Hagerman updates

[grizzman]

Yeah, I don't understand going to the "H" to just shoot a legal buck and especially don't understand shooting an illegal buck. I want to shoot something that I can't find elsewhere, or else I would just as soon shoot a doe. If you are close enough to make a bow shot, you are close enough to tell if it is legal or not.

Hopefully, next year I'll get drawn again.

[Swanyriver]

I guess my scouting showed me what was there so the little ones had a pass until they became one of these that still lurk up there.


We called him acorn here in velvet

Acorn again in full hard gear

Fishhook..... Main beams curl downwards at the ends.

Oh well just keep going over the game plan until my ticket gets pulled again.

[Richard]

For me it doesn't matter where I'm hunting. If its a bigger deer than I've ever killed before I will shoot. A bird in the hand and so forth. Yes, I could go to the hill country and shoot a 120-130. I can't do that for $53.
I would prefer to go home with the best trophy of my life as opposed to going home empty handed, (although thats what I did anyway), because I waited on someone elses idea of a trophy.
If I ever do manage to kill a 130ish deer at Hagerman and get drawn again, well, then maybe I will wait on a 150+ but until then, when to date my best deer is just over 100" why wouldn't I shoot a 130?

I agree. I don't hunt to kill a bigger buck than my buddy, I hunt kill something bigger than I've already killed.

[Passthrough]

Never understood the shooting of small bucks on Hagerman either. To each his own I guess but some of the deer walking around there are too good to be settling for small bucks!

[Txjourneyman]

Never understood the shooting of small bucks on Hagerman either. To each his own I guess but some of the deer walking around there are too good to be settling for small bucks!

I understand that some folks are there for the monster of a lifetime. I get that. But there are those of us too that have never shot something as nice as what you have in your avatar. I know a lot of guys that have never killed a 130" deer. And Hagerman would be a great place to get one. As I mentioned earlier, after I have a few 120-130 inch deer on the wall, maybe then I'll hold out for that buck of a lifetime. Until then a 120-130 IS the buck of a lifetime.

[wlgorman]

Called yesterday, lady said there were around 30 deer taken and 11 of those were bucks. Idk if that is from this last hunt or the whole season.

[borocat]

Whole season. Only 6 killed last weekend.

[Horn chaser]

Great job Tommy

Thanks Larry. I appreciate it.


On a side note here.
Hmm I wonder next time if I get drawn for Hagerman if I should take a pic of the buck I am looking at shooting and post it on here to get the whinny little girls opinions on if I should or should not shoot. Naugh I think I am going to shoot the buck that I decide I want to shoot. As I hope any hunter shoots the one that they like and not base their decisions on what a bunch of little girls on here thinks. As long as the buck is legal and that person is happy I am happy for that hunter on their harvest.

[muzzyslinger]

Hornchaser the buck that you killed was a very nice buck,I think most of the negative comments ((( includeing my own))) were talking about the small borderline AR bucks.and if a guy is happy taking one of those bucks thats great,but the chance for a true throphy is there if you wait.and wait and wait LOL---HUNTED IT 3 YRS STRAIGHT NOTHING BUT 1 DOE KILLED

[pickles]

Wow.......not sure if I would have left it in that condition. Dale (if he is on here right now) what is the correct action as a ethical hunter to do in a situation like that????

I wanted to take him but since I had no clarification I let him walk. Better safe than sorry on that situation. Rick just shook his head and said I made the right choice.

[Horn chaser]

Hornchaser the buck that you killed was a very nice buck,I think most of the negative comments ((( includeing my own))) were talking about the small borderline AR bucks.and if a guy is happy taking one of those bucks thats great,but the chance for a true throphy is there if you wait.and wait and wait LOL---HUNTED IT 3 YRS STRAIGHT NOTHING BUT 1 DOE KILLED

No worries I wasn't taking it as directed to me. What I was getting at is I know of hunters that can't afford the prices of leases and for them this and other draw hunts are the closest they will get. Basically just saying don't hold everyone to your standards. I don't hold them to mine. As long as they take a legal buck and are happy more power to them.

[dfkoon]

As I told my wife when we got back last Sunday, "I'm wet, I'm cold, I'm tired and I feel great cause I went hunting." I also took my son.

1st morning, my son draws on a hog. Didn't get a shot as they started running. Seems someone else was also in that area and stuck 1st. Then the rest of the day, kept getting busted, busted, busted. 1st time to ever hunt a ground blind... was thinking that was what was spooking them. They were snorting up a storm well out of sight on both sides. Finally figured it out... don't let your son's snack be teriyaki jerkey.

Saturday, nada. Just the rain. Came in a bit early and had some of that good Wild on the Hog BBQ.

Sunday Morning, here come the hogs again. Just no shot... but then around 9:30, I hear a snap. Lean back out of the blind door and 15 yds behind us is the biggest buck I've seen in my life (alive). Had to go at least 170. Never had a shot as I just had planned that direction (down wind non-the-less). So I just watched him meander on hoping he would circle back around. Well, he didn't bust us. I'll be thinking on him for the next year.

Been around Texoma my entire life. 1st time to hunt the big H. Hopefully not the last. I'm hooked.

Also sorry to hear about the small buck. Ethics really can't be taught in a class. Takes a lifetime to get.