Letting Little Deer Become Big Deer! Updated!

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  • Emperor

    Seriously Misunderstood!
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    Mar 7, 2011
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    Every deer hunter should know the Golden Rule on big deer is:

    Let the little bucks go; so they can grow!

    3 years ago I saw two young twin 8 points while hunting on my property. They were maybe 1 1/2 years old at the time; 2 1/2 at the most! I let them walk! Friday night my kid shot his first buck on his own without his daddy doing everything short of pulling the trigger.

    Here is what they look like 3 years later and 150 lbs heavier. And though his rack is not what I expected due to his genetics, this possible 5 1/2 year old weighed in at 226 lbs.

    Yes! I typed 226 lbs! :rockon:

    zeixkt2ucxkrhqg2y5en.jpg
     
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    Emperor

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    Nice and great job on management of your herd, It pays in the long run!!!

    Yes it does!

    Understandably tough for some folks to let deer grow because of the; "if it's brown it goes down" mentality out there from their neighbors; but even I have those dumbasses around me too! You have to make your property hospitable for them to want to stay.

    And a good bit of luck!
     

    Emperor

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    Here are a few more pics so you deer guys can appreciate the size of this ol' boy!
    pixf8fsxqfp9v38hveyh.jpg

    ix601k2lq87x4nyz10k.jpg

    p7uad4hoi5wn48xkbfju.jpg
     

    oleheat

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    No.
    Troll-Face.jpg







    My property is located 300 yards from a WMA. If I pass on that 6 point that I've been feeding all summer, it will most likely end up in a freezer in Gretna.

    I would rather it end up in mine. But I'm greedy like that. :p


    I'm all for folks doing this- if they choose. But I believe it has a lot to do with the location of the property you happen to own or lease. If everyone around you isn't willing to participate in the same practices, you aren't gaining a thing.



    Just my opinion, of course. :)
     

    Emperor

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    No.

    My property is located 300 yards from a WMA. If I pass on that 6 point that I've been feeding all summer, it will most likely end up in a freezer in Gretna.

    I would rather it end up in mine. But I'm greedy like that. :p


    I'm all for folks doing this- if they choose. But I believe it has a lot to do with the location of the property you happen to own or lease. If everyone around you isn't willing to participate in the same practices, you aren't gaining a thing.



    Just my opinion, of course. :)

    I completely understand that point of view. Believe me, every time I hear a gunshot in the distance from me, I can't help thinking that it was a small buck. Every situation is certainly different; and you are correct. That close to a MGT Area you can bet your ass if it is a legal deer on that MGT Area, that is the least they are going to shoot.

    Public land has to be managed at the lowest denominator because they want to encourage people to go hunting. If those rules are too strict people will lose interest. But when you are a private landowner and you still shoot spikes and 6 points, you will be hard pressed to grow a big boy!

    I really wish that one day, the brown and down crowd will be thinned out. It's always the same type of people, and they teach their kids to hunt the same way they did/do. The worst is the guys that get into leases and equate their dues with a mandate to kill deer to get their money's worth!

    I won't hold your rules against you, Heat! You are in a tough situation there.
     

    mike84z28

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    Kenner
    Beautiful deer ! Congrats ! Wish more had that same mentality unfortunatly where I hunt that deer would never had made it to 3.
     

    oleheat

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    I completely understand that point of view. Believe me, every time I hear a gunshot in the distance from me, I can't help thinking that it was a small buck. Every situation is certainly different; and you are correct. That close to a MGT Area you can bet your ass if it is a legal deer on that MGT Area, that is the least they are going to shoot.

    Public land has to be managed at the lowest denominator because they want to encourage people to go hunting. If those rules are too strict people will lose interest. But when you are a private landowner and you still shoot spikes and 6 points, you will be hard pressed to grow a big boy!

    I really wish that one day, the brown and down crowd will be thinned out. It's always the same type of people, and they teach their kids to hunt the same way they did/do. The worst is the guys that get into leases and equate their dues with a mandate to kill deer to get their money's worth!

    I won't hold your rules against you, Heat! You are in a tough situation there.


    Yeah, it's a tough deal, at times. We did kill two 210+ lb. bucks, last year (a 7 and a 9pt), and have killed some nice deer in the past. But pretty much all of the deer we kill pass through to our land (we don't really "hold" many deer).

