The past few weeks has made me very upset. I hunt a lot in the boulder and eagle peak area and every deer I saw getting skinned was barely as big as my dog. To many guys are shooting tiny forky's and its troubling to see. What happened to the pursuit of the big boys. I know that there's not a ton of them out there but to many guys are shooting barley legal bucks that I would really like to try and hang a ring from that extra point. Every year it gets worst and at this rate there will be no bucks left. I would rather never shoot a buck than take a tiny little buck. I really hope things turn around but I doubt they will. Let the little guys go and hold out for a little bigger buck and you will start seeing more 6 and 7 point bucks. Have a great season and take a kid hunting so we can preserve this great heritage that we all love.
What happened to the true hunter
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Whoa you might have just opened a can of worms....
"True hunter"? We all hunt for various reasons. Some hunt for the trophy while others hunt for meat. Regardless of what you decide to fill your tag with and why, I don't think its right to even insinuate that those who kill small bucks aren't "true hunter's".
"True hunter"? We all hunt for various reasons. Some hunt for the trophy while others hunt for meat. Regardless of what you decide to fill your tag with and why, I don't think its right to even insinuate that those who kill small bucks aren't "true hunter's".
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
Many folks who like to pursue the outdoor experience and not as much land as we would all like to hunt on. As Breacher said there are many reasons folks hunt. When I first started I just wanted to "get one" then I wanted quantity after that I wanted to try the harder stuff now its become a "special one". Point being its a personal thing. Yes I would like to see the small ones grow up but that's my opinion. Its good that there is a healthy hunter population in So Cal, We can be a powerful force, what we should all be doing is voicing our opinions and concerns to the politicians.
I debated myself a while before posting this... But I am with breacher, I don't have stats on this computer but if memory serves correctly, state wide success rate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 7%. DFG has set regs on what is and what is not a legally harvestable animal. That being said, if A22 (D16) follows that state average that would mean you would only be successful once every 14-15 years. Following suite with what Breacher said, people hunt for a variety of reason and to be successful at 7% I consider it a borderline insult to imply they are not "true hunters" on the contrary I bet they worked their a$$ off to get that one. Public land hunting is extremely tough especially in So Cal. There are some "trophy" type bucks round, yes. However, the best I can conclude with is, if you want trophy quality bucks expect to go somewhere that the environment is more supportive of trophy quality deer (not southern California) and don't knock on those that are happy with the buck they did get.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
I read an article recently written by a biologist in Arizona regarding mule deer trophy quality. in the article it was stated that the rocky mountain mule deer we consider trophy class (200" and 30" wide occurs at rate of about 1 in 12,000 to 18,000 animals that live (not taken) given that its pretty easy to see why mule deer are tough.
I'm not kicking anybody that got off the couch and got out there and harvested a deer, congrats to them.
However I would like to see the majority of the deer harvested age a few more years. Eighty plus percent of the deer harvested are 2 1/2 years old or less. If these deer were to age to 4 1/2 years of age they would be about 40 pounds heavier on average.However I have seen plenty of 4 1/2 year old forks. So letting these deer age will not guarantee that there will be more 4X4 trophy's out there, But it would give them a chance to be all that they can be.
Personally I would rather see a mature doe taken than a 2 1/2 year old buck.
However I would like to see the majority of the deer harvested age a few more years. Eighty plus percent of the deer harvested are 2 1/2 years old or less. If these deer were to age to 4 1/2 years of age they would be about 40 pounds heavier on average.However I have seen plenty of 4 1/2 year old forks. So letting these deer age will not guarantee that there will be more 4X4 trophy's out there, But it would give them a chance to be all that they can be.
Personally I would rather see a mature doe taken than a 2 1/2 year old buck.
S
stikbrandon
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I personally would take a small buck that being said, I have yet to see a buck this year in front of me in southern California. I hear guys talk about seeing bucks and passing on them cause there to small or it's still early in the season ext.... But a lot of guys hunt private land, also a lot of guys have been hunting there whole life, and have taken many deer, where as I'm 25 yrs old been hunting been hunting for 2yrs and have Self thought my self by trial and error ... Yes I did go to Idaho and nail a trophy in my eye's and it was know where near as difficult as down here in So Cal, but I was in Idaho where there is more deer than there is cows and there are more cows then people , I haven't grown up hunting, i don't have people in my life besides a great guy on this forum that helps me out and gives me pointers, and I'm truly greatfull for that. My pops had not grown up hunting and so he is in the same boat as me.
