Is It Just Me

Or does it seem like more quality harvests over quantity is being posted in THF this season? Seems like many more harvest posts in prior seasons though maybe quality higher this season. Could this be the result of droughts in prior 3 out of 5 seasons? What say the forum?

Honestly?

I think comments from some on anything less than big bucks (“Nice cull”, “Should have given him another year”, etc.) are starting to keep many from posting their buck pics on here. Kids are an exception.

I could be wrong though. It has been a good year in my neck of the woods for overall quality. I don’t have a theory on the reason.

I think NP is on to something

I believe that.

I think that's definitely part of it. I saw this online a while back and it illustrates it perfectly.

Agree, also sounds like less shooters being seen this year at least in NW Texas. Lots of natural food sources this season unlike prior dry seasons.

Might as well add the HF, caliber, gun vs bow, age, etc. Hunters negativity against others because someone doesn’t do it “their way” has grown and created a divisive and more negativity than anything.

If someone shoots a deer and post it, I assume they are proud of it and everyone else should be proud for them or keep their mouth shut. On here, if I see comments degrading another’s deer, it will be removed but can’t catch them all and can’t do anything about the negativity on discussion threads that cause the same issue and have the same result. Is just part of the hunting community now.

For me, I don’t care what others say. Like my Mule deer this year, I was proud of him but had three buddies tell me they wouldn’t have shot that deer because of his fronts. Their choice and didn’t bother me a bit.

As far as the OP, I have seen “better” deer posted but agree that overall number of mature deer being seen is down. I don’t believe the numbers are down, just more groceries and better range conditions.

I know on my place in the Panhandle, we have great "numbers" of young deer, but mature bucks were nowhere to be found. I thought we'd be a little farther along in recovery from the drought, but it looks like a couple more years before we're going to see mature bucks in good numbers.

That's not to discount anything said above, because I definitely agree, but there is something to do with the drought going on as well. Bet that.

Our place is still missing the age group from the drought 5-6 years ago and I assume most of Texas is too. We have had good range conditions and fawn crops since then. I am surprised in the fawn crop this year, as I expected it to be much higher do to range conditions and herd health, but we aren’t seeing it.

Big difference between debating issues related to hunting in the abstract and directing dissing someone.

I don’t see debate/differences in opinion as “negativity”. Unless one is sensitive to the point that only their opinion counts or so shy that they are willing to let others drive the train (even if it’s over a cliff). Hunters have debated means and methods since sport hunting began. Attitudes evolve. It’s why night hunting prohibitions, bag limits, minimum caliber laws, seasons, ARs, etc. exist - when there used to be no rules.

Debates over what constitutes fair chase, long-range hunting, how we present ourselves via the media, and a host of other topics are ongoing in the hunting community among serious people genuinely concerned about making sure hunting continues. IMO that’s a good thing - much better than keeping one’s mouth shut and letting the Keith Warrens of the world take over the narrative. Fighting for what’s right is always “divisive”. Nothing good is ever accomplished or nothing bad is ever stopped without some seeing it as “divisive”.

But, carry on....

Agree, don't recall you trying to pass off your Muley as the next Booner, just one you had harvested.

Have no issue with debates as is evident on how many I am involved in. It is the way they are presented and how the people handle themselves in them. Attacks are not debates. And yes, some people are overly sensitive and think everything is directed at them.

Theys didn’t do it as an attack or to be mean, it was just in conversation. Everyone has a style that they like or attributes that they are more inclined to look for.

Yes they are.

And, sometimes, they are right because, sometimes, folks are just jerks. When the comments turn from the abstract to dissing someone’s personal hunt/experience/profession/etc. it’s easy to see.

I can personally attest to this line of thought. As my post count suggests, I do much more reading than posting and this is for different reasons on different topics. As for harvest pics, I hunt Northeast TX and killed the biggest deer of my life that scored about 135. He was 3.5 or 4.5 years old and I used a gun. This would not be a trophy to many but I was blessed to have the opportunity and to have my 11 year old son in the stand with me. I have absolutely no desire to show him on the forum for the exact reasons mentioned. I am not sensitive and do not care how anyone chooses to hunt but I refuse to be the catalyst for the elitist that take every opportunity to "teach" everyone else what is "right."

I think that people are embarrassed to post average deer . Let me say no one should be you choose you shoot it post it be proud of it. The difference between hunting on a budget and those who own large acre ranches and those with very deep pockets.can still be outdone by skill patients and time spent hunting. With a little luck mabey you will get monster.l praise anyone who gets out and hunts and teaches their kids and grandchildren to hunt.l am proud to say that I have accomplished this here are som pics just good average deer.

