Lowering Standards

[G-Hought3]

The realistic expectations thread got me thinking of a fun question. Let’s say just on a general tag, rifle or whatever your weapon of choice would be. As the hunt goes on are you lowering your standards? Or are you keeping the same goal and going home empty handed if needed?
In recent years I’ve kind of set a minimum and would rather go home empty handed if I don’t find it. I have dropped my standards in years past and felt guilty about it after pulling the trigger.

 

[live4muleys]

A lot of times my standards start so low I can't lower them anymore.

 

[Vanilla]

It entirely depends upon the hunt. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

But I've never regretted pulling the trigger. (I've regretted WHERE I pulled the trigger before, but never regretted killing any animal.)

 

[littlebighorn]

When I first started hunting (over 50 years ago) anything with antlers would do. At this point I don't really need to kill another buck, but it's unrealistic to expect to kill a monster in most places where I can now obtain a tag. Now I mostly I try to set a buck size standard based upon what I think is realistic for the area. I think most of hunters tend to fudge on that standard toward the end of a hunt but I'm long past bringing home just any buck.

 

[elkassassin]

Niller See's A PISSCUTTER 10 Minutes Before Legal Shooting Time on Opening Morning You're Probably Gonna Hear Somebody Open Season!

I Can Hear It Now!

I GOT THE FIRST SHOT OFF OPENING MORNING!

LMMFAO!

 

[Buckfever34]

There are more than a couple times I've looked at a buck on opening day and gave the pass to that I went back and nailed later....so, I guess "yes" for me. Now that I think about it, they would all classify on being "management" type mature bucks, though.

This is hunting private property, not public.

 

[Tikka]

I just finished a hunt that took 7 years to draw… I went on this hunt with an idea of what I wanted, as far as antler size or an old mature buck.. I did not see a buck that meet my idea of what I set out to kill… I came home with the tag in my wallet… And I still had a fantastic time hunting…

 

[Rie bread]

After I got married naturally my standards hit rock bottom

 

[yoteduster]

No matter what deer tag I have in my pocket I've always set my goal for a good mature buck..if that don't happen the tag stays in my pocket..I don't need to make a kill to have a good time

 

[oldmossback]

Our hunts start out as looking for the big bucks on our kill list from scouting.... Then about half way through the season I start thinking of backstraps, jerky, sausage, pepperoni sticks etc etc and end up hammering anything over a forkie.

 

[Bux n Dux]

I’ll give it 10 minutes into opening morning to see what’s around. My standards seem to drop drastically beyond that point.

 

[eelgrass]

I've been on a few trophy mule deer hunts out of state so it was go big or go home. No problem as they were always an adventure with a goal set pre season.

With our local blacktails the bar is set pre season at a fork on one side in the top one third of the antler. Some years I don't even see that.

 

[2lumpy]

For the last 20 years I mostly hunted with a hope and a pray because previous exposure taught me it was rarely there.

 

[Bluehair]

Closing time has always been a problem for me.

 

[2lumpy]

they do look prettier…….. as I recall.

 

[elkassassin]

 

[Stillwater165]

I’ve ate so many tags the last ten years they are starting to taste good to me !!!! Now the kids……they seem to be eating well around here yet

 

[slamdunk]

Niller See's A PISSCUTTER 10 Minutes Before Legal Shooting Time on Opening Morning You're Probably Gonna Hear Somebody Open Season!

I Can Hear It Now!

I GOT THE FIRST SHOT OFF OPENING MORNING!

LMMFAO!

We've witnessed that before........

 

[budweiser]

Don't pass up on opening day that you'd take on the last day. pc

 

[Bluehair]

Paul, I wish you were my wingman in college.

 

[BrianID]

I think some people are lying if they say their standards don't go down later in the hunt. For me, it really depends on the tag. I will admit that I have shot animals at the end of a hunt on multiple occasions that I would not have shot opening day. Most of the time I'm happy to go home without an animal instead of lowering my standard.

 

[elkassassin]

LMAO PUNK!

YES WE HAVE!

We've witnessed that before........
View attachment 134971

 

[D_Hoyt]

Mine tend to get higher. It's like telling the wife that you'll take the first buck with 3 points or more on one side. After passing up a few of those, it becomes 4 points on one side. Then, it becomes, I don't want to go to work, so let's see if we can't find a 30 incher.

 

[hossblur]

After I got married naturally my standards hit rock bottom

@elkassassin

Gonna need you to do a

ANYBODY HEARD FROM Rie bread lately" post every few days

 

[hossblur]

I get pissed if I'm forced to pull a trigger on opening day.

My standards are more around the hunt itself, people, places, experience, than inches.

 

[callsalot]

To be honest mine tend to. Depending on the tag, I l research the upper end expectation for that unit and that hunt. I give myself half the time to achieve it. So on an eight day hunt I give myself four. At that point I assess what I've seen. If I think the unit meets up to the research I've done I hold out longer but if I think it doesn't meet the research I've done I will revise my expectations.

 

[elkassassin]

True That Hossy!

