It's about Quality -

[counts]

To answer your question, yes. I will say this. The good bucks are hardly ever seen. The neighbors see maybe one a year. A fella took a 160 12 point across the street, and the whole neighborhood thought the big boy was gone. There are literally tons of them. I, to my knowledge have never seen the same one twice.

[PoisonSnake]

The biggest of all bucks that I saw this year, I think were bedding right behind a fellows house that borders the HFA. I couldn't swear to it, but it is pretty brushy in there and that is where most of them came from. I guess a fellow would have to call them neighborhood deer as well as HF deer.



What do you think those deer do? Do they travel for miles through those brushy draws and such in search of hot does?

[hobiecat]

I tell you boys another problem of mine. I can tell you that scoring a deer on the hoof is pretty dang difficult to do.

They always look bigger on the hoof than they do on the ground!

[counts]

Hobie- That may be true on borderline deer, but your eyes can see a great buck at 40 yards, unless you are a dork donkey.

[PoisonSnake]

170: Surprisingly enough, the last 2 bucks I have killed were aged at 3.5 years. Now, I didn't age them and know little or nothing about it. But, that is what the taxidermist said when I took him the deer to give him the capes. I didn't give him the cape of the 10 pointer as it was messed up a bit and he didn't want it. The snout in one of those pics of the 8 pointer looks like he would be a 3.5 year old. Then, in another couple of pics, he looks to be 2.5. All I know with certainty is that he FD 170#s. That doesn't tell a fellow very much. But, most 2.5 year olds around here FD around 140-150#s. I think 3.5 years is borderline and not until you reach 4.5 will you see the true potential of the rack. If I had been able to watch that deer walk by me from front to back like he did do, I could have made a decision not to shoot. But, when I saw him he was already by me and going away (they always look better going away) and then I got frazzled. You guys have already heard that story.

[PoisonSnake]

Counts: That isn't always true. I didn't raise my gun when I first saw that buck I shot with a rifle. Then, when he was running away I could see how good he was. Then, when I caught up with him and shot twice more, I really could see how good he was. Then, when I ran past him and then came down and jumped him up and didn't take the 4th shot, I could really see how good he was. But, had I been in a stand, I could have made him out for sure. I was on the ground. PS

[counts]

I don't hunt from the ground. When I speak of deer, I am always refering to bow hunting. I have never and will never kill a deer with a high powered rifle. Those weapons afford you the ability to mis-judge deer.

[hobiecat]

counts said:

Hobie- That may be true on borderline deer, but your eyes can see a great buck at 40 yards, unless you are a dork donkey.

DC, I won't argue that. What I'm sayin is... they always look bigger than they are, when the adreline is flowin before the shot!

[Great White Hunter]

Hobie - That's not always true with bigger on the hoof than on the ground....my buck's are the same size, they don't grow or shrink before I get to them. Maybe you all have some different kind of freak deer that grow or shrink after they're shot.

[hobiecat]

Now STFU you squinty-eyed peter shark!

[PoisonSnake]

I hear you. That is why I intend to bowhunt only from here on out. I have got to take myself to another level as 2B has suggested.

[counts]

I guess so. I hunt on average 6 times a week. I see lots of deer, and don't get shook up until they hit about 150. Now I am not trying to blow smoke up my own donkey, but this hunting thing is a major part of my life, and I have the time to go alot. I will be out again today.

[hunting170]

Snowjob`s deer grow after they are dead, and he puts the tape measure to them.

I agree PS. 4 1/2 is the magic age.

[hunting170]

PS,

If you intend to bowhunt only, then why are you so darn worried about that smoke pole?

[Great White Hunter]

170 - Like you know what a big deer looks like.