The "Un-Hit List"

[matinc]

Brian I calculate 14 inches to be the width of the ears.

 

[Brian662]

I have an old co-worker/ friend who is trying to get his 11 year old boy his first deer. He asked if he could bring him out to hunt my place next weekend because they couldn't get it done on public land. He asked me what the rules were and I said I won't make rules for a kid's first deer but I'd prefer if he either shot a doe or a mature buck. I told him if the basket rack really gets his heart racing that it's fine to shoot it but that won't be tolerated past the first deer.
To be honest this is probably just a one time thing anyways and normally I wouldn't even allow access, but I left another co-worker and his kid in during the regular gun season (rut) and they had such a great experience that I guess it softened me up a bit.

 

[Brian662]

Fwiw this is my buck from this year with a 15 1/2 inside spread. Doesn't clear the "outside the ears" moniker but I suppose it's all relative.

 

[Tree Spud]

Fwiw this is my buck from this year with a 15 1/2 inside spread. Doesn't clear the "outside the ears" moniker but I suppose it's all relative.
View attachment 71766

Width is nice, but height & mass are what makes it score.

 

[Tree Spud]

Here is one for the brain trust here to consider…..

I let my best friend and his son hunt on my land for gun deer season. Neither of them are avid deer hunters and have only killed a couple deer each in a lifetime before hunting my land so I always set them in my best stands on opening weekend.

They certainly know how much time, money and effort I put in and they are very appreciative. They even come to my place a day a year and I put them to work on ball buster projects. Never a complaint….only appreciation.

But the last 2 years in a row my friends son has shot “my” best up and coming 2 year old on opening morning. I passed them during bow season and showed pics but I never said “don’t” shoot them either…..so it’s technically my fault.

The problem we have is that when he sees a rack outside the ears, he can’t stay off the trigger. I tell him that there are bigger, more mature bucks and plenty of does (he LOVES venison) but that 14” wide 8 pointer is too much to resist for a guy who has seen only a handful of bucks in his life from a stand.

I talked to him this year about how those 2.5’s really blow into nice bucks in a year, if they make it, and I know he understands. But then I think about how excited he and his dad are when he shoots a buck…..and I feel guilty for potentially taking that away from them.

I have about 300 acres and I know we can’t truly protect those bucks. Between my neighbors shooting everything with a rack and the wolves straight up eating everything else, I’m about 90% sure passing 2.5’s won’t make a difference anyway.

But how can I teach an inexperienced hunter that “outside the ears” means almost nothing??

Inviting friends over to hunt, especially those whose hunting goals do not align with yours, can be a recipe for frustration. I know because i have gone through similar issues. If not dealt with early it can damage the friendship.

I would sit down with your friend and explain to him why you bought the property and what you objectives are. Then explain to him that you are going to only allow does to be taken by guests. It may be a difficult discussion; however, do you really want to spend the next 12 months worrying that the same thing is going to happen next year?

 

[matinc]

My guests are only allowed to shoot under my rules. If not it's the highway and I make that clear up front.

 

[Bill]

Telling them what they can shoot on your place is the easy part. What to do after they can't follow your rules is the hard part. I have friends and family that will never be back to hunt my place and they know why. Believe it or not they're still friends and family. They just don't hunt with me.

 

[roymunson]

I have a buddy who's the same way. Hunts for meat and apparently can't do math as he drives 2 hours 1 way to my place and is thrilled to kill a doe or 2. But if he doesn't get one, he wants to sit out after legal light pressing to shoot a deer. Has a proclivity to kill button bucks because "I was afraid I wouldn't get another chance"

Best thing I can think of is that I sit with him and keep him from killing the deer I don't want killed. Frustrating tho he may be, he's a friend and it's enjoyable to spend time with him in the woods.

If you want to teach the kid to "climb the ladder" and mature as a trophy hunter, you need to teach him and be with him. That's how I learned.

And have some fine while you're at it. Young hunters getting unraveled after killing deer is one of my favorite things.

 

[KY wild]

The rule on my place is if you shoot it then you mount it, so if you are happy enough with it to pay for the mount which is expensive then it is a trophy and I say good for you.

I sorta find it ironic though that everyone wants their neighbors to only hunt mature deer, I want my neighbors to shoot spikes and then sleep in for the rest on the season. Always a better chance they will see a dink before a mature buck and then I can hunt the big boys. I know there is a chance that dink will be 160 one day but I think there is a better cahnce they shoot a 135 every year while I eat tag soup. They should be proud of spikes, I am proud of them

 

[roymunson]

The rule on my place is if you shoot it then you mount it, so if you are happy enough with it to pay for the mount which is expensive then it is a trophy and I say good for you.

I sorta find it ironic though that everyone wants their neighbors to only hunt mature deer, I want my neighbors to shoot spikes and then sleep in for the rest on the season. Always a better chance they will see a dink before a mature buck and then I can hunt the big boys. I know there is a chance that dink will be 160 one day but I think there is a better cahnce they shoot a 135 every year while I eat tag soup. They should be proud of spikes, I am proud of them

Spikes would be great.

It's the 2 year old 120" with split brows who already has a cheater point that tears me up.

 

[Angus 1895]

Here is one for the brain trust here to consider…..

I let my best friend and his son hunt on my land for gun deer season. Neither of them are avid deer hunters and have only killed a couple deer each in a lifetime before hunting my land so I always set them in my best stands on opening weekend.

They certainly know how much time, money and effort I put in and they are very appreciative. They even come to my place a day a year and I put them to work on ball buster projects. Never a complaint….only appreciation.

But the last 2 years in a row my friends son has shot “my” best up and coming 2 year old on opening morning. I passed them during bow season and showed pics but I never said “don’t” shoot them either…..so it’s technically my fault.

The problem we have is that when he sees a rack outside the ears, he can’t stay off the trigger. I tell him that there are bigger, more mature bucks and plenty of does (he LOVES venison) but that 14” wide 8 pointer is too much to resist for a guy who has seen only a handful of bucks in his life from a stand.

I talked to him this year about how those 2.5’s really blow into nice bucks in a year, if they make it, and I know he understands. But then I think about how excited he and his dad are when he shoots a buck…..and I feel guilty for potentially taking that away from them.

I have about 300 acres and I know we can’t truly protect those bucks. Between my neighbors shooting everything with a rack and the wolves straight up eating everything else, I’m about 90% sure passing 2.5’s won’t make a difference anyway.

But how can I teach an inexperienced hunter that “outside the ears” means almost nothing??

Personally I don’t think you should.
Why ruin someone’s fun?
Why shame someone into being a miserable trophy hunter?
I’d just lobby for two or three days of hard labor.