danthehunter Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 After seeing the post about QDM i wanted to know how big do the antlers have to be before any you guys will shoot. We try to only shoot a buck if he is 3.5 or up. But, if there is a 2.5 year old that has 150+ inches of rack on his head, it would be hard for me not to pull the trigger. So what would be the minimum score your buck has to be before you shoot him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaskMan Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? 170 plus for me unless I found a toad of a massy buck that scored less than that on a 4x4 frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrud Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? Now that I have a buck bowkill, my next goal is a net 125 P&Y buck. I just want one for the books. Then, I'll wait on a 2 1/2 year old 8-pointer at the very smallest. I'd prefer to wait on a 3 1/2 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thayer Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? With QDM it is not about the antlers. It should be about the age structure...how big is the neck going into the shoulders, how much of a gut does he have, how about the swayback....Don't confuse QDM with trophy deer management...it is very different. Hunting can be very, very, difficult with QDM...When you target does and a very few bucks..they all become ghosts of the woods. If you must decide on an antler based opinion...is it bigger or different than what you have on the wall already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockefeller66 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? they just gotta be 4.5 or older but for like me and my brother when we were after our first bucks we lowered the limit to 2.5 years old, doing the same for my sister right now, but otherwise have to be 4.5 no matter what! of course if a 1.5 or 2.5 or 3.5 walks but and looks injured we will take it out of its misery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushman Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? My goal next year is a 5 x 5 Booner. I love mass and junk but a clean typical that is 170 plus is on the top of my list. I'll know the deer when I see it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? Have been holding out for 3.5 year olds the past couple years. Have passed up probably 30-40 bucks all 1.5 and 2.5 year olds in the past 3 season. Never took a shot at one last year despite having several good opportunities on some decent 2.5 year olds, only saw one 3.5 year old the entire season, and just did not have a shot. Last bucks I killed were in the 2003 season, killed a 3.5 year old and one I thought was a 3.5 year old, that turned out to be a really big bodied deer that was early born at 2.5 and had a good head start or was a late born 3.5 year old. As for scores, if you kill a 3.5 year old around here, he might be in the 110's if you are really lucky. Really thinking with seeing less bucks this year, I may just have to lower my standards to decent 2.5 year olds. Just too many hunters around here whacking anything and everything they see for qdma to really work on my little piece of property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? LOL, ohiobucks (Tom) is going to hammer me, but here goes: My goal since 1998 has been Pope and Young. This year I shot an 8 point that will approach 120" I think. He was a mature deer, probably 3.5, but maybe he was a healthy 2.5. He dressed at 223#. I've taken some deserved heat from Tom because if you look back at my posts, I'm always popping off about "skipper", "give him another year", "not around here" etc. etc. but a lot of factors went into why I shot the deer that I did. No regrets here though, I'm still happy with him. It depends where I'm hunting too. If I'm hunting with Tom on his buddy's property, they shoot only mature deer, and by mature, I'm saying 130+, but more like 150+. And Tom and I agreed to do a self imposed "earn a buck" policy, (shoot a doe first), for that's the primary reason I have permission to hunt there in the first place. In the past few years, we have seen close to 10 different deer that would approach 150 class, so the bar gets raised a bit when I hunt there. If I'm not hunting with Tom, a Pope and Young deer is my goal, because there just aren't as many deer in the woods I hunt as compared to Tom's spots. I've noticed as I get older, my goals change seasonally due to a myriad of different factors, too many to list here. I've bored y'all enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? Yeah, it's more about age than antler size, but with good genetics and proper nutrition, the two should coincide. I'm looking for 4.5 minimum, preferably older and at least 150 inches. I've passed 3 different 10 points that would score in the 140's this year because they were all under 4.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ILclimber Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? Hey partner, Well the farm I hunt on is usually covered up with people during the IL shotgun season and they are there for the meat. If it's it brown it's down for them and that makes me extremely mad. Thats what happens when there are no rules for the property. I on the other hand have seen what happens when passing on smaller deer. I took a 143 last year I believe becuase I passed on the smaller ones. Since I already have a 140, it's gonna be 140+ for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ILclimber Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? Hey partner, Well trophy's to lie in the eye of the beholder. During gun season on the farm we are on, it is just covered up with people who are hungry, so reguardless of what the deer is, it's gonna get shot at. Disappointing huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slughunter Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? right now if it has bone on its head, it dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Shooter Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? yea ....i thing shooting a 10 pointer for my first buck ruined me...naturally im going to try and top it but it will be ahrd to do...ive made a system where until 3/4 of the season is done i wont shoot anything under 6 point.... untill the last week then..anything with horns will be taking heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? so big that when you walk up to him he doenst suffer from ground shrinkage ! i will have to say that i have suffered from seeing all the huge bucks in Iowa that have been shot . i start to wonder why i havent gotten one yet . its pretty hard to pass 140 class bucks up when your biggest is 135 . in the last 4 years i have passed up over 60 P&Y bucks that run from 120 to 140 class.. i have been waiting on the Iowa whopper to show up and its not happening. you see when you live in a state known for huge bucks and you shoot a 140 class , you get a lot of eyes raised like nice buck , but why did you shoot that dink ? i now realize from this website that a 140 class buck is a pretty darn good buck anywhere . but here in Iowa some of us get caught up in the hunt for the whopper . after shooting a few bucks here now i am just after one better than my last one . this season i shot my best ever with bow , a 148 class 10 point. now im after one bigger than that and thats all , i might not ever get a shot at a huge buck , but im sure going to take a few along the way ... Shoot Strong Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutter Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? If **** make P&Y hes in trouble but the bigger the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? For me it has to be 140 plus and mature. A young(3.5 to 4.5) 140 gets a free pass. Late in the season(ie. now) If i still need meat i am a bit less picky, but hope for either a big mature one, or a cull buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilhunter1986 Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? well i shot a pope and young buck in the 04 season with my bow. to be exact it scored 146 7/8. so now for me i dont shoot big or lil bucks with my gun. gun hunting means nothing to me. i prefer bowhunting over gun. i am an avid bow hunter and i wait for bucks that will score 160 class or higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? My son shot a really nice 8 point this season. Don't know for sure but it may have been a deer we passed up last season. Point made, I'm glad for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6sixpoint_nobrows Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? in some parts of Il we have to have at least 4 points on one side, each over one inch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY_Bowhunter14 Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? i hunt on land that is surrounded by land that other hunters hunt on, so needless to say if i see a 4 point come to me its gettin shot at... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VtBowhunter Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? There is no minimum score for me.......I judge them on a buck by buck basis. I passed on a small basket 6 this year, but shot at a huge 8 or 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie65 Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? well I have shot several nice bucks in the 120-140's. So I kept holding out for a 150's or better. I had my chances but it just hasn't worked out yet. Anyway I went several years without shooting a buck. I was getting a little discouraged. Now if I shoot a buck it has to be one that I will mount. That means it could be a 120 class deer or bigger. Probably would have to be at least in the 130's. It would just depend on what he looks like, I know that I have to mount any buck that I shoot so I have to like the size/way the deer looks. I also hunt farms where there is a 140 minimum .In my opinion any deer that is bigger than 120 is a nice buck. I am still shooting for that 150-160 & bigger buck but if a real nice upper 130's or bigger comes by,he will probably be on my wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slugger Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Re: How big does he have to be? I like for a buck to be in the 120s but if I think hes over 3.5 and hes not Ill still take him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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