come on utah starts with YOU!!!!!

[tyef350]

Unless your a kid or first time hunter let the two points and spikes get bigger. If you say your a meat hunter save all that cash you spend on gas, bullets,gear,etc and buy a dang mooo cow. Everyone complains about no big bucks but i see alot of little babies getting gunned downed every year.

 

[wildhorseguy]

I agree. The UDWR also needs to take a hard look at there season lengths. Giving hunters more time to hunt and allow them to be selective will give the smaller bucks a chance to mature. I believe that many hunters in Utah settle for the first buck they see knowing that they only have 5 days during the rifle season to harvest one. Pride is a hard thing to swallow as is tag soup and the price tag that goes with it.

 

[coolspringoutfitters]

Sorry WildHorseGuy I don't agree...
I think most guys go out with good intentions to shoot a bigger deer, but they can't find one...
I think more 2 points died on the second weekend... On the first weekend, most guys hold out cause they know they can shoot a 2 point later, then they run out of time looking for the 2 point, and because there isn't a second weekend, they go home empty handed... 5 days is better than 8... It worked in the southern unit... Just ask the guys that hunted down there the last few years... They were on the 5 days for the last few years, and most guys had a blast, they saw a lot more mature bucks than the rest of the state...

CSO

It's all about the good times...

 

[justr_86]

I shot a 2 point this year. Are you saying that because I shot a 2 point my 3 year old sitting next to me won't remember it all of his life because it wasn't a huge buck? Not everyone trophy hunts, some people just like to go. Don't tell people what to shoot, you don't have the right.

I wouldn't have killed it if my son wasn't with me. I wanna kill a bigger buck but the memory is far better this way.

You need a reality check.

 

[Aaron84]

+1 Justr its all about making memories in my opinion. I think its sad hunting has turned into a wiener measuring contest arguing over who's is bigger. Or first thing somebody ask you after you tell them you got a buck, how big was it what did it score? Not lets hear the story how you got it or something along that lines. I personally let two points and spikes go to live another day, but if my little girl was tagging along it would be taking a dirt nap. I shot a three by four the second day of the rifle hunt here. Stopped off at a checkpoint to have it tested for cwd they aged my buck at two in a half years. You gonna jump my bones for shooting a young buck that had more years ahead of him even tho he was bigger than a two point?

 

[pookiebar]

I personally agree with you 100% I think the state should make it a rule that Adults over the age of 18 should have to shoot a 3 point, or 2 point with horns a minimum 5 inches above the ears. You would be able to tell the 2 point measurement because that measurement would put the fork of the horns right at the tip of the ears.

If you are under 18 you can shoot whatever you want.

Sorry for your 3 year old, but maybe if we had this kind of rule he would be able to actually see you shoot a trophy within say 5 years or so?

 

[justr_86]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-10 AT 03:41PM (MST)[p]
I messed up on 4 bucks over 160,2 at or above 200. I don't know why people have a hard time finding them. I have a hard time killing them. We had a sucessfull hunt!

My son had an absolute blast and is hooked for life, more than he was before.

Oh and antler restrictions don't work.

 

[TheOneRidgeRunner]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-10 AT 04:10PM (MST)[p]
Its not about the size its about the memories made while hunting. If you want to kill for meat feel free if you want to kill a trophy then so be it.
We cant fight amoung ourselfs, stop trying to force your oppinions down others throats of how to hunt or what to shoot.
I killed my fair share of little bucks back in my younger days and now I only hunt for bigger bucks now days but I wont blame anyone for killing a yearling.

 

[Deerlove]

Small bucks are ok if the kids are with ya. Gotta get them involved, they DONT care about the size.

 

[Deuce]

>I personally agree with you 100%
> I think the state
>should make it a rule
>that Adults over the age
>of 18 should have to
>shoot a 3 point, or
>2 point with horns a
>minimum 5 inches above the
>ears. You would be
>able to tell the 2
>point measurement because that measurement
>would put the fork of
>the horns right at the
>tip of the ears.
>
>If you are under 18 you
>can shoot whatever you want.
>
>
>Sorry for your 3 year old,
>but maybe if we had
>this kind of rule he
>would be able to actually
>see you shoot a trophy
>within say 5 years or
>so?


You have got to be joking! What about new hunters over the age of 18? How do you get them involved and still have some success? I'm eating tag soup and I don't care, it's o.k. with me. It's all about being out there and having fun anyway. Justr you did the right thing for your boys IMO. That deer is a trophy to a 3 year old and his proud dad!