    I would love to be able to do that and help make what we did last year the norm. Getting a shot at a wall-hanger is sweet! But man- it would be impossible where we are. I still love any kill, though. Backstrap is a great consolation prize when you can't always score a nice buck. :)



    EDIT- ....and I almost forgot with all my foolishness- that's a great kill by the little man. Congrats to him- I know he had to be on Cloud Nine!!! Nothing better than seeing a kid achieve a nice one! :bigok:
     
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    topgunz1

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    Sep 13, 2006
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    Beautiful! Awesome job Emperor Jr! We only have 80 acres and the surrounding properties are heavily hunted, I don't think we've ever seen anything better than a 6 on camera. I'll keep trying though, wouldn't be a hunter if I lost hope, would I?
     

    Emperor

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    Beautiful! Awesome job Emperor Jr! We only have 80 acres and the surrounding properties are heavily hunted, I don't think we've ever seen anything better than a 6 on camera. I'll keep trying though, wouldn't be a hunter if I lost hope, would I?

    Nope! Don't get discouraged! One of my guys hunts 200 yards (as the crow flies), away from where this one was killed and has had a camera going since late September. Not a single picture of him. Remember, I saw this deer in the same spot 3 years ago. Think about that.

    I am convinced that these big deer don't always pose for pictures! I don't know what it is, but I see more big deer with my eyes than cameras. You can't discount the value of actual field time!
     

    Emperor

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    Yeah, it's a tough deal, at times. We did kill two 210+ lb. bucks, last year (a 7 and a 9pt), and have killed some nice deer in the past. But pretty much all of the deer we kill pass through to our land (we don't really "hold" many deer).

    I would love to be able to do that and help make what we did last year the norm. Getting a shot at a wall-hanger is sweet! But man- it would be impossible where we are. I still love any kill, though. Backstrap is a great consolation prize when you can't always score a nice buck. :)



    EDIT- ....and I almost forgot with all my foolishness- that's a great kill by the little man. Congrats to him- I know he had to be on Cloud Nine!!! Nothing better than seeing a kid achieve a nice one! :bigok:

    He texted me that he shot a big buck and I replied, is he a good one (meaning his dad is an a-hole when it comes to the standards of what a "good one" is)? I could tell he was a little anxious with his answer because he was there looking at the antler spread. He was trying to convince me (and himself), it was big enough!

    When I got there and saw this monster I quickly fist pumped him and said, "Damn dude! This a "good one!" :mamoru:
     

    oleheat

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    Man- what a great memory for BOTH of you!! That's what it's all about! :cheers:
     

    Emperor

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    I let this one grow till 5 1/2, then grunted him up on New Years Day!
    0n68643q8l6h45il41nj.jpg

    wo21twynwu512gtn0b.jpg
     

    Lyle Savant

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    Nice. Congrats to your son.
    Glad you have the property to manage on. For my family, with exception to our home we don't own property and hunt solely Public Land. So when we see a legal deer, we are very thankful for the opportunity to harvest it; no matter the age or size antlers. I let a couple go when hunting solo each season, but any deer is a trophy to those kids.
    My son & I hunted in tough conditions Thursday w/ spotty showers. When this Buck came in on us to a Doe Bleat, my 7 year old was more than happy to take it!
    ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420296747.911045.jpg
     

    Emperor

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    Nice. Congrats to your son.
    Glad you have the property to manage on. For my family, with exception to our home we don't own property and hunt solely Public Land. So when we see a legal deer, we are very thankful for the opportunity to harvest it; no matter the age or size antlers. I let a couple go when hunting solo each season, but any deer is a trophy to those kids.
    My son & I hunted in tough conditions Thursday w/ spotty showers. When this Buck came in on us to a Doe Bleat, my 7 year old was more than happy to take it!
    View attachment 54875

    And you should be! If wildlife and fisheries thought that deer would become extinct by allowing lesser deer to be taken in public land, they would outlaw it!

    I have no qualms about what is killed on public land. Good for you and yours! Keep it up. To be consistently successful on public land shows you have a skill set that is more able than most deer hunters!
     

    HAMP

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    Just caught this post,dont know how i missed it +1 to your son on his deer,and thanks for the awesome photos.
     

    tallwalker

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    Emperor better check that thing for shoes. Might be a horse! Very nice deer. Any idea what he measured out to be? Congrats.
     

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