Are any of your clubs changing the number of deer that can be killed by each member?

Trappertod

Six Pointer
Another factor also is what you are trying to accomplish with the property. Are you just trying to have a stable herd so that members can enjoy hunting and have fun or are you trying to grow trophy bucks? I have no problem with either, just whatever the focus is of the group.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Another factor also is what you are trying to accomplish with the property. Are you just trying to have a stable herd so that members can enjoy hunting and have fun or are you trying to grow trophy bucks? I have no problem with either, just whatever the focus is of the group.

Im not expecting 140 inch deer- just a stable herd and a little more age on the bucks we have. How many basket rack 8 points does a man need to kill? I have been over it for quite a number of years
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
Im not expecting 140 inch deer- just a stable herd and a little more age on the bucks we have. How many basket rack 8 points does a man need to kill? I have been over it for quite a number of years

Darn good question. I know several people that feel like they have to kill a buck every year to feel like they are getting their monies worth at the club. Consequently, they are the ones that end up with young bucks that everyone else, with self control, let walk. If you are in a trophy club, and everyone in your club or the majority of your members are killing bucks, you aren't really a trophy club.
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
We both know the logic of a dead do has no fawns whether she dies in September or December. Unfortunately, common sense and critical thinking are optional on today's model of people.

so true,,,so very true,,,,,,,
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Darn good question. I know several people that feel like they have to kill a buck every year to feel like they are getting their monies worth at the club. Consequently, they are the ones that end up with young bucks that everyone else, with self control, let walk. If you are in a trophy club, and everyone in your club or the majority of your members are killing bucks, you aren't really a trophy club.

I dont think we could ever get to be a trophy club with the kill em all dog club next to us and i am ok with that....but we have to change something....either club headcount.....or member mindset!!
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I dont think we could ever get to be a trophy club with the kill em all dog club next to us and i am ok with that....but we have to change something....either club headcount.....or member mindset!!

Just be mindful of taking it to extremes, whatever you decide. I grew up killing deer...big, small, doe, buck...didn't matter. Over the years we got really picky about what we shot on the home farms. We started killing a LOT bigger deer, but we also started killing a LOT less deer overall.

It wasn't til I joined a brown and down club, that I realized just how bored I had become with 'watching'. I still hunt the home farms, but there's something missing. Just my .02, ymmv.
 

lowery63

Four Pointer
U can be a trophy club weed out who doesn't want to go along with what your plans are for the future of the club and just remember its not about just the killing its about respecting the game u are pursuing anyone can kill a deer it takes a true hunter to respect the game

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lowery63

Four Pointer
For several yeats now i been apart of two different trophy clubs and i can say personally its been the most eye opening and most enjoyable deer seasons i have had just watching the growth of young deer i wouldn't never join a brown its down club or waste my time to go to game land ever again

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KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Just be mindful of taking it to extremes, whatever you decide. I grew up killing deer...big, small, doe, buck...didn't matter. Over the years we got really picky about what we shot on the home farms. We started killing a LOT bigger deer, but we also started killing a LOT less deer overall.

It wasn't til I joined a brown and down club, that I realized just how bored I had become with 'watching'. I still hunt the home farms, but there's something missing. Just my .02, ymmv.

Couldn't agree more. Why I run dogs on holidays and weekends. Plus got a few farms landowners want everything killed. I know a few guys that were strict on trophy management that burned out.
 

blackice

Eight Pointer
KTMan I know all about burn out. Trophy hunting took all the fun out of it for me. It's really hard to get excited about going any more but one must remember that you will never kill a big buck if there is not one anywhere near where you hunt or one you personally would consider a trophy buck. Had alot more fun shooting deer then watching them for so many years.
 

Weekender

Twelve Pointer
I've heard similar stories. I know a nice older gent in a older buck only club over in Marion, SC, and he says it has about ruined deer hunting for him. 3,000 acres, ten members.

I love hunting with an outfitter every anniversary of ours. He has a restriction on bucks. I usually see way more deer in general at his place because of the limited shooting. He even has some farms with a no doe killing rule. LOTS of deer to be seen on those farms. The deer can see me from the stand but they don't act skittish. Killed two of my biggest bucks ever there. Even when I don't shoot I see some amazing stuff. In the bow stand one afternoon, I counted fifteen deer, including a cocky spike who was grunting at all the other deer like he was the boss buck. LOL.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
We noticed the more does we killed the more bucks we saw. During the rut I might see 8-10 bucks on a good day. Best day this year I saw 13 different bucks on a morning sit.

Side note: I also did not shoot a buck off any of our farms this year.

It isn't rocket science.

If you want to see more deer, shoot less does.

If you want to see more quality bucks, shoot more does, and fewer small bucks.

IMO it is sad to see the extremes that some people take it to, sometimes.

I have a friend, and he does kill mature, midwestern deer every year, but his obsession with it? Kinda strange to me. He waxed poetic on facebook about how bummed he was to see a nice buck on his "hit list" road killed. Truly, he was bothered and depressed by it. I'm sorry, but the concept of a "hit list" for deer always made me uncomfortable.

