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I hate Earn-A-Buck!
dcso3009
Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
I was in Wisconsin for Monday night/Tuesday Morning. All I have to say is I hate E.A.B.! I saw 7 bucks and not a single doe. One real nice 14 point buck by my stand! 10 point main frame with 4 stickers! I hope to see him after I get my doe shot. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Comments
p.s. I wish more people around here would pass on deer, take for instance...I passed up a nice 8 point last year he was 2 years old, like 15 inch spread pretty heavy I let him walk for next year. First day of gun season someone shot him, I think of that almost everyday....so with the types of hunters around shoot anything that moves its hard to let a 2 year old walk for me, but I am gonna try to this season [B)]
Total opposite here in eastern ohio, I see 5 doe to maybe one buck. And the bucks I do see I should let walk but like I don't have many under my belt ya know...so i see a 2 1/2 year old walk out and to the area I hunt he is a dandy. I see the 120-130 inch u guys kill or atleast see every year, you don't how lucky you are lol. I wish we had to earn a buck tag, this area needs it man.
p.s. I wish more people around here would pass on deer, take for instance...I passed up a nice 8 point last year he was 2 years old, like 15 inch spread pretty heavy I let him walk for next year. First day of gun season someone shot him, I think of that almost everyday....so with the types of hunters around shoot anything that moves its hard to let a 2 year old walk for me, but I am gonna try to this season [B)]
agrees 100%
my mom hit an 8pt last night with the van. im sure it lived. only cracked the turn signal
Total opposite here in eastern ohio, I see 5 doe to maybe one buck. And the bucks I do see I should let walk but like I don't have many under my belt ya know...so i see a 2 1/2 year old walk out and to the area I hunt he is a dandy. I see the 120-130 inch u guys kill or atleast see every year, you don't how lucky you are lol. I wish we had to earn a buck tag, this area needs it man.
p.s. I wish more people around here would pass on deer, take for instance...I passed up a nice 8 point last year he was 2 years old, like 15 inch spread pretty heavy I let him walk for next year. First day of gun season someone shot him, I think of that almost everyday....so with the types of hunters around shoot anything that moves its hard to let a 2 year old walk for me, but I am gonna try to this season [B)]
I know the feeling. We had the same thing go on for years in NW Wisconsin. Then lots of us got into passing on the smaller bucks. Now there are respectable bucks all over. Some into the trophy range. It only takes 2 years to see the results. I'm not talking complete QDM, just passing on the little guys. My FIL's rule is 8 pt or more and outside the ears. Not out of the question... We have 2 yo bucks that make that. The land I hunt in west central Wisc the buck has to go on the wall before you can shoot. That is a little harder. You have to commit to spending even more $$ before the shot.
Sure there are bucks that we pass that get shot by another, but there are some that make it. The ones that make it are better for it.
It sounds like your area may benifit from EAB, so impose it on yourself. That is what we did before the state did it to us. We are a little ahead of times and now that the law demands it, coming up with a doe with proper heard balance is hard... but not impossible.
I've also killed a spike, a four point and several six points that were smallish. Again, the experience made me a better hunter.
Over the last three years I've killed two seven points on my lease that I have hunted for the past ten years. I will pass on the smaller bucks this year as we have state impossed antler restrictions. I don't mind but we need to kill some does off of our property. I wish they would make it a doe for a buck for a couple of years.
Anyway, I hope to get a nice doe during bow season but if a legal buck comes along I won't let him pass without at least trying to stick him.
Bode
It is what it is I suppose. Good luck to you.
I'm with you in regard to EAB. I only get to hunt once or twice per year tops and typically spend those hunts on a special lottery hunt in a State Park here in Illinois. The does all live in the camp ground and weigh about 90 - 100 lbs. max. I'm from Wisconsin...where the does tend to get quite big so it's a little hard on the ego to shoot one these little camp ground dogs just to have a chance at a bruiser.
It is what it is I suppose. Good luck to you.
Which state parks do you hunt?
On the bright side, if I get a crack at a buck, it will be a good one!
I told my sons "any deer is a trophy, you have to decide what is a trophy for you". They have both shot bucks, small ones. However at least they know how to kill a big one if he comes along. Will they continue to shoot small bucks, probably not. Will they continue to hunt, I beleive so. If they had to wait until a bruiser came along they probably may have given up, maybe not. It's just like taking a kid fishing, they just want to catch fish.
I'm not against buck managment. I just want to keep the focus on the hunt and not on the trophy. I have helped several grown men get started hunting. I gave them the same advice as my sons, most of these men are still hunting and have children who now hunt. I also start a lot of other young boys and girls hunting and fishing. Yes I'm easy, I also work with a lot of single mothers who's sons and occasioanaly daughters have no one to show them.
I guess my point is enjoy the hunt, on your terms, but also allow others to enjoy theirs.
Again I support deer/buck managment, as long as it doesn't stop the hunt.
Jasper May
There is some real merit to your statements. I agree that beginners should harvest any deer they would like. The trophy management is more for us veterans who have taken a few deer and would like to have more larger bucks.
I fully agree with your statement : "you have to decide what is a trophy for you". I know some people get an unrealistic view on what is a good buck. TV shows are one of the contributers to this. I know people who go for years passing on the best buck on their property thinking there must be a better one out there because they always shoot big ones on TV.
This gun season my personal goal is to get my wife a deer. I will not likely shoot a buck less than 150. That is my standard for gun hunting. I don't think my wife should be held to the same standard, as she has not shot a deer yet. I welcome her to shoot any deer she likes.