I'm blessed with lots memories these are just a few sons and grand kids

I believe it's both dynamics affecting the numbers being down:

The drought and weather this season.

Personal attacks and rude comments; the dark side of social media. This includes all the examples mentioned in this thread so far.

I think it would help if all members remember before they comment about other members photos and posts about their hunt that killing an animal hunting is a very personal and emotional experience.

Most people aren't going to react well to negative comments about the way they hunt and the game they kill. If they aren't breaking game laws it would be better to keep those type of comments to your self IMO.

Now if they ask for your opinion, that's different.

you need to get to posting way more praise than negative congrats on your deer and the memories with that hunt

I hunt. I shoot. I skin. I eat. Doesn’t matter to me what you guys think, and since I never post pics, nobody ever gets to critique my buck. I’m retired and having a grand old time. I do enjoy your pictures, and I have never ever ‘Monday morning quarterbacked’ anybody’s deer. If you are happy, I am happy. And if your kid or grandkid gets a deer, I am even happier.

Called the college grandson this morning to tell him I got 4 pigs in the trap. He was dying to be here and help with the skinning, but had some big exams. He did ask for some pig meat, and he will get some. He gets recipes from my wife. It’s all good.

True hunting is a thing of the past,I bow hunt in October, and take the kids during rifle season, my youngest sees no reason to hunt feeder during rifle season, he is 11, he has killed two doe and one basket rack buck

I agree 100%. Definitely more praise than negative, just the negative stand out more.

I guess it harvest vs hunting terminology

In all fairness, some people post pics of exceedingly young bucks, that are barely legal, & crow about it like they are the next Larry Weishuhn.

Seems like last year, some doofus posted a pic of a 2.5yo 6pt. IF he was 13", it woulda been a miracle (more likely, he wasn't 13", not legal & doofus didn't even know there was such a thing as AR). Sorry, that don't impress me. In fact, quite the opposite.

Don't be posting pics of very obviously young bucks, that ain't even legal, & expect everyone he to "fawn" all over you.

Kids are obviously different than a grown man. I salute any kid shooting a legal buck. But why would a grown man be proud of young, small buck? You shot a small buck, it ain't hard. It's not like they accomplished some grand feat.

I love a good debate...the problem I've seen on here is that people either have thin skin and get their feelings hurt easy and then start attcking people and the other problem is that as stated some people are simply jerks...and they know their being jerks and definitely seem to enjoy being so. I believe the jerk behavior has caused people to bale on this forum.

Not everyone hunts on a well managed ranch...some simply can't afford it. A lot of guys are getting into hunting on their on because they never had a Dad to take them and they're learning as they go. I was one of those guys in my early twenties! My Dad never hunted and I never had a place. I started hunting on paper mill land in ETX and a few years later it became type II. When I hunted back then I was fortunate if I saw a buck or two the whole year hunting public land so if I saw one with any kind of antlers with the time, money and energy it required I shot it and was proud of it. My first shoulder mount was a beautiful two year old 8pt on public land. It was a Muy Grande to me but I can assure you it would get panned if I posted it on here and yet even today because of the way it was back then it's still one of my most prized trophies!!! Would I shoot that buck today? Absolutely not and have passed on quite a few better than him this year but that does not diminish what he was to me back then. And when you and others attack people on here without any knowledge of the hunters situation it causes them to leave and we are worse for it! Too many people on here make way too many assumptions without giving anyone the benefit of the doubt. Mom always said if you don't have something good to say don't say anything!

This...it's not unusual for me to see twenty deer in a sitting and yet I've seen only one "shooter" all year and have hunted more this year than any year in the last ten+ years. I'm beginning to regret not shooting him. He was a nice mature ten but...if he lives another year I might get a crack at a twelve and that's why I passed on him.

This ^^. I've killed some decent ones the last few years and my kids are always set on kill. I don't care to hear everyone's "expert" opinion so I don't post much anymore here or FB. We hunt for us not for opinions anyway.

We are all in different places in life. I got a buddy that is 30 years old and he shot his first buck this year over thanksgiving week. Who cares what it was. Yes if in an AR county you should abide by the rules.

I am bad about asking HF I guess. I don't look down upon it at all, just curiosity.

I think people are scared to post pics of young buck harvest because of being judged and critiqued.

Not scared to post them just don't care to. Smoked a 1.5 yr old 4 point 2 days ago just because I like deer meat and he looked delicious, but why post it and listen to the bs?

