A little slow this year but.....

[knockturnal]

This year has been a bit slow for me. took a nice 3x3 mulie with the bow on september 7th in region 3 and an immature bull mid october. All of my typical areas that i hunt have been slammed hard this year. People all over the place. Thats how it goes i suppose. Ive hunted every weekend since the season opened, as i have the pleasure of have 3 day weekends. Ive seen a lot of deer and moose this year, which i cant complain....but then i stumbled apon this. Cant find the other one and im not to sure how old it is but i could only imagine this buck size with a full set of headgear. The mass on this antler is re-donk-ulous to say the least. Anywho, here you go.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs091.snc3/15840_192657408887_504698887_2887561_1909240_n.jpg
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs091.snc3/15840_192658223887_504698887_2887562_3155785_n.jpg
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs111.snc3/15840_192659073887_504698887_2887565_3337729_n.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs091.snc3/15840_192659963887_504698887_2887574_8127507_n.jpg
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs091.snc3/15840_192660743887_504698887_2887582_5855873_n.jpg
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs111.snc3/15840_192661528887_504698887_2887584_7305126_n.jpg
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs111.snc3/15840_192662358887_504698887_2887586_3270545_n.jpg

[dana]

Damn!!! Looks like I'm headin to Kelowna next season. :)

[Wrayzer]

That's a beauty! I heard about someone taking a palmated muley, same day and area I was in, even heard the shot. Wonder if your find is from somewhere in region 8?

[PGK]

Tooley buck!

[husky30-06]

heard one was taken from kamloops last year (i think), off of the kamloops indian reserve.....

[knockturnal]

yeah. its around kelowna.....somewheres. but thats all yur getting.

[BlacktailStalker]

Doesnt sound like a bad year at all.
Plus now you have a "target" to hunt :cool:

[Alpine85]

Sweet looking shed man!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe the other side is in someones antler pile already?
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y200/Alpine85/IMGA0250.jpg

[hunter1947]

Buy the looks of the sheds you found there should be sum lunkers kicking around there somewhere there ,have you got any decent mule deer in this area where you found this shed ????.

[mark]

Sweet looking shed man!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe the other side is in someones antler pile already?
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y200/Alpine85/IMGA0250.jpg


Thanks for digging that out of my gallery bud!
I was just gonna post this pic!
Heres another.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/medium/IMGA0252.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/showphoto.php?photo=13484&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=501)

Wow Knockturnal, that shed sure does look pretty dam similar to the one in my pic.
This shed also had an eyeguard, but broke it, and this shed was picked up several years ago, so the timing could be bang on with yours!

My buddy has this shed, I can get it anytime if you want to compare them, sure looks like the same buck to me as genes like that are very rare in this valley!

[winbuckhunter]

looks like the tooley buck from last year to me!!! or if not, same genes!!

[Alpine85]

Thanks for digging that out of my gallery bud!
I was just gonna post this pic!


I've been thinking about sheds lots latly, haha. Soon as I seen that pic I remembered the one you had posted of your buddys shed.

[mark]

We've swapped a few PM's, the shed was found in "exactly" the same spot as the other was 5 years ago!!!! We will try to reunite them for a scoring session and photos!
(pretty sure this buck is dead by now)

[knockturnal]

and if hes not..... hes probably got antlers like a moose.

[dana]

Nice to see that Stud finally matched up. Looking forward to the pics. You should try to take some with some good OK scenery in the background and send them into MC. They would love to see sheds like that in the Beyond Borders issue. You guys should also enter them into the shed contest on Monster Muleys this spring. With some good photos they could win. I won it the year I picked up MnT's sheds. I got a t-shirt, hat, hunting dvd, truck decal and bino buddies as the prize. Was fun just seeing a Canuck buck winning.

BTW,
Next season, Region 8 here I come. Time to dust off some of my ol' Westside and Peachland hidey holes. ;)

[mark]

BTW,
Next season, Region 8 here I come. Time to dust off some of my ol' Westside and Peachland hidey holes. ;)

Bring a bow! As you know, these ghosts that drop the big tine rarely show up before the end of season.
You'll be very disapointed when you return to yer old sweet spots, many of them will resemble a dirt bike track now, most everything on the westside and peachland gets pounded pretty hard these days!

Many of your old haunts are still basically void of muleys at the currant time.

