darrellva Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 I have two property's leased they almost touch each other There's a piece of land about 600 yards wide that divides the two. One property I have had for 8 years the other 4 years. My uncle hunts with me and puts just as much time in on them as I do. There is a older man that hunts with us as we'll and he is not able to do a lot of the work but does help us pay for food plot things. For the last 7 years on property 1 and 4 years on property 2 we have taken nothing but 3.5 or older bucks. We shoot no fawns to take out the chance on buttons being shot. We keep check on doe numbers and really have no rules on does. Well the old man shot a spike on opening of ml knowing it was a spike. I was up the road on another lease all day and when I called him that night He told me he shot the 10 pt. I didn't find out till later by my uncle it was a spike. Well this afternoon my uncle shot a button buck after on our way to hunt we talked about how the buttons can be seen on there head now. I should say this my daughter is 9 and she does not have to go by our rules all I have asked of her is she shoots bucks bigger then what she has already killed which as of now is a 4 pt. she is fine with that and don't want to shoot anything smaller. Also this is my wife's first year hunting and she has same rule as daughter she killed a 4 pt with her crossbow first day she had ever hunted. The bottom line is I am about ready to throw my hands in the air and give up on my management. I have set and let several small bucks walk by some as close as 10 yards of my stands and did no more then take a picture or video of them. What should I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 If you kill them they are 100% dead, otherwise they still have a chance. That's the rule I live by. as for the old man I'd ask him why he did it. You never know maybe he feels this is his last year of hunting because he won't make it to next year. button buck mistakes happen. It's one in a 7 year period so I wouldn't worry about it. As for your wife and kid, I would let them enjoy hunting. They have plenty of years before they need to be restricted on management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smha6784 Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 What do you do? I agree with hoosier 100% Women and children get a freebe then mild restrictions The elderly we all know it's just as fun to see the old guy take a deer as it is a youngster, I know when I'm up in age I'd still like to make some hunts and take what I can As for the uncle, stuff happens, let it go, I have done it most all of us have. Continue to manage, but most of all enjoy the outdoors with the people around you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVdeerhunter Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 i have 200 acers that me my son brother inlaw his boy and my baby thats not here any more is the only 1s hunting it. I have had it for 6 years and all together we have only taking 7 buck off it, this year iv seen 2 bucks that might make 125" and 4 or 5 around 80" that being said if you dont have big land or a fence around it then it will be hard to get big bucks to stay. My rule is for me if im not going to put it on the wall i watch it and have fun doing it. For my brother inlaw i ask to try and just kill big bucks and for the boys kill what you want. My boy is not that in to it so he will hold off for a good 1 most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellva Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 What do you do? I guess I should clear what I should of said about my wife and daughter they want bigger then what they have already killed I don't care what they shoot as long as they are happy with it. They see what's on my wall and want to have there own big boys on the wall. This I am proud of cause they have listened to me over the years talk about management practices. I know we loose small bucks to other hunters around my land but the way I look at it is every one I let walk is that much close to being a year older. I guess when I posted last night I was just a little mad. I guess I just needed to vent a little thanks for letting me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 yup hoosier has it right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Feel your frustration. We don't have a large property, but we still try our best to manage it and I have been ready to give up too many times to count. I enjoy watching them too much to shoot the first thing I see and unfortunately that is not the case for hunters on neighboring properties around us. It stinks when you pass deer year after year and go some years without taking a deer and in our case have those deer on numerous occasions end up getting whacked by people who are not even supposed to be where they are. I have caught two people on my neighbor where we have sole permission and ran one off a couple years ago that I did not catch up with who shot a nice little 1.5 year old 8 with awesome potential that I had passed several times. To me kids and the wife can take what they are going to be happy with, that said the wife will pass deer and so will my oldest daughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhunter97 Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) I agree with hoosier on this. On the wma i hunt down here we kill anything that it legal. This is because it is really tough to hunt it. You are in knee deep water, 4 foot tall grass, rocks, cypress knees and mosquitos year round. So and it is pretty much prairies so you are very lucky to get a deer much less a nice deer. Edited November 12, 2012 by bowhunter97 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smha6784 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 What do you do? Bowhunter97 sounds like you are hunting the south huh ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiethekid Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 What do you do? Yeah I feel your frustration Darrell. I have a out a 110 acres in new kent, va. I brought my buddy down to the house for a bow hunt and explained to him that I we only shoot bucks here that are mountable. He proceeded to take a small 5 pointer with his bow that evening... So I feel the pain. I would have a sit down with the older gentleman and just make it a point that y'all are managing the area. A man that has hunted that long should have killed enough deer to let the small ones walk. Stay true to management if that's what you like to do, it is hard at my club land because so many others don't manage. But we stay true to it to knock the big ones down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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