Did you not post because you didn't want to deal with it? Or just because you didn't care to post about a 4pt? or? Had it been a 150 inch 8 I bet you would have posted pictures even though you still just like deer meat.

More or less just don't care about others opinions. Was a time when I wanted everyone to know what I killed and now I've lost the desire to brag I guess. Might post a 150, but killed a 138 nine point last season and didn't post it here or FB. My bil saw the mount at thanksgiving and didn't even know I'd killed a decent buck last year.

Part of it is posts like tlk's 15 yr old buck. Everybody KNOWS they are right and refuse to believe otherwise, one of the reasons stx ain't here no more....if everybody knows everything they don't need to see my deer or hear what I think.

Reading through this thread, this really struck me. You're a better man than me. Who does that??? Men from all walks of life, and especially friends, used to know how to keep their mouths shut better than they do these days.

I would have shot that deer, just I would have tried to do it with less shots

Completely agree with this.

It takes as many as it takes

Creek, really didn’t bother me. They were happy for me but have killed more mule deer and better mule deer than I have. I shoot deer I like and have taken people to shoot deer that I wouldn’t shoot but thought they might like.

I had a guy on my lease get upset because he shot a deer I let walk with my bow. I had a picture of it from my tree with my cell phone. It was a great deer but he felt it was diminished or insulted because I didn’t shoot it.

I think it is the same when someone post a picture and someone else makes a comment. I do agree that some people need to learn to just keep their mouth shut

That’s the Internet, period. There isn’t one person, and especially the more vocal ones, that can’t be judged or critiqued. Someone always has bigger deer, better management, better culling criteria, more experience, better stories, better genetics, better feed, etc.

I just don’t care and can easily discount most our regular loud mouths and negative posters. I still enjoy sharing and really enjoy seeing other people’s deer, hear the stories and see if they do something different that might work for us.

Not all counties have AR and if he is leasing or hunting his own land he has every right to kill a small deer if he wants and those that have a problem with that should give them a break Odds are people on here killed a small deer when they took up hunting if they want to be a movie star so give them a break.

Overall it has been a really slow year for us this year. The only deer we have picked out to shoot this year are a few no brow's and does. Many I have talked to have said the same.

I have shot many a small deer in the past but its never been about being proud of it.I hunt for the meat not horns and i prefer to eat a young deer than one thats 5 yrs old. Now with ar in place the deer have bigger horns and bigger bodys but still cant eat them horns. Love seeing pics of the big bucks and maybe i will get one day to bragg about but my deer hunting days are probably over because of medical problems. This is the first year in over40yrs that i havent been able to hunt and i can tell u dont worry about a deers antler or body size but be glad u can still be out there hunting.

That post seems contradictory to me. You don't hunt for horns and prefer smaller young tender deer... but maybe one day you will get you a big one to brag about. So the horns do or don't matter? Sounds like they don't matter until you have the lucky day and the big one is in front of you.

I have killed a few bucks that were older but since i really enjoy eating em more when they are younger i prefer taking a younger one if possible or wait till doe days and get a doe. Never said i wouldnt take a big buck if i had the chance tho. lol

Well stated...I rarely ever post anything these days, I was never a real frequent poster at all. But I do miss seeing some of the folks who used to be regular contributors here. I think some of them probably got tired of the constant lunacy that some folks throw into every thread. For the life of me, I don't understand anyone degrading someone's post, UNLESS the OP asks for opinions. And even then, you don't have to be a jackwagon about it, but try to be constructive in your criticism. Be happy for the hunter or shut up and move along

I think people should show their kills proudly. If youre not proud of it, dont kill it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Living in New Mexico I get to hunt whitetail once every 2 years or so. As a result I am proud of everyone I have killed. The last buck I killed was a mature native whitetail buck and I never scored him, but I proudly display him in my living room. When asked what he scored I say "don't know, don't care, he was a trophy to me".

We have ARs and have nothing to post. I have not seen a legal buck outside a spike this year. Our neighbors have shot some once in a lifetimes before rifle season but that was all we had legal on camera. Tons of doe and young bucks though but nothing legal. Only mature buck I saw so far ran younger bucks off and dissapeared to the woods in seconds. Won't even eat a grain of corn.

That being said, I go to a friends lease about 15 miles way from mine Sunday and see one of the biggest bucks I have seen outside S. Tex. But friend is 300 yards away looking at a feeder and I am on a wheat field to shoot a doe which I oblige. Luck of the draw. No one on the lease has seen that buck before.

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.