[flexj]

One of my patients that hunts right next to one of my hunting spots came in this morning with pictures of a couple bucks that he and a buddy killed. Both of these deer were 2.5 y/o 8 point bucks that I have passed up multiple times. Each of these deer had characteristics that would make them an awesome deer if they were allowed to mature. One of them was about 20" wide with very long beams for a 2 year old. The other had incredible brow tines and a unique height to his beams. I am disappointed to hear that this guy killed these deer...they are not his typical quarry. Have prolly 50 pics of each of these deer from my trail cams...I just wish they would have stayed on my side. I guess as much as I try I just can't manage this herd around here with people around me not willing to comply with my deer management strategy. I plan on talking to him a little more about it before next year though.

 

[wrangerrambler]

i know kinda how you feel. I constantly pass on small bucks, even a couple nice 8 and 9's to let them get older. Then there's plenty I mean PLENTY of people around here that see horns and boom... Kinda the case of if its brown... well you know the rest

 

[ronn]

i think trying to get your neighbors on board would help all of you. maybe they will see it the same way.

 

[buckfever]

Thats a tough one.. Hard with limited acreage to work with.. Good luck with the conversation..

 

[Stewy Griffin]

I don't mean to sound rude and perhaps I am missing the point. But if you owned the land and told me I could not shoot the 8 pointer, I would do as you said. Otherwise, I would do like your patient and the friend did and harvest the deer. I expect most hunters would do likewise. I think most hunters would have no interest in someone trying to manage the deer population for their locale. Perhaps buying a very large tract of land you could control would help with your objective.

 

[joel the signman]

the bucks could have also gotten whacked by a car crossing the road,nobody owns deer they are all fair game

 

[BruceBruce1959]

nobody owns deer they are all fair game

I totally agree with Joel...

getting upset over someone harvesting an 8 pointer????

 

[timetohunt]

I can understand how you could be a little upset about this but as long as you stuck to the hunting/management goals that you set for yourself you were successful. You can not control what other hunters with different goals will do. They were successful for what goals they set for themselves. Personally, I would be floored to see one of the bucks you mentioned. Only twice have I seen bucks bigger than a small 6 point while hunting in the past 10 years. Thats hunting for you and thats what makes it so great.

 

[flexj]

Well, I guess I should have expected some of these comments. I do realize that I can't control everything that happens to this particular deer herd, but I was just saying I was disappointed to hear that both of the deer I had put effort into keeping alive were killed by someone else. This is just me mourning for the deer I should have killed next year or the year after. They were good deer with even better potential in this area. I am not mad at this guy for doing it, just like I said...disappointed that I don't get to see what they would have turned into.

The guy that killed these deer has one buck on his wall that scored 201 and a couple others that are over 170. I just didn't understand his motive for shooting these, and when I questioned him he said that day was his last opportunity to hunt this year. I know the place he hunts very well because it is right in the middle of the biggest part of my hunting land. There is an unbelievable number of deer that travel across it, and he said himself that he saw a bunch of does that day. I guess this goes right along with Ronn's topic about why some hunters will pass does to kill young bucks.

 

[Body Bag]

If we were talking about a small 8 pointer, I understand. I would probably hang one with a 20 inch spread on the wall.

Just keep don't what you do. A little 2 year old can become a large 3 year old. And as Joel said. No one would have enjoyed the deer mashing a passing car.

The only way to can grow a monster is with a 7 ft fence or owning multiple square miles. Good luck.

And if it makes you feel any better. The 3 year old 11 point I shot last year was not caught on camera anywhere on our 880 acres (7 cameras). You may still have a Loch Ness that you haven't seen.

 

[flexj]

Well, the wide spread deer was about all beam and no tine...well G2s were longest and maybe 6". Doesn't really matter I guess.

I have about 1700 acres that I hunt right around this area, and those acres completely surround this guy's place that is 320 acres. The deer I was talking about were bedding on one of my places, traveling through canyons across a corner of his place to a wheat field on another place I hunt. He has a piece of the travel corridor, and is a very good spot to see deer.

Oh...On a hunt in Texas a few years ago I watched a spooked doe jump over a 10 ft. fence. I wouldn't believe it if someone told me that, but I did see it. I don't the 7 ft. fence would do it.

 

[Body Bag]

I have read on quite a few sites that deer will only jump over 7 foot if pushed hard. There is a difference between can and will.

Think your texas hunt was a exception to the rule.

 

[Body Bag]

And if you are hunting 1700 acres you are in a lot better position to mange bucks than 99% of hunters. I understand your pain a lot more. But look at it from the 320s point of veiw. Those are nice bucks and you created a honey hole for him. Tough situation.

We have a club with serval thousand acres that border us to the north and they take out a lot of the big bucks that would graze on our 880 acres. I would try to create a Doe haven as far away from that 320 as you can get and hunt the monster on the way to and from the wheat field from that location, not perfect but if you can shift doe movement maybe the bucks won't cross his 320 as much. Good luck

 

[flexj]

That was one of my thoughts. I think next year I will let that wheat field lay, and maybe create another food plot on the property behind this one. It is harder to get to with the equipment, but I have been meaning to clear a trail through there for years anyway. Plus...bulldozers are fun! I hate to do it that way because it will mean they have to travel more open country instead of the canyons, but I think it is worth a try. I'm glad you (someone...anyone) kinda understands my situation.

 

[joel the signman]

just to clarify i can see why your disapointed you were hoping to get a crack at him .there is an article about this in the most recent D&DH mag.maybe next year you guys can trade info and try to establish goals or standards for deer take

 

[ronn]

qdma is doing a lot with copos now in states like ohio. landowners in a neighborhood set some sort of plan and they all work towards a goal.

 

[Predator]

Body Bag makes a real good point. "And if it makes you feel any better. The 3 year old 11 point I shot last year was not caught on camera anywhere on our 880 acres (7 cameras). You may still have a Loch Ness that you haven't seen."

I too would not have hesitated to shoot an 8 pointer given the fact there are many other external forces that could fall that animal. unless you are on your own 1000 acres of food plotted and watered land it would be hard to manage the deer herd on it, and even then so.

 

[flexj]

Well...I think mods can erase this one as my point has been missed by most. Wrong crowd I guess.

 

[Hunting Man]

I've been gone for a week or so and just now catching up on some of the posts. This subject caught me a bit because I may be one of the ones who don't quite get the message. I suspect with all the work you put into trophy management that when factors out of your control invade and disrupt your efforts it sorta puts a major crimp in your rear so to speak. Without total property control I can't see how you will ever stop some buck take that you'd rather see not harvested. If we're missing your central point please expand and see if we can understand. HM

 

[ronn]

talk to the guy and see if his goals are the same as yours. maybe you guys can work out some sort of plan. the downside is you will have to give up something, like he can hunt part of your land or something otherwise it would be worth his effort/sacrifice. good luck