I will mount the first legal bucks horns on a plack from Southern California regard less of how big they are, Because I know how hard I've worked to take that animal and the amount of time I have spent in the brush to get the opportunity to take that animal.
I am a true hunter......
I will mount the first legal bucks horns on a plack from Southern California regard less of how big they are, Because I know how hard I've worked to take that animal and the amount of time I have spent in the brush to get the opportunity to take that animal.
I am a true hunter......
I've been taught, a true hunter hunts to eat, not to just put horns on the wall. Of course id like to harvest a "trophy" buck every time, but some people just don't get that opportunity. Not everyone lives in an area that has the genetics to grow those "trophy" horns. I worked for the deer I killed this year, yes the buck wasnt big, but I put in days and days of scouting and hunting. I don't appreciate being called not a "true hunter" cause my horns don't meet up to your standards. And I'm d@mn proud of the deer I harvest.
The word hunting has nothing to do with horns on a male deer. Look it up and find me where it says anywhere that a male deer has to have larger horns than what is determined as legal to harvest. All too often I think this pursuit of "trophies" has taken away the true meaning for many. I too am guilty of trying to hold out for larger deer but there comes a time in my season where the yellow light turns green. True hunters bring home food for their families and friends. "True hunters" eat tags!
Every hunter has their own individual "code of ethics". (In my book) you should never do is frown down upon a fellow hunter for harvesting an animal legally!
If your description is accurate you are hunting an extremely popular area. There's probably a thousand hunters up there that will shoot every fork horn you pass. Unless there is a change to the size requirements on public land it will never change. You can't expect manage public land.
Every hunter has their own individual "code of ethics". (In my book) you should never do is frown down upon a fellow hunter for harvesting an animal legally!
If your description is accurate you are hunting an extremely popular area. There's probably a thousand hunters up there that will shoot every fork horn you pass. Unless there is a change to the size requirements on public land it will never change. You can't expect manage public land.
http://canadawilderness.com/ethical-hunter
"True Hunters" are men and women who ethically give chase to game across the world. Who make clean shots and cleanly kill their quarry. men and women who follow the game laws and have fun doing it. It does not matter if you hunt for meat or for trophies. I personally hunt to fill my freezer. if a trophy deer crosses my path I will attempt to make a clean ethical shot. I look for big trophy game to chase but I still get excite beyond belief when the smallest legal deer steps in range.
I support Quallity Deer Managment on lands that permit it. Mostly private lands. I have hunted public land that required deer to be 5 points or bigger and I followed those rules. If you are looking to find trophy game on Public land, you have to realize that the legal deer you pass on, will most likely cross a hunter that is willing to shoot it to fill their freezer.
We all need to support each other as hunters. If you only hunt for "Trophies" or hunt for "meat" we are all in it together. Especially in a state like CA where hunting is not widely accepted, if we do not stick together, this Great American heritage could become harder for the general public to pursue.
In my eyes a "TRUE hunter" is just an ethical hunter.
"True Hunters" are men and women who ethically give chase to game across the world. Who make clean shots and cleanly kill their quarry. men and women who follow the game laws and have fun doing it. It does not matter if you hunt for meat or for trophies. I personally hunt to fill my freezer. if a trophy deer crosses my path I will attempt to make a clean ethical shot. I look for big trophy game to chase but I still get excite beyond belief when the smallest legal deer steps in range.
I support Quallity Deer Managment on lands that permit it. Mostly private lands. I have hunted public land that required deer to be 5 points or bigger and I followed those rules. If you are looking to find trophy game on Public land, you have to realize that the legal deer you pass on, will most likely cross a hunter that is willing to shoot it to fill their freezer.
We all need to support each other as hunters. If you only hunt for "Trophies" or hunt for "meat" we are all in it together. Especially in a state like CA where hunting is not widely accepted, if we do not stick together, this Great American heritage could become harder for the general public to pursue.
In my eyes a "TRUE hunter" is just an ethical hunter.
many people have different views. i respect em all. im a meat/trophy hunter. more than likely i will take a shot at a barely legal buck. i grew up as a meat hunter, and i still get thrilled when i see a small buck also, but i have passed on smaller game but only cuz i knew id get on bigger game for sure. great topic 
josec said:many people have different views. i respect em all. im a meat/trophy hunter. more than likely i will take a shot at a barely legal buck. i grew up as a meat hunter, and i still get thrilled when i see a small buck also, but i have passed on smaller game but only cuz i knew id get on bigger game for sure. great topic
x2. Meat is first and foremost for me. This topic will always ruffle some feathers