An 8-point is flirting with death,, or,,

[contender]

Or he's just teasing me.

I have been hunting my property for a few weeks now,, and between my cameras & scouting etc,, I have identified a few deer I'd like to take. One was a 5 point,, that by all accounts is 3-1/2 years old,, and needed culling. Well, he gave me the chance almost 2 weeks ago,, and I used (1) of my (2) buck tags. He has an odd rack & all, and I knew the genetics. I took a relative of his last year too.
Well, I have identified a younger, probably a 1-1/2 year old small racked 8-point that's moving around here on a regular basis. The last (2) days,, he's walked through,, taking his time,, and on both days,, offered me easy shots in the 40-50 yds range. So far,, I can't tell if he's just teasing me,, or flirting with death. I've let him walk by looking & waiting on a bigger 8 point,, and a nicer 9 point I'd like to have wander by.

I've got almost a month left in the season here,, and I can wait,, but sheesh,, give a guy a break! He stopped today,, at about 40 yds,, offered an excellent angle for an easy shot,, standing still long enough to taunt me. As I watched him,, I kept saying to myself; "I must wait for the bigger ones, I must wait for the bigger ones!

[woody]

Can’t eat horns!!!

[contender]

No,, you can't eat horns,, but he's a younger, smaller bodied deer. If I go to the trouble of killing and butchering one,, I want to get more meat. And yes,, I butcher my own. That 5 point once carefully cut up,, gave me 61 packs of meat for meals. And I cooked the lower legs in the crock pot prior to finishing my butchering. That yielded meals for (2) nights! The other 2 bucks are also bigger bodied deer. Heck,, I've got a very small racked 6 pointer that has a bigger body than the 8 point. I've let him walk by 4 times over the last couple of weeks. He's likely a cull buck if nothing else.

[junebug]

He's testing your resolve, once you decide to shoot him he will disappear.

[contender]

I play better poker than that.

The first time he came by,, I had the gun ready. But I put it back down. Yesterday,, I didn't even pick it up. I did shoot him with my camera on my phone. I'd post a picture,, but I can't get pics off my phone & onto my computer. Stupid Cloud stuff & SLOW internet crap that never seems to work.

[45MAN]

A 1.5 Y/O 8 POINT BUCK IS A STUD YEARLING, TOMORROW'S TROPHY BUCK, GENETICS WISE YOU SHOULD LET HIM PASS. IF YOU DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANTLERS SHOOT HIM. YEARLING BUCKS ARE SUPPOSEDLY THE BEST VENISON.

[hunter01]

At this point in my hunting career a lot of my blood lust has waned so I’m much more about a mature deer than horns. I still make mistakes and occasionally shoot a 3.5 that fools me but I really try not to. So many hogs and coyotes around to keep the trigger finger happy when I’m just itching to shoot something. When my resolve starts waning, I’ll tell myself, “you will never shoot a giant deer if you shoot a big deer first”. Anyway, we all hunt for different reasons and in the end we all need to do what makes us happy!

[bigbore5]

I've got my walls full of nice game from over the years. But my freezer gets empty fast. I worry more about filling all my doe tags than I do a buck now days. I'll shoot a cull or two most years if I am using the buck tags.

[hunter01]

Dec 2, 2023 10:13:37 GMT -5 bigbore5 said:

I've got my walls full of nice game from over the years. But my freezer gets empty fast. I worry more about filling all my doe tags than I do a buck now days. I'll shoot a cull or two most years if I am using the buck tags.

I’m trying to slowly convert myself to a true “meat” hunter and appreciate all game equally. I do enjoy the fruits of a hunt and even enjoy long days making sausages or pressure canning meat. I have to admit though, a big “rack” still gets me going. 😁

[sixshot]

Tyrone, let me guess, 7/30 Waters Contender & my Vaquero sits in the safe......

Dick

[contender]

He did it again today. Three days in a row,, he's moved past my stand area. Today the weather had the deer more nervous. A 3-pointer was by earlier,, and he was nervous. Then later in the day,, the small 8 came through. He was moving & nervous the whole time. I only had him standing still briefly one time. The other 2 days,, he offered me plenty of easy shot presentations.

I try & let the younger smaller bucks live around here. Unless the freezer is low. But that's what doe tags are for.

Dick,, I used the 7x30 Waters on the cull buck I took. But I'm using a different handgun for the bigger buck I'm after. It's hard to leave that deadly meat getter at home,, but I made myself a promise.

The Vaquero,, it doesn't like very cold weather,, so it enjoys the company of others nestled in the safe. It's like the cherry old cars,, just out on clear sunny warm days & treated with care!

I'm going to have to take a break from hunting for a few days. I have a NC Rifle & Pistol Assoc. BOD meeting tomorrow in Durham. And Monday,, I have some work phone calls & appointments to arrange. Tuesday will likely be working, as well as possibly Wednesday. Uugghh! I'm going to try & time it where I have the best weather for hunting & let work be secondary if necessary.

[hunter01]

You will get him. Can’t wait for pics.

[lwfpdchief]

I used to be after the horns. Have you seen the price of taxidermy lately. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll shoot a monster if presented but I don’t only hunt for them. First mature doe that comes by goes in the freezer Then I just enjoy the hunt. Usually a mature buck but I’ll put another doe in the freezer by the end of the season if nothing else worth shooting comes by. Stand your ground enjoy the hunt. You have plenty of time

[contender]

I have no interest in mounting any of the bucks I've identified here. I do prefer to select certain ones due to age, size & such. Plus,, the fun is seeing if my hunting plans work out & I am able to get the ones I seek. SO far this year,, the main cull buck was high on my list. He gave me 67 packs of meat.

I went back & reviewed my pictures from the last 2 months that I had saved of the bigger bucks. I forgot that there has been the occasional picture of a good 7-pointer that has slipped through on his way to the feeding area. If he shows up, he'd be a good one too!
Looking over these pictures,, that 8 pointer is truly smaller than a few others I'd like to outwit. I still have time,,,!