@elkassassin

Gonna need you to do a

ANYBODY HEARD FROM Rie bread lately" post every few days

 

[ridgetops]

Don't pass up on opening day that you'd take on the last day. pc

I don't want to be disrespectful but that saying makes no sense to me. I would never give someone that advice.

 

[2lumpy]

I don't want to be disrespectful but that saying makes no sense to me. I would never give someone that advice.

Sometimes it applies other times it doesn’t. Had it go both ways. It’s more often true on public land with many hunters.

 

[Muley_73]

I get pissed if I'm forced to pull a trigger on opening day.

My standards are more around the hunt itself, people, places, experience, than inches.

I agree on all of this, I think I set my standards based on the tag and at times other factors surrounding the hunt.

Killed 10 mins into the hunt in CO this year and made the comment to my son standing over the buck. "Can't complain or pass a buck like that , but damn I'm a little bummed I'm done for the week". Luckily he still had his tag and we enjoyed the hell out of the rest of the hunt.

Flip to the following week and I was headed down to hunt coues by myself due o friends and family not being able to come. Week of Thanksgiving and I have already put in over 40 days in field this year. Driving down I was talking to my son and i said if I see an 80" buck its probably gonna get shot. Morning of day 2 a buck feeds out, I hustle to cut the distance and killed him. He's buck number 4 of the trip spotted and scored 81". Not my biggest and not a giant trophy. I smiled and was excited, enjoyed dinner and a quite night, packed up camp the next morning and made it home for Thanksgiving.
My standards are lower at times for sure! However I usually try and set that before the hunt based on many different factors.

 

[link]

This past year, I had a WY elk tag. The very first elk I see when I get there is the bull I ended up killing nearly two weeks later. I don't get elk tags very often. I enjoyed about two weeks of chasing bulls nearly everyday, seeing one very big bull, and several larger than the one I ended up killing. The day before the season closed I found the bull and ended my hunt. On my hunt, I saw a 350+, a few in the 320/330 range and ended up killing an old, 315ish bull. Great hunt. So I do not agree that you do not pass on opening day what you'd kill on the last day.

 

[Togwotee]

Depends on the hunt and what the potential is. I'll lower my goal quite a bit on elk towards the end , but even on the worst deer tag a nice 3 point would be my minimum at dark the last day. on a good tag a 160 maybe. thus I don't shoot may deer anymore.

 

[Katoom]

I’m definitely a bird-in-the-hand kind of hunter. 1st day or last. I dream big like all hunters do, but would say 90% of the time fall far short of them. I know that holding out could pay off, to a more trophy-oriented hunter, but I am unable to life that lifestyle with the time and resources I’ve got. I’m happy going in light, out heavy, and enjoying the adventure, experience and the meat, above all else. I make no excuses or apologies for any legal harvest, on any tag. I get but one or two weeks a year to make something happen and it would be a very long drive home with empty coolers.

 

[Joe2Kool]

I'll have to say yes, but not by much. I've suffered from ground shrinkage, and by ground growth. But as said above by others, I've never regretted pulling the trigger.

For me, I classify deer in 3 categories:
1) Ain't he cute!
2) Hmmm. Maybe. Maybe not.
3) SHOOT HIM!! SHOOT HIM!!!

I'm always hunting for the category 3 deer, but I find as I've matured as a hunter, the category 2 group seems to be growing.

But the beauty of hunting is the categories are hunter specific, and can change.

 

[oldmossback]

I'll have to say yes, but not by much. I've suffered from ground shrinkage, and by ground growth. But as said above by others, I've never regretted pulling the trigger.

For me, I classify deer in 3 categories:
1) Ain't he cute!
2) Hmmm. Maybe. Maybe not.
3) SHOOT HIM!! SHOOT HIM!!!

I'm always hunting for the category 3 deer, but I find as I've matured as a hunter, the category 2 group seems to be growing.

But the beauty of hunting is the categories are hunter specific, and can change.

My sons and I have had many glassing conversations that went just like that .......

 

[bighamr]

Like others have said it depends on the hunt. I’m always looking for top end for the unit but I’m still in the business for a giant 3 point yet or I’m a sucker for cool old nasty mass bucks no matter the score. If any of those requirements are met I’ll be done. If not, I can get other tags for some good eats and let the youngsters grow.

 

[Jgill19]

Deer:
Not really

Elk:
Depends on the tag, but for most of my hunts, I'll pass very small rags and spikes. Last day or two days I am absolutely hammering any legal elk. Spike if it's in a really bad spot could get a pass. Even on the little ones, there is too much prime meat to leave w/o it if the opportunity is there.

 

[sambo3006]

On nearly all of my mule deer hunts, I don't get to put boots on the ground other than a few days prior to the hunt due to travel distance (1,000+ miles) and available vacation time. Almost all of the hunts are general hunts or low preference point hunts. I've been fortunate enough to kill a couple of nice bucks, but only one of the nice bucks was late in the hunt (day 7). Like a few others have mentioned, I do a 3 or 4 day inventory, then it's go time. I might get a good looking buck, or it might be a small buck on the last day or two of the hunt that I'm very happy to take back to Missouri. It works for me.

 

[feddoc]

We've witnessed that before........
View attachment 134971

Just out of curiosity....where can that be found?