Most region 8 hunters are complaining of the worst deer season of their life!
Last year the deer didnt even show up til dec. 15 :-?

Its still decent shed hunting here though! :-D

[kwasky]

Cool lookin antlers.

[knockturnal]

what is this so called Monster Mulies thing you talk about?

and i totally agree with Mark. The westside got slammed very hard this year. That, combined with the fire pretty much messed up my late season hunting. But, theres still time left. As long as it would snow some more to get rid of this crunchy layer. Then i can get my stalk on!

[mark]

what is this so called Monster Mulies thing you talk about?

and i totally agree with Mark. The westside got slammed very hard this year. That, combined with the fire pretty much messed up my late season hunting. But, theres still time left. As long as it would snow some more to get rid of this crunchy layer. Then i can get my stalk on!

Its the Yanky website for muley junkies, some awesome bucks posted, but the conversation over there doesnt apply to us very much!

http://www.monstermuleys.com/

[landphil]

As long as it would snow some more to get rid of this crunchy layer. Then i can get my stalk on!

Lots of fresh stuff up top today, about 4-5 inches new - take chains if you plan on driving anywhere that isn't graded - and yes, i have a 4x4

[knockturnal]

I have a quad that gets me into places that trucks cant.

[landphil]

I have a quad that gets me into places that trucks cant.

It's getting a little deep in places for even a quad, unless you have those cool mattracks:wink: At least it's easier to dig a quad out of a snow drift.

[knockturnal]

haha very true. i usually go places i shouldnt and that gets me into trouble.... but then again, thats usually where the animals are!

[dana]

Bring a bow! As you know, these ghosts that drop the big tine rarely show up before the end of season.
You'll be very disapointed when you return to yer old sweet spots, many of them will resemble a dirt bike track now, most everything on the westside and peachland gets pounded pretty hard these days!

Many of your old haunts are still basically void of muleys at the currant time.

Most region 8 hunters are complaining of the worst deer season of their life!
Last year the deer didnt even show up til dec. 15 :-?

Its still decent shed hunting here though! :-D

Yet you killed a Hammer with your rifle this year didn't ya? ;) Many times the late season isn't as cracked up as many think. Jelly is always pushing to find out the best 3 days, and I will stand by my words that the best is not in Nov. Early season is where she's at. Nov has way to many variables that you can't control. A little bit of research in the summer goes a long way to seeing a monster on the ground on opening day. Does nothing for getting a monster on the ground on the last day. Luck is about all you can count on in the late season. And in years like the last few, many aren't feeling the shine of lady luck, myself included. If the reports from the OK are poor, you should hear about the reports from 3. Dismal to say the least. Making me believe the reports of high winter mortality last winter. I didn't spend enough time shed hunting this spring to confirm, but the reports were pretty dang bad. Combine record number of wolves and we just might have seen the scale tip the other way when it comes to herd numbers.

[dana]

what is this so called Monster Mulies thing you talk about?


MonsterMuleys.com
If you are a muley addict like me, it is where you go to get your fix.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Bring a bow! As you know, these ghosts that drop the big tine rarely show up before the end of season.
You'll be very disapointed when you return to yer old sweet spots, many of them will resemble a dirt bike track now, most everything on the westside and peachland gets pounded pretty hard these days!

Many of your old haunts are still basically void of muleys at the currant time.

Most region 8 hunters are complaining of the worst deer season of their life!
Last year the deer didnt even show up til dec. 15 :-?

Its still decent shed hunting here though! :-D

On Sat I grabbed the bow headed into a spot that we usually see a pile of mulies. Saw one muley doe and a couple of whities. Zero snow and highs of 5 or 6C:-?.
I don't think the OK had near as bad as winter as Some parts of Reg 3. It was long but not that tough. Wolf problem is also not near as bad as Reg 3 (most areas). North OK may be worse.

Mark-did you see many winter kills shed hunting??

SSS

[knockturnal]

I believe one if the main problems is that no one practices quality deer managment. I know. I know. I sound like an American hunting show. But it works. I had the oppurtunity of being out in the bush a few days before any buck started. I was seeing upwards of 15 bucks every day. Almost all were under 4 points. On opening day, every truck that drove by my camp had a little dink buck in the back. I even watch a guy crank a little spiker. And when I say little. I mean little. It was a fawn with little nubs. I cringed and drove on. If more people passed up on the little ones, there would be more big boys around to hunt.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I believe one if the main problems is that no one practices quality deer managment. I know. I know. I sound like an American hunting show. But it works. I had the oppurtunity of being out in the bush a few days before any buck started. I was seeing upwards of 15 bucks every day. Almost all were under 4 points. On opening day, every truck that drove by my camp had a little dink buck in the back. I even watch a guy crank a little spiker. And when I say little. I mean little. It was a fawn with little nubs. I cringed and drove on. If more people passed up on the little ones, there would be more big boys around to hunt.

