Is this a shooter?

[Dearhunter61]

I went to the lease for the last time before season to fill up my feeders. AGH! What a mess! At one feeder I found a ton of corn beneath the feeder that had not been touched. After I cleaned up the mess I looked at everything and realized somehow the Motor/timer box had slid down so the gap had increased a ton. I guess I did that without realizing it the last time I messed with the battery. Anyway after I repaired it I filled it with corn and then I went to check the game cam to see if anything had come to the feeder. This is the best buck on the game cam.

What do you think? is he a shooter?

What do you think the spread is?

I figure he will score about 125...your thoughts?

He also looks to be about 3 1/2, your thoughts?

[seniordep2010]

I'd shoot em' . I totally think thats a shooter, atleast for around here it is. Nice rack on him.

[CajunBass]

Well.....I guess if you can't find a big one, they'll do.

[simonkenton]

Is that a trick question?

Here in North Carolina that would be the State Record.

[.284]

This is such a subjective question. If I went by what I see on TV on all those Texas ranches.....well, no he is not a shooter. If you just happen to be in Texas and don't happen to have a ranch that is pimped by a bunch of TV shows....then I vote yes. In many parts of the country, a buck like that is rare and other areas you would be laughed at for shooting a baby. If you were hunting public land in Michigan, you would be the envy of many a hunter.

As far as score, I think you're in the ball park.

I guess the question is, thinking about what you know about the deer and hunting opportunties in your area, do you think he's a shooter? After all, you'll be the one working the trigger.

[shortwave]

I`d guess your about right on the age and score. If you`ve got exclusive right to the lease I believe I wait. Think what that buck will be in a year or two. P.S. How tall are the legs/uprights on your feeder?

[Big Bill]

Deleted

[Dearhunter61]

Big Bill,

It is always a little easier to make judgements when you are on the other side. And it is always easy to make a statement like yours if you have never been in the situation some us find ourselves in.

I wonder why you responded...simply to start discord within this thread? My Mom always taught me to not say anything if you do not have something nice to say. Perhaps in the future you might try it?

Thanks,

[sasquatch]

For whatever it's worth, I agree with Big Bill.......has something to do with the ethics and fair chase I have always felt were part of the hunting heritage.

And it has absolutely nothing to do with "nice to say" or "not nice to say".

[shortwave]

Deerhunter, how tall are the legs/uprights on your feeder? PS. Someplaces in our country, if you don`t lease, you don`t hunt. Feel very fortunate if you live in an area (as I do) where you don`t have to lease.

[FrontSight]

If it's brown it goes down!!

[Big Bill]

Deleted

[koolminx]

Shortwave, can you favorably point out one state where there is no public land in which to shoot? That statement is pure pucky. You may not get land close to home but you can bet your butt it's out there.

Big Bill, I'm with you on the ethical side of your statement...

Deerhunter61, those are some Gorgeous deer! Sorry you had to clean up such a big mess, but we all have them sometimes

Good luck hunting, regardless of how you do it. Our opinions on how you or the other 20% of this country hunt don't matter as much as the fact that we all wish you luck in your hunt!


k

[murphyboy88]

i live in montana , my last years whitetail scored 157... id shoot that deer,yeah hes a bit spindly but hes okay. now i see ppl are givin you crap bout ethics an junk, i say tune that stuff out because thats just how you guys gotta do it down there.. its not your fault that you dont have lots of public land to hunt like we do in montana and idaho, i say bag that buck and have fun with it! happy huntin bud

[shortwave]

Shortwave,can you favorably point out one state where there is no public hunting in which to shoot?

koolminx, you could have at least finished that question. It should have ended as such, 'in which to shoot or get shot at?' If I lived in Texas(example of state), I`d surely lease a hunting plot. I've hunted more than my share of public grounds in a few different states. Some like being in a war zone. IMO,thats not hunting,its survival. Didn`t mean to imply there were states with no PH. Please note I didn`t say all states as some are more fortunate than others to have more . Not enough acres for the amount of hunters. If ya think that statement is pure pucky, come here to Ohio and I`ll turn ya loose in Wayne Nat`l Forrest opening day of shotgun season. At the end of the day,if you enjoy that hunt I`ll be assured you don`t know what a good hunt is. Please explain to me whats unethical about leasing a piece of ground to hunt on?

