplishments. I prefer to hunt as a competition with my prey and not a competition with my fellow hunters. I am never going to be one of those hunter-heroes on TV or even want to be. I prefer not to measure hunting satisfaction in inches. I would rather my hunting become something much more complex than just demanding that my harvest be recognized by some record book organization.

I have looked back at what hunting has meant to me, and peer recognition has never been any part of it. I not only hunt deer, but I hunt squirrels, and predators, and that is all hunting too. And you know what, there is no record book agency to satisfy with squirrells or foxes or coyotes. There's no measurement. There's no competition to get the biggest. Why should deer be any different? It is all hunting and all means the same to me, and always turns out to be a much bigger experience than laying a tape measure on some deer's antlers. I think that over all these years that relaxed aspect to my hunting has served me well and kept the whole thing in perspective and made the whole activity fit the true meaning of recreation.

Doc

Squirrels are measured by the size of their nuts, everyone knows that!

[burmjohn]

I prefer the taste of venison to the look of antlers.  Do I have some nice racks sure. Have I harvested small bucks and even does sure. I find no difference in the taste of the meat.

Me too, even better when they are bigger and older with more meat.

[bubba]

quantity is as good as quality. I di dnot say I shot fawns. I said I have shot big rcks small racks and even a big deer with a small rack.  Deer size to me is more important than rack size. 

[bushnell]

Doc you hit it right on the head. Yes I admire a nice set of antlers, all hunters do but at the end of the season it is not about who shot the biggest one. It is about who were successful this year. I have been hunting for 15 years now and I still get excited when I have a doe walking my way. I have shot 23 deer so far and every one of them is a trophy and a memory.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Ok....honesty time...nothing tastes better out of my smoker than a hind quarter of a deer that has only been on solid food a few months...sorry just honesty...lol. the two worst tasting deer I have had are my two biggest mounts. I should have ground them all up....aside from the loins and backstraps.

[bushnell]

Agreed. Seems like the older the deer the tougher the meat.