 

[justr_86]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-10 AT 06:32PM (MST)[p]Let hunting be hunting for whatever the individual carrying the tag wants it to be. Its not your decision.

I've ate tag soup a few times because I was trophy hunting. I still don't have a problem with it. In my case and many others that "little buck" may be the memory that sticks more than the wallahnger for a bunch of different reasons. Let hunting be a great experience whatever the outcome big, little or nothing.

I will agree deer numbers are down and should be better, I don't know the answer to how to fix it. But you have no right to tell someone else what a trophy is to them.

We have some great mule deer units in Utah that you might only get one chance to hunt in your lifetime for the trophy that your looking for. Don't turn the whole state into a once in a lifetime hunt. In that case we all lose!

 

[ELKOHOLIC]

"I messed up on 4 bucks over 160,2 at or above 200. I don't know why people have a hard time finding them. I have a hard time killing them."

justr, Can I come hunting with you? I have just the opposite problem. Between the two of us I think we could make it work.

 

[justr_86]

>"I messed up on 4 bucks
>over 160,2 at or above
>200. I don't know why
>people have a hard time
>finding them. I have a
>hard time killing them."
>
>justr, Can I come hunting with
>you? I have just the
>opposite problem. Between the two
>of us I think we
>could make it work.

Sure why not?

 

[ELKHUNTER66]

justr_86 the problem with the people that cant find the big bucks is they cant get away from the roads and i personally doubt if most of these guys including myself could even follow your tracks in a day of hunting i know how much work and effort you put in not to mention the miles you put on your boots in a year

 

[justr_86]

Ya its hard to keep hunting buddies when you cover the country I do.

 

[4orMore]

I agree. Stop shooting the little ones. Of course there are exceptions but I think this message is addressed to the experienced guys who shoot the first buck they see every year. I've killed enough 2 points when I was younger and don't need to ever do it again, it's just too easy. It took me too many years to realize I'll never shoot a mature buck if I'm always shooting the little ones.

My dad taught me to take what's given to you, but I've learned to appreciate letting a young buck live another day. I have a personal rule that the buck must have at least 4 points on one side for me to consider shooting. It's not about the killing to say I filled a tag, it's about the trying and searching and being in the mountains with my family. We let the little ones live and we'll all see more mature bucks. And if we eat tag soup every now and then, who cares, we still had fun trying.

 

[tyef350]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-30-10 AT 12:25PM (MST)[p]im not about scores in the last 5 years we shot 3 big bucks never had them scored and dont care to. Its just going out and seeing some nice deer and not just spikes and two points everyday thats cool that you shot a deer with your lil kids all im saying is the people that have killed lots of deer that gun down lil bucks. The combo hunt i seen nothing bigger then a two point and spikes hanging in camps a lil sad if you ask me.

 

[justr_86]

I see your point tye, the people that shoot spikes and 2 points and whine about it are the only ones that piss me off.

That 2 point hanging in camp might be a trophy to whoever shot it. You never know, all of us are at different stages.

Antler restrictions don't work for deer, its been proven on many different units. Deer numbers are down and that sucks. I know of quite a few little bucks that made it through the 5 day hunt. I personally let 18 little bucks go, missed 1 big one. Not to mention what everyone else hunting with me saw. The 5 day hunt might be what we needed, I was against it at first but might be supporting it now.

 

[tyef350]

>I see your point tye, the
>people that shoot spikes and
>2 points and whine about
>it are the only ones
>that piss me off.
>
>That 2 point hanging in camp
>might be a trophy to
>whoever shot it. You never
>know, all of us are
>at different stages.
>
>Antler restrictions don't work for deer,
>its been proven on many
>different units. Deer numbers are
>down and that sucks. I
>know of quite a few
>little bucks that made it
>through the 5 day hunt.
>I personally let 18 little
>bucks go, missed 1 big
>one. Not to mention what
>everyone else hunting with me
>saw. The 5 day hunt
>might be what we needed,
>I was against it at
>first but might be supporting
>it now.
>
>

true my first was a two point and thats fine,but you know as well as i there are alot of people that could pass up lil ones that dont and like you say its the ones that cry there are no big bucks to shoot. I am glad you had your kids with you when you shot your two point if i was in your shoes i probably would have done the same. Hope this 5 day helps as well cant wait to take my lil cousin out next year on his first hunt thats what its all about right

 

[justr_86]

Ya that's what its about. I'm going to have Kole stepping on the backs of my feet from here on out. Weston will be too when he gets a little older. I can't wait!

