What makes a buck a shooter?

i have been wondering this over the past few years. I have been going on the notion that for me, it is something that is bigger than I had shot in the past. By best to date is a heavy horned 9 pointer with a 17″ inside spread. I seem to shoot almost all does waiting for “shooter” bucks. As I posted in the trail cam pics, most people around us are meat hunting trying to drop the population, earn a buck zone in S Wisconsin. That is not leaving a lot of quality bucks. In the past three years I do not think I have seen a pics, or visual of a deer older than 3 1/2. With that being said, am I fooling myself waiting for a “shooter” My goal for the past few years has been to shoot a deer with a 20″ spread. Just wondering if that is realistic. Deer move off our land for water, that would be it. How, what can I do to get there?

Since Im bowhunting, and I rarely see anything bigger than a 6pt in my area, what makes a buck a shooter would have to be ANTLERS!! lol

Ps I am 30 years old and have never got a buck. However, in my defense, Ive only hunted about 3 years.

Since Im bowhunting, and I rarely see anything bigger than a 6pt in my area, what makes a buck a shooter would have to be ANTLERS!! lol

Ps I am 30 years old and have never got a buck. However, in my defense, Ive only hunted about 3 years.

Thanks for the input, bucks will come, but I am sure your view will change with success, as mine has.

Thanks for the input, bucks will come, but I am sure your view will change with success, as mine has.

Darin, I am at the same point in my hunting career, that the next buck I shoot will be bigger than my 10 point I have on the wall already. I guess for me, it’s trying to better my trophy. I do have a small 10 and then a bigger 10, now I need a bigger one, or at least the same. If Grifter goes by my philosiphy, he might as well quit !!! JK. Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter. I take my does every year, and if I shoot a buck, the next stop will be the taxidermist. Thats just me.

big g

Darin, I am at the same point in my hunting career, that the next buck I shoot will be bigger than my 10 point I have on the wall already. I guess for me, it’s trying to better my trophy. I do have a small 10 and then a bigger 10, now I need a bigger one, or at least the same. If Grifter goes by my philosiphy, he might as well quit !!! JK. Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter. I take my does every year, and if I shoot a buck, the next stop will be the taxidermist. Thats just me.

big g

I consider a shooter to be something bigger than 115″ I have never shot a buck w/ my bow because i haven’t had any come close enough I have definitely seen several this year but haven’t been able to pull it off. I think the thing that people need to do when they are not seeing any bigger is to find new hunting land Door to door isn’t a bad idea but just asking can pay off BIG time!! I also think that it depends on the person and their goals to consider something to be a shooter

I consider a shooter to be something bigger than 115″ I have never shot a buck w/ my bow because i haven’t had any come close enough I have definitely seen several this year but haven’t been able to pull it off. I think the thing that people need to do when they are not seeing any bigger is to find new hunting land Door to door isn’t a bad idea but just asking can pay off BIG time!! I also think that it depends on the person and their goals to consider something to be a shooter

Quote:

---

Darin, I am at the same point in my hunting career, that the next buck I shoot will be bigger than my 10 point I have on the wall already. I guess for me, it’s trying to better my trophy. I do have a small 10 and then a bigger 10, now I need a bigger one, or at least the same. If Grifter goes by my philosiphy, he might as well quit !!! JK. Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter. I take my does every year, and if I shoot a buck, the next stop will be the taxidermist. Thats just me.

big g

---

Quote:

---

Darin, I am at the same point in my hunting career, that the next buck I shoot will be bigger than my 10 point I have on the wall already. I guess for me, it’s trying to better my trophy. I do have a small 10 and then a bigger 10, now I need a bigger one, or at least the same. If Grifter goes by my philosiphy, he might as well quit !!! JK. Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter. I take my does every year, and if I shoot a buck, the next stop will be the taxidermist. Thats just me.

big g

---

I understand looking for new land if you do not own it, but I am sort of stuck with this property. I think it has potential, but until people around us quit shooting everything that walks, it will be tough. Is there a way to keep deer on our property, without a fence

I understand looking for new land if you do not own it, but I am sort of stuck with this property. I think it has potential, but until people around us quit shooting everything that walks, it will be tough. Is there a way to keep deer on our property, without a fence

where in S. WI are you hunting?

where in S. WI are you hunting?

A shooter buck is anything that you don’t regret shooting after killing him.

I shot a 2 1/2 year old basket rack eight pointer 4 years ago…….dropped him right in his tracks……as I gutted him out, all I could think was “why the heck did I shoot this thing?” I got very little joy out of it….actually I felt kinda bad…..it’s not like we needed the meat….and it’s not anywhere close to my first or biggest buck….maybe it was because it was the last day I was hunting….I dunno…..I do know, I haven’t even pulled my gun up on a deer the last 3 years……

I’m not like a lot of the guys on here…..I don’t put much time and effort in deer hunting….I don’t bow hunt….I don’t scout……I just go out Saturday and Sunday and sit in the woods……If something that gets my heart pumping walks by, I’ll probably shoot it….. Otherwise, it’s just a weekend of hanging out with the guys and taking in the woods

But if I do shoot one, I sure as heck don’t want to feel bad about it again.

