[Sniper03]

Just wondered here how many of we deer hunters practice Culling Deer (Not Calling) in case you thought I misspelled it!
I never shoot a buck under 4 years of age. At least the best I can determine the age! As a rule, I look at the stomach area in front of the rear flank to see the curvature. And some other features like grey in areas a young buck would not. Obviously, antler size does not always mean a mature buck. I have seen some young Bucks that had fantastic racks that were two years old. But they were free to go to grow! And what a lot of hunters fail to realize these young deer have good genealogy that needs to be passed on by breeding does while they are young! Anyway, I will shoot a doe for meat if it is mature and does not have a fawn or yearling with her. Just wondered if some of you practice similar hunting practices. I know some shoot everything they see including some I have seen that were no larger than a large German Shepherd. No wonder they never get a chance at a good buck. Just inquiring!

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[jpattersonnh]

I actually will pass on a trophy buck. Taste like Sh!t. I'd rather take a young buck, or a cull.

[Gatoragn]

If I am hunting as a guest, I follow the rules of the landowner/leaseholders.

I have let many legal small bucks walk, but I have no set age limit. I just prefer not to waste a tag on small deer, not enough meat on them.

To each his own, but to me trying to measure the antlers before shooting takes a lot of the fun out of hunting.

[awahlster]

Sniper03 you hunt in a different world then I do. If I was as picky as you were I would be lucky to harvest a deer every 4-5 years instead of the every other year like now. In Oregon hunter success for the west side of the state runs around 30%. Now some states I read allow people to get as many as 4-6 deer here the most you can get if you lucky enough to draw a controlled hunt tag is 2 animals.

So if I see a legal buck I'll shoot said legal buck.

[c3shooter]

As said, depends on where you are. Here in VA, we deer hunt in self defense- bag limit 2 a day, 6 per season, PLUS 1 for black powder, PLUS 1 per day per bonus tag- POTENTIALLY about 41 deer per year POSSIBLE (legally)

Frankly, I do not hunt for trophies, I hunt for the freezer. Would prefer a nice fat doe anytime. Never could find a good recipe for antlers.

[Sniper03]

AW,

Man I would think in OR the percentages would have been a lot higher. What is the reason there. I picture OR being very wooded and etc kind of like WA State? Did you advise you have to draw for a tag! Like C3 stated I guess it does depend on the state and circumstances. I hunt in Tennessee where I live and Texas. Nothing unusual to see 5-10 deer a day. Obviously a guy has to have meat for Summer Sausage, Back Strap and etc. But some of the deer I have seen shot would not have enough to be worth the effort. Let me know about that tag deal. I have some friends who live in Tualatin OR.

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[lonyaeger]

I myself only shoot culls, and anybody else who hunts out here does the same. We're saving the trophies for the paying customers in a year or two!

[Hawg]

Here the does outnumber the bucks so I usually go after does but if a cow horn comes up he's history(bad genes). Likewise if a really nice 10 or 12 pointer comes out, well I need the knife handles.

[jjfuller1]

with less than limited time in the woods now a days and less deer sightings as long as its not spotted i'll shoot. gotta have that freezer at least a little stocked

[Sniper03]

Hawg,

You are correct. We shoot all the cow horns. We call them Dork Deer. Don't want their genes passed on. We have been practicing the before mentioned program and now we are seeing some big bucks every year. It has took about ten years to see good benifits to the program. But the young bucks we passed on when they were young are throwing some great genetics and the mature deer are getting bigger and larger racks. We each only shoot one buck per year and then harvest does who do not have young with them for meat each year. I offset my love for hunting by hunting coyotes and pigs. You know a guy has to have something to hunt! For me there is no harder game to hunt than hunting the Coyote. They are very intelligent and can wind a hunter a mile away it seems like. For me they are one of the ultimate challenges when not deer hunting or when I have filled my bag on deer.

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