We had an awesome year, killed 8 bucks that were at least 8 point or better. My little girl had several opportunities to kill one but it didn’t pan out. That could have easily been 9-10 good racked bucks. We’re any of them “monsters” not to me personally but I wouldn’t change one single shot that was made. I would hope for the exact same type of season every year the rest of my life and I’d be fine. To ask for any more would be selfish and dreaming in my eyes. I am not and never will be the type of guy who goes two years and never pulls the trigger because I enjoy killing deer. I enjoy others who come hunting with me, when they kill deer. When I was a kid we dog hunted and I got JUST as excited when I heard someone else shoot.
Back when the Roost was in operation I remember reading on their web site or pamphlet that they specialize in 16” deer that will put a smile on anyone’s face. That stuck with me and I’m still that way. Why has that changed for so many people, and why is it so important to push that same philosophy on everyone else?
This year made me happy! One of our best imo!
We did 3 euro mounts and no head mounts, and we’re all fine with that.

Great post!

What makes me happy is to see a lot of deer, have drama free fun and occasionally shoot a buck that tickles my fancy. I like eating them and would love to kill a really nice buck but don’t actually like killing them. Last year for the first time in a long time I had someone regularly hunting my place with me and I really enjoyed having the company and having some someone around to talk hunting with.

CNC posts and charts

I think this idea goes both ways…..Many of the guys who are sitting out there just shooting whatever and however many makes them happy are doing so on the backs of the folks around them who are using more restraint…….I find that most hunters are only ever concerned with their own personal situation…….You never hear a hunter talking about how his actions are impacting someone else and what they might want. I think there needs to be some folks who look out for the greater good of the whole group. I’ve always thought that was supposed to be the DCNR……At the end of the day it boils down to the X’s and O’s of sustainability in the setup we have…..logic over emotion……Where is it leading us in 5-10 years?

I think you’re going to find great diversity in answers.
Managing deer habitat and maximizing their natural potential makes me happy. Hunting and killing them is just a bonus, but I have no enjoyment from killing anything immature. Bow hunting makes me happier than gun hunting. Kids killing deer makes me happy.

^^^
What Matt Said

Your post is great - what gets me - some try to push their idea on everybody and shame certain type of hunters. Their aint no hero stories out there - we supposed to be able to kill and eat animals - we at top of food chain. If u like clear cuts - hunt em - fields - hunt em - muzzleloader - hunt with it - cross bow - hunt with it - if u hunt over corn do it - if you dont - great - nobody cares 😀
Some try to make it a big deal they hunt a certain way and theirs is better. Aint nobody winning no awards here and get over yourself - we just killing an animal and i hope i always love doing it

And you dont owe anybody an explanation - go enjoy the privilege and freedom. I respect you either way you do it if its legal!!

Seeing rabbits on my game cameras.

What about if something is legal but you don’t think it’s good for the resource……Is it ok to have an opinion??.....For example, if they made it legal to hunt turkeys with a rifle……..Should everyone support that because the state made it legal and it makes some people happy?

Making people understand that hunting over corn is not of satan makes me happy.

Working hard and owning a place to hunt makes me happy. I can let other people have fun without caring about what anybody else thinks

Hav all the opinions ya want CNC. Some hav said muzzleloader is killing all the deer - so is crossbow. I aint shot one with either going on 3 years now. Lot of the opinions dont hold merit

And one of my main points - lot of people get rude and arrogant with their opinion. What happened to respect your fellow hunter if he hunting legal? My deer heard is great - controlling the trigger finger probably helps the most over all these opinions. Thats up to the hunter - opinions on here will not change that so its more of a fantasy game 🤣🤣

Tdog it is a fantasy game because we won’t see any of these opinions made into law. I think what people are debating is what they would like to see turned into law. Take trigger control out of the hunter’s hands, in other words. So it’s not left up to the hunter as long as he is law abiding. I do believe if you asked every hunter in Alabama, if they would like to kill bigger racked bucks, very very few would say no I like killing bucks with little racks. If you showed a picture with a 80” 2 year old and a 120” 4 year old and asked which one would you shoot if you had the opportunity to kill one, everyone of them would choose the 4 year old. But not everyone wants to have the self control to have that decision to make. Or not everyone believes that self control will lead to that chance.

owning my own hard earned dirt to hunt & manage any way i chose with no worries about it being taken away!!

Everybody isn't hunting to mount a deer. Some can't afford to mount a deer but they own a little land and should be able to shoot what they like.

Let's say you lease 300 acres and your neighbor owns his 300 acres. Who has more rights?

This right here. It is nice.

Rights are the same on both sides of the line

So you think the lease owner has the right to tell the land owner what he should shoot?

Habitat management and hunting with my kids. This was by far my best hunting season yet and I only pulled the trigger one time.