Joe Franz, the Iowan who killed that monster, and later was charged and acquitted, bought and sold a handful of farms in search of one that produced records, instead of trophy's, and had a videographer with him on his hunt. I don't think he hunts for the same reasons many of us do.

I will avoid shooting immature bucks the same as anyone. I certainly don't advocate shooting at every deer you see. But I now realize that there are a lot of people that hunt for different reasons than I do.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
It isn't rocket science.

If you want to see more deer, shoot less does.

If you want to see more quality bucks, shoot more does, and fewer small bucks.

IMO it is sad to see the extremes that some people take it to, sometimes.

I have a friend, and he does kill mature, midwestern deer every year, but his obsession with it? Kinda strange to me. He waxed poetic on facebook about how bummed he was to see a nice buck on his "hit list" road killed. Truly, he was bothered and depressed by it. I'm sorry, but the concept of a "hit list" for deer always made me uncomfortable.

Joe Franz, the Iowan who killed that monster, and later was charged and acquitted, bought and sold a handful of farms in search of one that produced records, instead of trophy's, and had a videographer with him on his hunt. I don't think he hunts for the same reasons many of us do.

I will avoid shooting immature bucks the same as anyone. I certainly don't advocate shooting at every deer you see. But I now realize that there are a lot of people that hunt for different reasons than I do.
Was that the one that had an old mineral site and the state thought it should be completely dug out and removed to not be considered bait?
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Was that the one that had an old mineral site and the state thought it should be completely dug out and removed to not be considered bait?

Yep. He had called the Iowa DNR and they told him to cover it with dirt. If he hadn't shot a record, that probably would have been the end of it. But he did, and he videotaped it. The judge either acquitted him or dismissed the charge.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
The challenge now will be how do you stay excited to hunt. I like shooting does, I kill a few every year for the freezer and enjoy those hunts. When we had good deer numbers you could hunt early for does, hit it hard in November for a good buck, then I was excited for December to roll around so I could kill a few does. With the numbers down so much I haven't felt right about shooting does, still killed a few for the freezer but not as much fun as it used to be. We're also not really killing many bucks, 2 off 1500 acres. When 1/2 your sits you don't see any deer, you feel guilty about shooting the ones you do see and good buck sightings are few and far between it's hard to stay motivated! At least the grilling out and turkey hunting are top notch.
 

lowery63

Four Pointer
If your hunt just to shoot deer your Hunting for the wrong reasons its about respecting the game your after

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lowery63

Four Pointer
I guess it depends on the skill level little skills little deer lot of skill bigger deer

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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I guess it depends on the skill level little skills little deer lot of skill bigger deer

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That is so off base it's laughable. So according to you if a hunter shoots a smaller buck than you that then they have less skill?? I've known plenty of hunters through the years that have killed large mature deer that were just as proud of some of their smaller bucks as they were the brutes. Also according to you the guys that go out and hunt the 200" bucks in deer farms have more skills than the hunter in NC that nails the 120" 8pt???? No....just No lol

If your hunt just to shoot deer your Hunting for the wrong reasons its about respecting the game your after

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So those guys that only shoot big mature bucks for the horns are respectful????? What about those trophy hunters that cut off the rack while leaving the meat to rot, are they respectful of the game???? Sorry but you make it sound as though only trophy guys respect deer, and you come across insulting to any that don't agree with your principals.


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lowery63

Four Pointer
I understand Travislh where u would think what has been said but some people on this topic all they have talked about is the killing part nothing about the respect for the game we hunt we os the enjoyment in that when did it become boring to go out into nature and just sit there and listen to bitds chirping squirrels playi g become boring and yes it doesn't take much skill to kill an immature animal again i wasnt speaking for all but jist my opinion i wouldn't want a guy that just in it for the kill in or around the land i try to maintain

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oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
little skills would mean that any deer might be a challenge.

big skills would mean not much challenge in just killing any deer. as easy as killing a cow.

a big deer in NC is a lightning strike anyway except for those with the time and land to hunt them where there are some old enough to get big.

you can tell from the DDC and our kill posts that not many folks have that luxury.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Just because no one has made respect for game the focus of this topic in no way implies that it's not there. You are the only one equating size to skill and skill to respect. I personally wouldn't want a guy in or around my kids that I'm teaching to hunt, that is so quick to judge and condemn others based on which game they chose to take.


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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Just because no one has made respect for game the focus of this topic in no way implies that it's not there. You are the only one equating size to skill and skill to respect. I personally wouldn't want a guy in or around my kids that I'm teaching to hunt, that is so quick to judge and condemn others based on which game they chose to take.


thank you Sir,,,,,,
 

Deerhuntr

Ten Pointer
IMHO hunting and killing big bucks has zero to do with respect for the animal. Most of the folks that I know that are actually meat hunters truly appreciate the opportunity to harvest any animal that is legal. The trophy hunters that I know personally are the ones that will cut your throat to have even the slightest chance to kill a big racked buck. Also basing an individual's skills on the quality of deer that they choose to harvest is null. Maybe they are sick of the commercialization of deer hunting in general and have chose to enjoy this great sport.
 
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