Well, we saw 3 pts yesterday while bow hunting so not all the little guys are getting creamed:wink:. The more guys that tag out early on the little ones, the less guys are in the bush later on when the big boyz come out. Some guys like early small bucks as they can be the best eating.

SSS

[GoatGuy]

I believe one if the main problems is that no one practices quality deer managment. I know. I know. I sound like an American hunting show. But it works. I had the oppurtunity of being out in the bush a few days before any buck started. I was seeing upwards of 15 bucks every day. Almost all were under 4 points. On opening day, every truck that drove by my camp had a little dink buck in the back. I even watch a guy crank a little spiker. And when I say little. I mean little. It was a fawn with little nubs. I cringed and drove on. If more people passed up on the little ones, there would be more big boys around to hunt.

There are lots of big bucks hanging around the usual spots. The people who are seeing them and shooting them are the same people who usually do, not the people who run into one ever 5-10 years and expect it every year.

If the deer aren't where you usually find them start heading up until you run into them. They didn't disappear in one year.

If you want to practice QDM do it: don't shoot small 'dink' bucks like the one in your avatar.

What's the difference between someone shooting a spike and you shooting a 150 class buck? They're both small deer and the spike will probably taste much better.

Your giving other people flack when you're shooting 3 pts. Pretty pathetic.

[knockturnal]

The deer in my picture is a 4x4. He's also 28 and 1/2" at his widest spread. And he dressed out at 215 lbs. So you can piss up a rope if you are telling me that's a dink buck.

[M@B]

that's the biggest "dink" buck I've ever seen.......
Jesus man! your standards a little high?

[knockturnal]

Haha. I don't have high standards. I just don't know why people enjoy smashing a little spiker that is still suckin the tit. That's all.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Haha. I don't have high standards. I just don't know why people enjoy smashing a little spiker that is still suckin the tit. That's all.

Did you miss GG's point??? You just did the same thing that he did to you...but his was by design.
You want people to shoot bucks that make you happy. Not them. They would tell you to go piss up a rope:wink:

SSS

[Th0r]

:mrgreen:..............:mrgreen:

[knockturnal]

Alright, well, now that this thread has turned into who can piss higher then who

[GoatGuy]

Haha. I don't have high standards. I just don't know why people enjoy smashing a little spiker that is still suckin the tit. That's all.

It's pretty simple really, because they want to eat deer meat.

I don't understand why guys like you would say they want to shoot big bucks and then shoot 3 pts or 28 1/2" wide 4 pts.

I also don't know what makes you believe you have the right to regulate other people to what you believe they should be shooting.

[knockturnal]

I'm not regulating anyone except myself. I don't pull the trigger on your rifle. You do.

[knockturnal]

It's pretty simple really, because they want to eat deer meat.

I don't understand why guys like you would say they want to shoot big bucks and then shoot 3 pts or 28 1/2" wide 4 pts.

I also don't know what makes you believe you have the right to regulate other people to what you believe they should be shooting.

And you make no sense. I say I want to shoot big bucks... And I do?

[GoatGuy]

And you make no sense. I say I want to shoot big bucks... And I do?

........................................


This year has been a bit slow for me. took a nice 3x3 mulie with the bow on september 7th in region 3 and an immature bull mid october. All of my typical areas that i hunt have been slammed hard this year. People all over the place.

.........................

How many bucks have you passed up or shot over 200"? 190"? 180"?

[GoatGuy]

I'm not regulating anyone except myself. I don't pull the trigger on your rifle. You do.
................................................

I believe one if the main problems is that no one practices quality deer managment. I know. I know. I sound like an American hunting show. But it works. I had the oppurtunity of being out in the bush a few days before any buck started. I was seeing upwards of 15 bucks every day. Almost all were under 4 points. On opening day, every truck that drove by my camp had a little dink buck in the back. I even watch a guy crank a little spiker. And when I say little. I mean little. It was a fawn with little nubs. I cringed and drove on. If more people passed up on the little ones, there would be more big boys around to hunt.

