Peer pressure is so great on the forum that is the only reason I have not shot anything scoring under 200 B&C, had a few that were real close
For where I hunt and the small acreage I have seen a couple of real nice ones, my mindset is if it is not the one that gets my heart all jazzed up or one that needs to be thinned from the herd then I am not going to shoot a buck just so I tell people that; Heck yes I shot a buck this year!

To each his own as long as they are not breaking the law

I always ask if it’s a high fence deer so I’ll know if I’m looking at a wild animals picture or livestock. In 2017 anyone with enough money and enough skill to hit a deer standing at a feeder 100 yards away can kill a 200” buck. I know because I was helping a friend out on his 2 section high fence over thanksgiving and 4, 200”+ bucks were killed by guys that showed up for a two day hunt with plenty of cash. They were all beautiful animals but is that really hunting?

I’m much more impressed with a 2.5 year old 8 point someone killed in east Tx.

Even when I kill a doe or small buck just to kill it I should be proud? I don't know that I'm "proud" of killing doe. I like to do it and I really enjoy it but I'm not necessarily proud. I don't have pictures to post of a lot of my kills, some bucks and never take a pic of doe. I shoot a bunch because I like to, and then for meat, but mostly for enjoyment.

Doesn't mean I have to kill something, most hunts I don't shoot anything and I see deer every sit usually.

Personally, I'd like to believe that we're seeing more quality over quantity because hunters are becoming more educated. Many can age deer on the hoof within one year and score deer on the hoof in 15 seconds or less. As we've become better educated and more management minded over the past 20 years or so, it's only natural that the quality of whitetails in Texas has improved.

All the other negatives posted by others surely come into play as well, but I don't think they're the determining factor.

Stub, I am with you on this one. I don't shoot a deer if it doesn't get me really jazzed up the minute it comes out. Unless I am meat hunting. I have shot some smaller deer before because they fit this criteria. And to me they were trophy deer. One of the biggest reasons I hunt is because I love that "rush" when you first see a stud coming into range. Be it a hog, whitetail, wood duck, or anything I am hunting for that matter.

no that is not hunting those guys may not know how to hunt. My favorite cuz recently went to Frio to Hf hunt before the trip I ask him if his gun was sighted in? He said no I'm not taking it they have riffles there. He was entertaining client his job was to babysit his client shot this

I started hunting with my dad in NJ at 15.Hunting in NJ back 50 years ago was a flash in the pan. 75% of all bucks are killed in the first 2 hours of the 6 day season. Even now I believe the average age of a buck is 1.5 years. Trying to hunt with a view on quality meant you never shot a deer. NJ back then had about a 15% success rate including bucks and does. With those odds just getting a deer was quite the accomplishment. Only now that I own a small place of 160 acres do I think about a management strategy. It's obviously difficult when others around you shoot at anything that's legal. We try to limit any deer shot to mature 8 points or better. We make an exception for a first deer kill.

Hunting is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. If you respect the animal, obey the law and are a sportsman I couldn't careless what you shoot. I am just happy we can all enjoy this wonderful gift our Lord has given us.