Catscratch House and Habitat build

[Mortenson]

Haha welcome to my world. Guess we're all in this together. Hopefully your kids get him, or he makes it.

 

[Catscratch]

The youngest told me earlier this week "dad, I want to try to shoot a big one this year". He really doesn't hunt much. It's during basketball season and NOTHING gets in the way of basketball. So it's usually just shoot whatever happens to come by on the one or two hunt he finds time for.

 

[Mtyhunter]

I admire your restraint. I passed on one last weekend that I'd normally shoot, cause I want my grandson or son to have a chance at him. Not huge rack, but has some character for sure. He was 20 yds with my bow, I'd give odds at about 90% that he'd have been mine if I'd had shot.
Plus, got to watch him for about 5 minutes, hitting a scrape, and every low hanging branch he could reach, hard.
No matter who ends up with him, I still consider him my deer, cause I did let him walk, and that's good enough for me.

 

[Catscratch]

I admire your restraint. I passed on one last weekend that I'd normally shoot, cause I want my grandson or son to have a chance at him. Not huge rack, but has some character for sure. He was 20 yds with my bow, I'd give odds at about 90% that he'd have been mine if I'd had shot.
Plus, got to watch him for about 5 minutes, hitting a scrape, and every low hanging branch he could reach, hard.
No matter who ends up with him, I still consider him my deer, cause I did let him walk, and that's good enough for me.

I'm kind of the same way with other's shooting something I passes. I get that way with sheds too. If I pass on a nice buck then find his sheds it's almost like I actually shot him.

You're spot on with watching them. There is so much to learn about watching a mature buck. They are different than younger bucks and does. They are not the same. Important to know that when hunting them.

 

[Bill]

That's a tough one to let walk. Not sure I could have with the deer I've seen the last 2 years..

 

[Bowsnbucks]

You're spot on with watching them. There is so much to learn about watching a mature buck. They are different than younger bucks and does. They are not the same. Important to know that when hunting them.

Agree with you 100%. They are different. I saw a big one lay down after being jumped by a hunter. Buck laid down about 50 yards from where the hunter spooked him ...... down-wind to watch his backtrail. No running willy-nilly with white flag flashing. SMART buck!!

 

[Brian662]

That buck is well into the 160's IMO

 

[Catscratch]

I passed this one several times last year. I think he got significantly bigger this year. If I'm lucky enough to get a shot at him I think it'll be hard to pass. He has a good frame and great mass (for our place). Tine length sucks so he wouldn't score well, but I don't really care about scores all that much (unless it's big enough to care about scores). Of course I think his rack is starting to have some character, might look pretty neat next year...