1. Would you rather shoot a 140-150″ buck every year??
or
2. Shoot (1) 165″+ buck every 5-7 yrs??
I’m looking at a bunch of the big bucks that have dropped lately and I’m jealous. It’s making me go through the “what-ifs”.
After shooting my 162″ on Saturday, I would vote for #2. I’ve shot plenty of 140 class bucks without much emotion, but I was still shaking so badly on Saturday that I had to wait over an hour to gut him! 
Uffda, tough question for me. I don’t have many “nice” deer under my belt yet, so I lean towards #1. However, I believe as a trophy hunter I’m evolving into that stage where #2 is a more realistic goal for me year in and year out. But, then I think, MAN I LOVE DRAWING BACK ON ANY DEER. It’s my drug of choice!
So, I didn’t really answer your question. I know option 1 is much more realistic for me since I’ve never witnessed a buck in the 150+ class on our property.
I would actually be very happy shooting a 140″ buck every 5-7 yrs 
For whatever reason we don’t get a lot of big bucks at our farm even though we’ve got 100 acres of alfalfa and 30 acres of corn every year. Between us and our neighbors who also practice APR of 8 or better (we have almost 1000 acres) for over 5 years now and I’m surprised we haven’t been seeing more mature/bigger deer. I’m scratching my head trying to figure out exactly what additional improvements I can make at the farm to get more mature bucks living on the property so if anyone has some good ideas (hint hint) just let me know.
Ricco, For me (and assuming many others) it all depends on what you have on the wall already. The natural progression is to shoot something a bit bigger each year. Ask this same question in Kansas and you’ll probly get a lot of number 2’s. I know you enjoy hunting and shooting big bucks, just dont forget where you’re at (central MN). Does that make sense? A 140 for central MN is a darn nice deer. The day I wouldn’t get a rush from taking a 140 is the day I need to hang it up.
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I would actually be very happy shooting a 140″ buck every 5-7 yrs
Couldn’t agree more Will. I primarily hunt big tracks of public land in NW WI, which sees a ton of hunting pressure. Bucks normally don’t have a chance to grow old where I hunt, so 140″+ deer are very far and few between.
Still doesn’t stop me from trying though and it just makes it that much sweeter when it does come together!
#1 or smaller because I like venison and havent found an acceptable way to cook antlers yet.
This is a hard one for me also. I get a case of the “Stan Potts”, even when I stick a doe. When I loose that feeling I will quit hunting..But I would say im closer too #2. Heck who am I kidding number one all the way 
#2 because who has room for that many mounts after 20, 30 hopefully 40+ years of hunting and if i’m not going to shoulder mount him I’m not going to shoot him. I like venison too but my family eats good from the does i take.
That is a tough question and for most of us, it is dependent on the location and genetics of the deer we are hunting as well as local pressure and management. I myself would like to get a big one every couple of years. I don’t know that I could hold out 5-7 years to shoot one. However, I have passed up a lot in the 120-130 range the last several years and we are starting to see the results as we have multiple 140″ deer on the farm. If we could start to get in the mindset to pass 140s and wait for 160″ deer we would certainly kill less, but I have no doubt that our area has the genetics to produce them.
For me personally, I killed my first 140″+ this year. My goal is set on 150″+ now. Where it goes from there is to be determined.
For myself, from here on out I say #2 but that many years apart I think I’d find myself resorting back to #1. Tough question to answer.
#1 for me for sure! Consistency shows your skills and knowledge about whitetails. Unless you have your own land or sole permission on a great piece of land, a 4.5 year old buck is hard to kill 
I would say #1 for now, but if i were to say #2, it would be if i was seeing/passing 140″ bucks instead of getting “lucky” and having a 160″ come through a shooting lane
#1 – I have not been able to get a 100 inch buck on the ground with my bow yet. I have passed on a few bucks this year that would be my biggest ever. But I’m wanting to finaly get into the P&Y class of deer.
#1 for me. I have hunted 13 years and never killed a deer over 140. I’m still learning every day, I hunt good land and have lots of it but I just don’t get very many opportunities at big deer. If it took 5-7 years to put a 160+ down I would surely lose focus. In my experience if you go for #1 you do have opportunities at #2.
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…Consistency shows your skills and knowledge about whitetails.
Is this statement saying that year in and year out killing a 140″-150″ deer shows greater ability as a hunter than if you were waiting 4, 5, 6+ years to shoot a deer that was in the 160″+ class? If not, I apologize for misunderstanding your view.
If that was your point of view, it is a pretty far fetched one at best, bordering on absolute lunacy. To kill 160″+ class bucks 4+ years apart takes incredible talent, patience and drive. It takes being able to pass up bucks consistently in the 140-150″ range and while I will not say it makes you a better hunter to be able to kill 160″+ deer once in a while (because there are way too many variables in the equation), it certainly takes just as much skill and knowledge as shooting a 140-150″ every single year. Most hunters who kill 1-2 160″+ bucks per decade, most likely are passing up a 140″ or 150″ buck at least once a season.
Case in point is a good buddy of mine. They hunt on 120 acres of prime real estate. They have passed up several in the 140-150″ class over the last couple of years and have been rewarded with a couple approaching Booner status.
The point of my rant is there is no way that killing a deer every year makes you a better hunter than one that waits for several years for the right one.
Being able to kill a mature deer (4.5-5.5+) y/o regardless of score is impressive IMO. I know guys that have killed 1-3 160″+ bucks in their lifetime but that doesn’t mean they’re knowledgeable. They happened to be in a stand and had a hot doe come by followed by the buck. They didn’t know there was a deer that big on the property. But that’s the magic of the rut.
If the hunter knows the specific deer they’re after, have had a history of him, and hold off/pass him so he can get to that 160″ mark next year, than he is skilled.
I will say however that there’s a lot of hoping and praying that the buck doesn’t get shot or leaves the property the following year
A 165″ or bigger forsure for me. After you see a few in the upper end of the trophy class it kinda puts the halt for me to taking one thats not as big. Its been 5 years since I’ve seriously hunted for a big one and once a big one etches your thoughts, a wall full of 140″,s isn’t as nice to me as a couple 170″s with a couple vacant spots for a couple thats even bigger.
Shoot what makes you happy. When 140-150” bucks stop making you happy… hold out for something bigger.
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