You also said : "I guess my point is enjoy the hunt, on your terms, but also allow others to enjoy theirs." Here again I totally agree with you. There are few enough of us out there, we need to stick together and keep our sport alive. I go one step further, teaching firearm safety, and commit to introducing one new person to hunting each year.
I also get annoyed with all those hunting shows only showing buck hunts, in a lot of places there are a lot more does not to mention the does are way bigger.
Whats better shooting a 100 pound buck or a 300 pound doe? Personally I chose the doe.
I have yet to see a 300# doe but if I ever do (highly unlikely), you can bet I'll be shootin'.
Wish I could find the pic, not sure if it was actually 300 pounds but it was a monster, took 2 big guys to get it in the truck and to hang it in the garage we had to tie the rope to the truck, we couldn't do it with our own weight/strength.
From its back hoofs to its tounge touching the floor it was around 8 foot, really wish I could find the pic. Have it around here somewhere.
If you ask me the last is the best option. Letting us harvest what we want has given us the option to manage the doe population, and also let the young bucks walk. This is our choice. I'm not trying to say that everyone has to shoot only trophy bucks. If that were the case the hunting would go down hill.
If you go back to where I began speaking of this particular property has been managed intensively including the harvest of does. The issue is now the state requires us to shoot a doe first. This is what is a real bummer. We are now working on finding new areas to hunt does so we can get our EAB tags in an area with an overabundance of them.
Lets remember that we all have our own styles of hunting, and that my way may not be yours. How can this be a bad thing? More hunters is a good thing. Lets all go hunting.
quote:Originally posted by bang250
I have yet to see a 300# doe but if I ever do (highly unlikely), you can bet I'll be shootin'.
Wish I could find the pic, not sure if it was actually 300 pounds but it was a monster, took 2 big guys to get it in the truck and to hang it in the garage we had to tie the rope to the truck, we couldn't do it with our own weight/strength.
From its back hoofs to its tounge touching the floor it was around 8 foot, really wish I could find the pic. Have it around here somewhere.
I would love to see it! That, would be tough for me to shoot. I don't get buck fever...I get deer fever! Heck, the last doe I shot..the first time I tried to draw I couldn't get the bow pulled. i had to calm myself and try again. If I ever loose that feeling, I'll probably quit hunting.
quote:Originally posted by redice
quote:Originally posted by bang250
I have yet to see a 300# doe but if I ever do (highly unlikely), you can bet I'll be shootin'.
Wish I could find the pic, not sure if it was actually 300 pounds but it was a monster, took 2 big guys to get it in the truck and to hang it in the garage we had to tie the rope to the truck, we couldn't do it with our own weight/strength.
From its back hoofs to its tounge touching the floor it was around 8 foot, really wish I could find the pic. Have it around here somewhere.
I would love to see it! That, would be tough for me to shoot. I don't get buck fever...I get deer fever! Heck, the last doe I shot..the first time I tried to draw I couldn't get the bow pulled. i had to calm myself and try again. If I ever loose that feeling, I'll probably quit hunting.
Heh I'm like the exact opposite I see a deer and my adrenalin starts going and everything slows down and I become steadier/stronger.
I will keep looking I may have put it into a dvd backup doesn't seem to be on my pc anymore.
edit: Found it. In the picture I'm 6" 4' and yes I'm a big guy.
quote:Originally posted by bang250
quote:Originally posted by redice
quote:Originally posted by bang250
I have yet to see a 300# doe but if I ever do (highly unlikely), you can bet I'll be shootin'.
Wish I could find the pic, not sure if it was actually 300 pounds but it was a monster, took 2 big guys to get it in the truck and to hang it in the garage we had to tie the rope to the truck, we couldn't do it with our own weight/strength.
From its back hoofs to its tounge touching the floor it was around 8 foot, really wish I could find the pic. Have it around here somewhere.
I would love to see it! That, would be tough for me to shoot. I don't get buck fever...I get deer fever! Heck, the last doe I shot..the first time I tried to draw I couldn't get the bow pulled. i had to calm myself and try again. If I ever loose that feeling, I'll probably quit hunting.
Heh I'm like the exact opposite I see a deer and my adrenalin starts going and everything slows down and I become steadier/stronger.
I will keep looking I may have put it into a dvd backup doesn't seem to be on my pc anymore.
edit: Found it. In the picture I'm 6" 4' and yes I'm a big guy.
ya...i would say thats a big doe[:0]
Romanian SAR 1?
Good eye, has had about 1k rounds through it still shoots good right now its my main deer gun. Took my first, that doe with it and hopefully will take some more with it this year, was going to use my 45lc lever rifle however it didn't do the job yesterday when I had the chance.
Shot a doe yesterday the 300gr lead didn't put her down and she ran haven't had any luck tracking her past her first lay good amount of blood at first but after that first lay nothing.
Hit aimed center mass right behind the shoulder as I thought I should, that's what I had always been told, however this is the second time I have lost a deer with that shot first with a bow. So I did some research seems like it is a good spot however its mainly lungs your hitting heart is actually behind that leg more heck I may even have hit the liver which is possibly a non lethal shot apparently..
So I think from now on I am first off using a semi auto "hence the ak" and also something of high velocity again ak, or my 6.8 rem spc ar-15. And 3rd if it runs, I don't go looking for it until the next day, after an hour it still wasn't dead and spooked and I couldn't get a shot off through all the brush. Oh and I'm thinking of putting the shot right at that heart target and also try to hit the bone or go higher and go for the spine/shoulder.
When I shot that doe with the ak she was laying, I had walked up on her put one through her left shoulder through her rib cage and it ended up in the gut unfortunately. Only put a small hole in the gut but still stunk a little, but the point is it turned everything in her chest including her heart into jelly, she didn't move.