A shooter buck is anything that you don’t regret shooting after killing him.

I shot a 2 1/2 year old basket rack eight pointer 4 years ago…….dropped him right in his tracks……as I gutted him out, all I could think was “why the heck did I shoot this thing?” I got very little joy out of it….actually I felt kinda bad…..it’s not like we needed the meat….and it’s not anywhere close to my first or biggest buck….maybe it was because it was the last day I was hunting….I dunno…..I do know, I haven’t even pulled my gun up on a deer the last 3 years……

I’m not like a lot of the guys on here…..I don’t put much time and effort in deer hunting….I don’t bow hunt….I don’t scout……I just go out Saturday and Sunday and sit in the woods……If something that gets my heart pumping walks by, I’ll probably shoot it….. Otherwise, it’s just a weekend of hanging out with the guys and taking in the woods

But if I do shoot one, I sure as heck don’t want to feel bad about it again.

protourbaits,

You mentioned the number 115 as a shooter, what does that look like? this is a pic of my best, it was 17 inside, 9 points and lots of mass, check out how the main beam spoons out to the end, and the tines go out. For reference, I am 6’5, 280 and the truck is a ford ranger What would this score, roughly?

protourbaits,

You mentioned the number 115 as a shooter, what does that look like? this is a pic of my best, it was 17 inside, 9 points and lots of mass, check out how the main beam spoons out to the end, and the tines go out. For reference, I am 6’5, 280 and the truck is a ford ranger What would this score, roughly?

I hunt outside of Boscabel, WI

I hunt outside of Boscabel, WI

Quote:

---

Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter.

---

That pretty much sums it up right there everyone’s answer is different and only you can answer this for yourself. I am at the same point big G is, I have a nice 9 point on the wall with a 16 1/2″ spread so my next buck has to be bigger, gun or bow, even though I have not killed a buck with my bow but it still would have to be bigger than the my shot gun buck I have on the wall now. The way I look at it is if I shoot the first buck that comes by every year I will never get a crack at the big boy.

Quote:

---

Really, a shooter buck is in the eyes of the shooter.

---

That pretty much sums it up right there everyone’s answer is different and only you can answer this for yourself. I am at the same point big G is, I have a nice 9 point on the wall with a 16 1/2″ spread so my next buck has to be bigger, gun or bow, even though I have not killed a buck with my bow but it still would have to be bigger than the my shot gun buck I have on the wall now. The way I look at it is if I shoot the first buck that comes by every year I will never get a crack at the big boy.

When a shooter walks out….you know it is a shooter. I have never had to look closely at a buck to know it was a shooter or not.

Whatever size that is, is up to you to decide. I see 120″ deer and all I can think about is how nice they will be next year. When I see 140″ deer…..

My method failed me last year as I made a mistake and harvested a smaller one than I thought I was taking. But, when you see a shooter, you know it instantly. If you are debating, wait for a bigger one

When a shooter walks out….you know it is a shooter. I have never had to look closely at a buck to know it was a shooter or not.

Whatever size that is, is up to you to decide. I see 120″ deer and all I can think about is how nice they will be next year. When I see 140″ deer…..

My method failed me last year as I made a mistake and harvested a smaller one than I thought I was taking. But, when you see a shooter, you know it instantly. If you are debating, wait for a bigger one

Steve, I have struggled with that as well, and that is why I am asking. We have many cameras out every year and I try to base it somewhat on what is out there, but I also know that I would eventually be to a point where I will not see a better on on this property, may be there already IF people could reference the buck I shot a few years back, that would be great. I hate to shoot anything smaller.

Steve, I have struggled with that as well, and that is why I am asking. We have many cameras out every year and I try to base it somewhat on what is out there, but I also know that I would eventually be to a point where I will not see a better on on this property, may be there already IF people could reference the buck I shot a few years back, that would be great. I hate to shoot anything smaller.

Quote:

---

You mentioned the number 115 as a shooter, what does that look like? this is a pic of my best, it was 17 inside, 9 points and lots of mass, check out how the main beam spoons out to the end, and the tines go out. For reference, I am 6’5, 280 and the truck is a ford ranger What would this score, roughly?

---

I say that is a shooter. I am guessing when it walked out you knew it was one you wanted. When you got it you were happy and it was as big as you thought it was when you found it, therefor it is a “shooter”.

Quote:

---

You mentioned the number 115 as a shooter, what does that look like? this is a pic of my best, it was 17 inside, 9 points and lots of mass, check out how the main beam spoons out to the end, and the tines go out. For reference, I am 6’5, 280 and the truck is a ford ranger What would this score, roughly?

---

I say that is a shooter. I am guessing when it walked out you knew it was one you wanted. When you got it you were happy and it was as big as you thought it was when you found it, therefor it is a “shooter”.

I am terrible at judging a racks score, if I had to guess I would say low 130’s. Hopefully Jack will jump in here he could give you a better idea than I could.