...........................................

[horshur]

I am sorry but.........there is no rational to the value of a big buck if they are managed so that all of them are big.....whats the point?????//

The value of a large deer is it's scarcity ...kinda like gold it wouldn't be much of a deal if it was as common as iron.

[kennyj]

All I can say is WOW!
kenny

[knockturnal]

I'm not even going to continue with this conversation. It has been misunderstood and blown out of proportion. As hunters, we should all be on the same side. I'm bowing out. You can think whatever you want of me but in the end, this is the Internet. Your opinion means just as much as mine. Except you have more posts. So I guess that makes you right.

[dana]

knockturnal,
There aren't too many guys out there that are as hard-core when it comes to trophy muleys as I am, and guess what, I totally agree with GG on this one. While you might look down on a guy that shoots a dink little spiker, I could easily look down on guys that can't let bucks like the one in your avatar go to grow. My standards are pretty damn high, and I have taken several dink bucks over 190 and 200 inches. I pass on numerous bucks every year that make yours look like it still has milk on it's lips. But am I knockin your buck? Nope! It is obvious you liked it. And more power to ya. Glad you killed it. But a buck like that does nothing for me. I don't even raise my rifle on bucks like that. But....when I am hunting with my kids, I'll gladly shoot a spiker for the freezer. Different priorities for different kinds of hunts. What guys like GG are trying to get across is the fact you can't put your own personal likes and dislikes on other hunters. We all hunt for different reasons and in this province we have been catering to the wannabe-trophy hunter for way too long. I enjoy the pursuit more than I enjoy the kill. I am more than satisfied to end my season eating soup on my muley buck tag. Do I look at the year in disappoitment. No Fing way. I've had a blast! I have passed on some real good bucks, just never encountered THE ONE I'm looking for. That is where the rubber hits the road when it comes to being a Trophy Hunter. If you think it's going to be easy, then you better giver up now and take up golf.

[Th0r]

Well stated Dana. I think the phrase "dink spiker" has hit a raw nerve with some.

[mark]

Cmon guys, this thread was about an awesome set of sheds!
(probably would of met most of our standards )

All that matters is that every hunter is happy with his/her kill :-D

[Fisher-Dude]

If more people passed up on the little ones, there would be more big boys around to hunt.

What do you base that on? I'd like to read the study that proves your ill-informed dream, because the ones I've read don't support what you're saying.

[Fisher-Dude]

I am sorry but.........there is no rational to the value of a big buck if they are managed so that all of them are big.....whats the point?????//

The value of a large deer is it's scarcity ...kinda like gold it wouldn't be much of a deal if it was as common as iron.

Bingo! I guess the wannabes can't find a scarce deer, so they want them as common as WT does in Cranbrook so they can brag up a storm on the intraweb. :-?

I shot 3 dink deer this year and I enjoyed every minute of it, and am very pleased with the success I had. And, to top it off, my freezer is full of tender, mild meat. What could be better?

[dana]

Cmon guys, this thread was about an awesome set of sheds!
(probably would of met most of our standards )

All that matters is that every hunter is happy with his/her kill :-D

Mark,
Those sheds just prove the point don't they? That big ol' boy survived numerous hunting seasons and avoided both meat and trophy hunters. He didn't end up on anyones wall. So how can one make the arguement that other hunters are killing too many little deer if that same hunter can't kill the big uns that actually live there? That buck won and his sheds just prove that big bucks can grow up under our noses and can outsmart us more times than not. To the real trophy hunter, those sheds should give him the drive to pass on all the decent bucks, all the good bucks and even the ones that make him cry, so he can kill a true Giant, just like you did this year. Both these sheds and your buck fuel the fire in the trophy hunter that Giants do live here and if one hunts hard and hunts smart, one could encounter his own Giant too.

[knockturnal]

You gonna be around at all this weekend mark? I should be able to get away between study sessions.

[mark]

Mark,
Those sheds just prove the point don't they? That big ol' boy survived numerous hunting seasons and avoided both meat and trophy hunters. He didn't end up on anyones wall. So how can one make the arguement that other hunters are killing too many little deer if that same hunter can't kill the big uns that actually live there? That buck won and his sheds just prove that big bucks can grow up under our noses and can outsmart us more times than not. To the real trophy hunter, those sheds should give him the drive to pass on all the decent bucks, all the good bucks and even the ones that make him cry, so he can kill a true Giant, just like you did this year. Both these sheds and your buck fuel the fire in the trophy hunter that Giants do live here and if one hunts hard and hunts smart, one could encounter his own Giant too.