 

[inline]

I can't even count the number of times I have heard grown men complain about the utah deer herd and then in next breath say "I shot a two point this year because that was the best buck I saw". If some people would let a few walk the buck numbers will grow year after year. And you wont have to shot a two point.

Antler restrictions work if poeple will abide by them and be sure of the buck before you shoot.

The state cannot cure our deer problem it is up to hunters to stop pulling the trigger. You can still go on the deer hunt and have the experience, you don't have to kill everytime you go out. If you want meat get a cow elk tag they taste better anyways.

And to whoever says that trophy hunters are going to make this state into a limited entry state, grown men killing there 20th two point are going to accomplish that long before we can.

Take out more than you brought in!

 

[cobra55]

tyef350-
Lets see here, I have been hunting 20+ years and the small 2x3 that I shot this year was well worth the excitement for me but more importantly for my kids.
$3 shell (killed with one shot)
$20 gas
$20 food(junk food for kids)
$0 same gear I have used for years
Shooting a meat buck and having the memories for me and the family "PRICELESS".
Didn't cost me near the same amount as your so called "dang moo cow" would. You shoot what you want, and I will shoot what I want to, but leave that decision up to the hunter, there are still big bucks out there to be found, plus not every small buck gets killed either.

 

[kawboy]

I agree 100% with "let hunting be hunting". I eat tag soup more often than I fill a tag, that is my choice. I have helped many of my relatives get their first buck. I have dragged many spikes and 2points back to camp. A trophy for me is 100 times different than most people I know. I never want to have a buck officially measured, the story is more important than the number. I don't want to see the deer hunt turn into what the elk hunt has become.
I Hunt every year, I might only kill 1 or 2 wall hangers in my life, but at least I am hunting. This year was great, I passed up more bucks than I have seen in the last 4 combined. I still have my tag intact in my wallet. But it was succesful because I was out hunting. Not sitting at home waiting for my name to be drawn.


I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!

 

[Tree]

This exact mentality is what is going to continue to send the opportunity to hunt in Utah down the drain.

Keep supporting notions such as this and watch tag prices go up, tag numbers go down and policy stray away from biology and towards politics.

Unless you've got deep pockets, be happy with being able to hunt every year.

www.bowhuntersofutah.com

 

[kawboy]

Tree,
What is your solution?


I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!

 

[Tree]

I wasn't responding to your post, rather the topic. I agree with your sentiment.

www.bowhuntersofutah.com

 

[pookiebar]

There are good opportunities for Antlerless as well. I shoot a cow elk every other year. Don't go every year cause me and the wife can't eat it that fast. So I buy a bonus point one year then put in for the tag the next. The extra bonus point assures that I get the tag I want.

Last time I took a buddy with me cause we put in together. He is 28 and had a blast shooting a cow elk. This year he bought his Northern Deer Tag and a spike only elk. We got the spike, and PASSED on little peener bucks.

How do you get new hunters involved? You have got to be kidding me, that is the dumbest argument around!!!

 

[tyef350]

It already is a stray from biology i know people hi up in the fish and game and they say it all about the $$$$$$$$ they dont care about the herds.

 

[BLTSO]

That's a bunch of $%#& and you know it Ty. I'd like to hear who your "higher up's" are in the DWR. If your talking about your boyfriend and his seasonal position, you need to check it out. It's really not about revenue.

Have any of you ever TASTED a yearling buck.....now that's some GOOOOOOOD eating. As far as your 200+ buck, probably tougher than hell and chewy as all get up. Enjoy your jerky every 5 or 6 years Ty....We're eating steak.

 

[In_the_Shadows]

Just because you let a forky or a spike walk this year doesn't mean he's gonna be a 200" deer 4 or 5 years later. The simple fact is that some (most) areas just don't have the potential to consistently produce that kind of deer. There is one limiting factor that the pro point restriction people always neglect to acknowledge, Genetics.

I myself will pass on smaller deer every single year in the hopes of connecting with a trophy buck but I also understand the other side of the coin that is meat hunting and just the pure enjoyment of being out. Why is this so difficult for some of you to appreciate?

Its lonely at the top.... just the way I like it.