What is your definition of a shooter buck?

176mulie

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LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-17 AT 11:23AM (MST)[p]I'm asking for a score wise. Assuming it's different between a general no points draw or a premium 8 year tag.

For me it's uniqness that I want and mature. But for score wise I'm chasing bigger than 177. No matter what I draw.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-17 AT 11:51AM (MST)[p]180 is a pretty good number for a big mature buck in my book. Sure there are good looking 160-170 inch bucks and smaller and there are definitely older deer that will never break 180 that are heavy mature deer, but I think >180 is a pretty safe number that they are likely both mature and big. I bet that 177 and/or 176 look pretty darn nice though!
 
>LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-17
>AT 11:23?AM (MST)

>
>I'm asking for a score wise.
>Assuming it's different between a
>general no points draw or
>a premium 8 year tag.
>
>
>For me it's uniqness that I
>want and mature. But for
>score wise I'm chasing bigger
>than 177. No matter what
>I draw.

So?

Maybe you shoulda named yourself 177+orBustMuley?










[font color="blue"]It Was them Damn Lake Trout that took them Elk
out!:D[/font]
 
i know big when i see big. that said, if it tickles my fancy and im excited about it, i shoot. but if you want score, i would say that it would be really tough to pass on a typical 175 class buck.


"Shoot Straight"
 
I couldn't accurately guess the score on a buck if my life depended on it. If I like the look of it, its a shooter. Mass, trash, deep forks, wide... Whatever I look at and think I really want it.
 
>>LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-17
>>AT 11:23?AM (MST)

>>
>>I'm asking for a score wise.
>>Assuming it's different between a
>>general no points draw or
>>a premium 8 year tag.
>>
>>
>>For me it's uniqness that I
>>want and mature. But for
>>score wise I'm chasing bigger
>>than 177. No matter what
>>I draw.
>
>So?
>
>Maybe you shoulda named yourself 177+orBustMuley?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>[font color="blue"]It Was them Damn Lake
>Trout that took them Elk
>
>out!:D[/font]
>
>


I definitely could have. But seemed a little wordy
 
Definition of a shooter buck is the same definition the Supreme Court gave to porn - "You know it when you see it". Haha
 
mature. I quit worrying about inches long ago. Shoot mature deer only and the herd has a much better chance of staying strong.
 
Sometimes you just know a Shooter Buck when you see it. The buck I killed in the Book Cliffs this year was not the 180" buck I was hoping to stumble onto. But, When I saw him and the set up in taking him home with me... I didn't pass hoping for bigger. I haven't killed enough bucks to do that.

I imagine no matter what, I'd shoot a 170" deer every chance I had... I'd fill my walls with 170" deer rather than kill just one 200"er... But that's me. And, the likelihood of either of those happening are slim. :)

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
As others have mentioned, I usually know a "shooter" when I see it. It's difficult for me to quantify a "shooter" buck, but many variables come into play depending on the tag I have, the company I am with, other hunts planned for the season, and the character of that buck, to name a few.

You asked specifically about score though, so for me I set my sights on a goal of 180" or better. Having said that, I would dump a double drop tine 160 incher over a classic 180 inch buck given the chance. Why? I have yet to harvest a drop time buck, and think they are cool!

I'm a sucker for when a plan comes together, and have found that the experience of having a plan, the stalk, the scouting, the shot, and an eventual harvest on that targeted animal brings more joy and satisfaction to me than inches these days. Maybe I am getting old?

I always encourage someone to never turn down their biggest buck! If your target is your biggest buck to date each year, you will soon have some smokers on the wall.

Happy hunting all!
 
I'm the same way as most character or something that tickles my fancy I'll shoot no matter what. But I was always just curious on what people thought the score was of a goal. Sure I have a goal of 177 or bigger but I have definitely shot a deer that much smaller just because I like how they look and ended my hunt Way early
 
It depends on where I am hunting. I don't go by score as much as width and number of points. I would take a non-typical buck over a typical almost every time.

My biggest buck is around 170 so I would like to get one bigger than him this year if I can.

Dillon
Www.dillonhoyt.com
 
180 is the typical benchmark for me but I generally let my internals decide a "shooter" buck. After I guy kills a couple handfuls of 150-160 deer it doesn't take long to want to find the mature and gifted top 5% of the species. It's a lot like winning first place when you can turn up and put down a 5 year old plus buck that has it goin on. A guy who eats, sleeps and breaths mule deer might have a slightly different internal idea of a shooter buck. I don't care if I'm hunting a general unit or a unit that takes 20 points to draw......I'm looking for the one that trips my switch and that could be a 30+ incher, a no brainer typical or a non-typical. 200+ is always the mystical ghost My quest starts with. Gotta believe they are out there or you'll loose hope and settle.




Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...
 
To me, a shooter depends on two things - how late in the season it is and how far from the truck I am. First day of the hunt and over 5 miles from the truck and a shooter has to be at least a 30 incher.
Mid season and 3 mile from the road, a good heavy 26" typical might do it. Close to the road and late in the season, a heavy 24" typical might do. A good heavy non-typical with lots of points would also do it about any size and any time.
 
I have never killed a 180" net buck, out of 4 dozen muleys and almost as many Whitetails. I have had several good tags you would love to hunt.

That said, I have killed many smoker bucks and a bunch that were huge 6+ yr old ones that completely satisfied me.

A shooter is what satisfied you at the time
 

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