Agreed, its some of the huge sheds Ive seen and found in recent years that help me in not shooting the mediocre bucks....I know there out there...I have the proof!


You gonna be around at all this weekend mark? I should be able to get away between study sessions.

Bow hunting all weekend, call me after dark!

[GoatGuy]

knockturnal,
There aren't too many guys out there that are as hard-core when it comes to trophy muleys as I am, and guess what, I totally agree with GG on this one. While you might look down on a guy that shoots a dink little spiker, I could easily look down on guys that can't let bucks like the one in your avatar go to grow. My standards are pretty damn high, and I have taken several dink bucks over 190 and 200 inches. I pass on numerous bucks every year that make yours look like it still has milk on it's lips. But am I knockin your buck? Nope! It is obvious you liked it. And more power to ya. Glad you killed it. But a buck like that does nothing for me. I don't even raise my rifle on bucks like that. But....when I am hunting with my kids, I'll gladly shoot a spiker for the freezer. Different priorities for different kinds of hunts. What guys like GG are trying to get across is the fact you can't put your own personal likes and dislikes on other hunters. We all hunt for different reasons and in this province we have been catering to the wannabe-trophy hunter for way too long. I enjoy the pursuit more than I enjoy the kill. I am more than satisfied to end my season eating soup on my muley buck tag. Do I look at the year in disappoitment. No Fing way. I've had a blast! I have passed on some real good bucks, just never encountered THE ONE I'm looking for. That is where the rubber hits the road when it comes to being a Trophy Hunter. If you think it's going to be easy, then you better giver up now and take up golf.


The point I was trying to make.

Tired of the pseudo "big" buck/bull/ram hunters who figure everybody else should be regulated to what they consider to be their 'standards'. Funniest part is they're often scrambling to find a 6 pt bull elk, 160" muley or a 6 yr old rocky and can't keep their finger out of the trigger guard when they see it. Nevermind the first basket rack white-tail that hops out of the bush. When they don't shoot one you get every excuse under the sun - it's always somebody/something else's fault, never the hunter's.

Not that I care what people want to shoot at all - as long as it's sustainable I'm all for it 100%. But it ticks me off something fierce when you get somebody who wants to regulate everybody else because they consider themselves to be a "big buck hunter" and they're the same ones shooting the first 4 pt that they see or a 3 pt in this case.:confused:

I think most of it's fueled by jealousy and in my opinion the pictures on the net make it worse (no offense).

It's pathetic really.

[knockturnal]

I agree with you on some of your points yes. And I'm not trying to regulate anyones hunts. God knows the government does that enough. And yes, I will admit that I am jelouse of mark and all of the other hunters in here that have taken a doozy of a deer this year. The point that I was trying to make is that I don't understand why people feel they need to take a yearling buck with little nibs. That's all!! But if that's what turns your crank, then so be it. Who am I to judge. The 3x3 I took this year with my bow was my first bow kill and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Sorry if I upset you with my earlier statements. It was never ment to be

[GoatGuy]

I agree with you on some of your points yes. And I'm not trying to regulate anyones hunts. God knows the government does that enough. And yes, I will admit that I am jelouse of mark and all of the other hunters in here that have taken a doozy of a deer this year. The point that I was trying to make is that I don't understand why people feel they need to take a yearling buck with little nibs. That's all!! But if that's what turns your crank, then so be it. Who am I to judge. The 3x3 I took this year with my bow was my first bow kill and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Sorry if I upset you with my earlier statements. It was never ment to be

The point is you're happy with your buck and other people are happy with a spike. I'm happy for you and I think that's great!

It's all relative. Met people who have only shot 1 4 pts in their entire life (40+ years of hunting) and would much rather shoot a spike because they taste better. You can't eat the antlers they say. Fine by me.

If you want to shoot bucks like the picture Mark posted regularly you're into a whole 'nother level. I've got 4 tags stapled into a full booklet from this year. Could have cut all of them and passed up some great critters but chose only to shoot a wt doe. Passed up one muley twice that one shot is still giving me shit for but helped a buddy get him and he's gotten way more 'enjoyment' out of that buck than I would have so that makes me happy. Helped a bunch of people shoot first animals and other friends on bucks/bulls big and small. I had one of my best and certainly most enjoyable seasons ever.

