What Stage Deer Hunter Are You?

[letemgrow]

I'm more excited now taking the kids and their friends hunting and working on habitat improvements.

I do have to buy a tag since my son hasn't taken his hunter ed test yet.

That said, I'll smoke a mature buck if I see one when I'm out, but it's not the driving force it once was.

 

[westonwhitetail]

Recently I can feel my standards changing from Trophy to something uncategorized here. I will always go for the biggest buck in the neighborhood, but each of the last two years I ended up shooting just your typical "nice 8 point" towards the end of the season to make sure I have venison in the freezer. Venison is a good healthy meat source and I am developing a newer sense of wanted to provide quality food for my family from the land.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

How about "Manager - Seeing healthy deer and deer herd acting natural with balanced age and sex ratios and having frequent encounters when in the field is more important than what does/doesn't get shot by who and with which weapon"

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Thought it would be interesting to see how everyone rates themselves as to what stage of hunter they are. No wrong or right answer.

More on the stage type descriptions can be found here ...
B&C 5 Hunter Stages

Missed the all important descriptions you linked in the first page which are much deeper than what would fit in the poll so my prior ramblings are a bit off topic. I think I'd fit the "sportsman" stage best, just not for the reasons in the abbreviated poll description.

 

[Tree Spud]

Missed the all important descriptions you linked in the first page which are much deeper than what would fit in the poll so my prior ramblings are a bit off topic. I think I'd fit the "sportsman" stage best, just not for the reasons in the abbreviated poll description.

Based on the comments, I think many did not take the time to read them. In the poll, you are limited to a certain amount of characters so poll answer option is limited.

B&C created this after years of hunter observations. I think everyone here fits one of the 5 categories.

 

[hillrunner]

Reading the descriptions, I guess I'm method. I focus on mature bucks using a bow 99% of the time and a muzzle loader the other 1%.

 

[sandbur]

Our goal for the family is 2-3 deer with quality venison. We eat about that much every year if the herd population looks adequate.

All of us do like to shoot a nice buck. I just enjoy my time in the woods.

This is the first year in 40 years that I didn’t buy a bow license. I can sit in the woods and don’t have to carry a bow around. I have shot one arrow in the last 25 years or so.

 

[Foggy47]

Many in our family like to hold out for a trophy buck or at least a really decent one. We do this to a fault.....and then have to scramble to get some venison and sausage for the year. We generally party hunt for our meat...but there can be exceptions.

So.....what I have done the last few years is to tell our group of five.....that I will (at your choice) pay for the processing of two deer into sausage, snack sticks, and you keep the steak cuts of the first two deer taken that you want to participate in. After that....you are on your own with your own processing, etc.....but our families will share in those two deer. (or if you want to process your own first deer that is fine too....no problems). This gets us in the action a bit sooner as we all want some sausage and snack sticks for the year.....and there is no "disrespect" for filling the meat pole with something that is not "trophy" quality. We are usually able to "burn" a tag with someone who does not need or want to hunt further into the season.

It seems this plan has worked pretty well.....and we are all still able to hold out for that big buck with party hunting. Most years we take two or three deer and pass on lots of chances. My family hunts other locations.....but everyone is here for our family "opener" event. They all have other hunts and opportunities that can weigh in on what they decide. Everyone has an opportunity here......and that is what counts.

 

[Bill]

I haven't shot a buck since 2019, and it was a dandy. I shoot 5 does a year for meat. I'd rather put someone on a big buck that's never killed one, at this point. If I put an arrow in one, you don't need to measure it.

Old drop tine buck.

 

[Bill]

AS we ponder what stage we are at it it might be relative to our circumstance. But I suspect no matter what stage one might consider himself I bet we all enjoy seeing magnificent whitetails. Would anyone on here not like to see bucks lie these? Would they change your perspective?

View attachment 57398View attachment 57399View attachment 57400

No doubt actually seeing things like that would change one's perspective. No experience with deer like that but just seeing the biggest my neighborhood had changed my perspective to wanting one and going years without one for the chance.

No clue what stage I'm in. I've been blessed to chase a particular deer for several years and harvest him, twice. Now we pick what we think could become magnificent and leave him go for the chance he makes it. We also pick out old toads that aren't going to be much and put them on the list so there is something to hunt. Last year I let one of those hit listers walk 3 times and was elated when my son shot him.

Guess I'm in the day to day stage. I'll decide on the day he walks by..

 

[fishin coyote]

I voted method because currently my goal is to kill a buck with a longbow in archery season. I‘m not really looking for a trophy and have said every year for the last 9 years the 1st legal buck that comes close enough will get it but then I end up letting them walk.

 

[matinc]

I have to say making habitat improvements is my favorite activity. Not bragging but a timber buyer looked at my property and could not believe the diverse habits. From clear to select cuts to food plots. The best thing I found out this year is no till. Putting away the disc. Seeing the damage it did. Now knowing why no worms lived in the fields. Ugggg I have to thank wild thing for all his wisdom I have been reading about. Ty. I can only imagine not knowing what a roller crimper was to its now at the top of my list. My dad is 87 and I have him all set up for an amazing year in the stand. What's crazy is I have 6 acres planted and ready and will not even be hunting this year. I will try and figure out attaching pictures to show you before and afters.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I have to say making habitat improvements is my favorite activity. Not bragging but a timber buyer looked at my property and could not believe the diverse habits. From clear to select cuts to food plots. The best thing I found out this year is no till. Putting away the disc. Seeing the damage it did. Now knowing why no worms lived in the fields. Ugggg I have to thank wild thing for all his wisdom I have been reading about. Ty. I can only imagine not knowing what a roller crimper was to its now at the top of my list. My dad is 87 and I have him all set up for an amazing year in the stand. What's crazy is I have 6 acres planted and ready and will not even be hunting this year. I will try and figure out attaching pictures to show you before and afters.

Wild Thing's no till posts are habitat gold

I refer to them often "in the field"

bill

 

[matinc]

From clear cut to new generation of popple. From leaves n ferns to lime and more lime to the beginning of a clover lane. See the same white pine to the east. Curious on the panels ideas.

 

[Foggy47]

From clear cut to new generation of popple. From leaves n ferns to lime and more lime to the beginning of a clover lane. See the same white pine to the east. Curious on the panels ideas.

How would the "panel" know which direction is east?.....pretty confusing info here IMO. Good luck.

 

[matinc]

My 87 year old dad is letting 14 inch 8 points walk and telling me he will wait for something above 18 inches wide. When I see pathetically small bucks shot in southern michigan on great soils with unlimited growth potential I just cringe. For all I do with timber and food plots on my property I have I have decided not to hunt this year. Unfortunately I really am not missing it.

 

[bigboreblr]

Can't say I'm much of a hunter this year. Haven't gone out yet. Between a fishing trip to Rhode Island, then getting sick with corona, just havent been out.

Not sure IF I'm the method person or not, I do go out with flintlocks often, even during rifle season. If it rains, I take a modern implement.

Not a huge horn chaser. Never even had a deer mounted. I do boil the heads and keep the nicers ones around. Just enjoy a quiet day in the woods to myself.