[sc928porsche]

I would take him if he were 500yds plus away from the feeder area. Sorry, thats just the way I hunt.

[bcarver]

The bigger deer looks young. I will be a trophy next year but not if you shoot it this year. The smaller deer is a pass in my book.

Now with a bow you got a different story...thang slap...straight to the pump.

Reason being I have killed bigger and if that is my lease I am gonna keep him feed and watered until next year.

[javabum]

If i saw that here in California i would "MOST DEFIANTLY" put it down.
We don't see them that nice around these parts that often.

But ya....im lookin for a freezer shortly after that kill.

[greensteelforge]

That looks like one scrawny, stunted buck with an acceptable set of fire-pokers. It's going to take more than just those two to fill the freezer. Kind of odd they'd come into a partial enclosure like that, too, but habituation works on almost any animal with food. If that's pig fencing, I think the does get about that big before two years up here. They look nimble enough to be a damn hard target if they're moving. Good luck!

[Fat White Boy]

Java- You don't have to worry about seeing them out here- Those are Whitetails. We only have Coastal Blacktails and Mulies...

[Dearhunter61]

Big Bill and Shortwave,

First I must say if I could hunt the way I wanted, that being within reasonable driving distance from my house so I can hunt on weekends, I would love nothing more than to hunt by some other method!

But one thing that always gets me a little riled is people that plant 2 acre food plots or even hunt over fields where grain has been planted and then shoot arrows at those of us who hunt using feeders. And one more point, where I have hunted this being the second year, if we did not feed the deer using feeders a whole lot of the deer would have starved to death during the 2 year drought we just went through. Baiting has long been used to take game and to me your are either in or out...can not have it both ways.

Next as far as ethical hunting and fair chase. I still struggle with people using the ethical statement...If you follow the laws of your state and abide by them then as far as I am concerned you are hunting ethically. Now me saying that does not mean that I agree with everyone elses methods.

So what methods are they? Well I personally could not hunt in a high fenced area. It simply is not what I believe it is supposed to be. And I really struggle with engineering massive bucks. For anyone who goes on a hunt like this and then takes a big buck...I am happy for you if that is what you chose to do but for me that is no more of a trophy that the little 7 point I have on the wall in my den. Heck to me I would say it is actually less than a trophy. Again just my opinion.

The next and I am going to stop here is LONG RANGE hunting. That being people that shoot at game at 1000 yards give or take. I have real issues with this one. The chance of wounding an animal and then not being able to recover it goes up dramatically and it is simply inhumane to me.

But this thread was never supposed to be about the above and I really did not want to get into it.

And yes Big Bill I guess I am a little sensitive because with all we have discussed here I do not think we have accomplished anything and would think we are giving those that want to eliminate hunting all together more ammo to shoot at us. I think we can choose to leave out things that we know is going to start a rumble in our world and make sure that as long as we are following the laws in our states then we support one another completely.

[musicmatty]

When it comes to Trophy hunting and the thrill of a kill, I canot lend my support. When it comes to putting food on the table, then you do whatever it takes..baiting..etc..

It's ok to disagree.

[DRice.72]

Is that a trick question?

Here in North Carolina that would be the State Record.

Absolutely! Especially in Western North Carolina where I am. I work just down the road from a man who processes deer. He will process around one-hundred or so during the season, and a very rare few are that impressive.

[Noonan]

They may be 3.5 or even 2.5 years old. Either one could be a real trophy given another year. If you're worried about someone else shooting them, go ahead and take one.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Seriously?

Those are bigger bucks than most hunters in NY state will see in their entire lives. Not to mention, if I don't shoot it then the neighbor will. No brainer.