There's no need to be jealous of other hunters. Set your own standards and stick to them - be happy for your fellow hunter. If you don't find him this year keep hunting and it'll be that much more rewarding. Remember, you're hunting with mother nature, not against other hunters. :wink:

[dana]

IMO, jealousy plays NO role in the trophy hunter's thinking. It isn't about who shoots the biggest. This is not a game of man versus man. This is the classic struggle of man versus nature, man versus beast. It is about hunting hard and having a blast doing it. If you have jealousy towards other hunter's success' then you don't have your head in the game. I've always said that Trophy hunting is Mental. It is all about the mental game. If you are jealous, you are losing that game. It makes ya kick rocks and not pick up your feet. It leaves ya unprepared to get the job done. It cause the blame game, that it is always someone's fault why you didn't get the big un this year. The true trophy hunter doesn't think of such things as he wants to spend his time outsmarting a big ol' buck on his home turf. That takes focus. Jealousy robs you of that focus. It also robs you of learning experiences. If you ain't learning something everytime you go out, you aren't paying attention. You want to kill a true giant, you need to find the pieces of the puzzle and start putting them together. Sometimes this takes years. I shot my first 200 incher 18 seasons ago. That started the fire in me and I've been trying to shoot another giant bigger than that buck ever since. Just when I think I'm starting to figure the game out, I have it flipped upside down. This year is a prime example of that. Too me, this is the exciting part. I'm already planning for next year's season and this one isn't even finished yet. Planning and thinking and mulling and working all the pieces. Welcome to the insanity that is the Trophy Mule Deer Hunter.

[knockturnal]

I'm not jelouse in a bad way at all. I'm jelouse in a good way!! I'm excited to hear about everyones stories on how they harvested their animal. Whether it is a squirrel or a squawsnatch!! And now that the season is coming to an end, that kinda sucks. We will be limited to the coyote hunting stories. I dunno about you guys, but I'm stoked for Shed hunting and spring turkey!! There is always something to look forward to as a hunter. Before we know it, we will be applying for lehs again.

[BCrams]

Obviously some good points were already hammered home by GG, SSS, and Dana.

I, for one, know that BC does not need the 'quality deer management' you're speaking of.

All those people who you saw taking spike, 2 point, 3 point bucks are probably just tickled and very happy to have harvested great eating deer and I wouldn't put it past them that with these economic times, they're glad to fill the freezer up with good eats without being limited by restrictions such as LEH or point restrictions which would ramp up time / effort and consequently $$$.

Everyone has their own standards by which they choose to abide by, be it harvesting the first legal animal or holding out for a trophy.

The definition of a trophy is different for everyone. Like Dana says, that buck you have in your avatar is basically a dink and he wouldn't bat an eyebrow over that buck. Yet to another hunter, that buck in your avatar is a buck of a lifetime, and yet to even more, many would rather harvest a younger spike, fork or 3 point (and even antlerless) over shooting your buck.

My own personal standards change from year to year. I have hunted and held out for 200"+ or bust for a good number of years eating tag soup each year and having passed up many big bucks to which I finally have succeeded taking a good 221" gross non-typical. Do you think you could eat tag soup and pass up 180" bucks while holding out for 200"+ mule deer? Believe me it isn't easy and I have felt sick about it on more than one occassion, when you can do that, you're in that whole new league.

Depending on the hunt and where I am hunting, my standards will change. Last year I harvested a small 3 point mule deer buck but that has just as much meaning to me than had it been a big one because I shot him with a rifle I inherited from my grandfather. That and the fact I had no meat in the freezer.

On other occassions, I've hunted places where my standards will be "there's no way I'm shooting anything less than a 200"+ buck out of here" and the next day, "a solid 170 class buck will make my day"

I'm pretty sure you get the message though. At the end of the day, don't begrudge anyone shooting spike, 2 point or 3 point bucks. Given the choice between seasons supporting opportunities for hunters to take such deer and seasons which only support 'trophy' hunting, you'll find me in the camp with those who want to harvest those spike, 2 pt and 3 pt bucks.

If I want a big one, its not hard to hunt a little harder / smarter to get a crack at one.