“Kenny”
I pulled camera cards for the second time of the summer and I was pleased with the results of my second card pull. There were some great pictures of my number one target buck “Kenny” as well as another good ten point buck that is hanging out with him. There were also a few really good young bucks showing up. I like getting pictures of the young ones because it gives you hope there will be more big ones in the future. We don’t have any set rules or restrictions on killing bucks on the property, but for the most part we all strive to make sure all the bucks taken are at least three years old. There have been a few younger bucks taken by youth hunters and a couple muzzleloader and shotgun hunters in the past but overall I think everyone is on the same page with management.
I try not to get too worked up over smaller bucks that are killed. I know they will never grow up to be monsters if they’re killed when they’re 2 years old, but at the end of the day it’s their tag and as long as they’re legally killing it, I’m happy for them. I like big bucks at least as much as the next guy, but I refuse to let it consume me or look down on other people’s accomplishments because it’s not something I would do. Not everyone has the time or drive to hold out for a mature buck. Maybe if I lived in a state with more pressured animals due to lack of habitat or increased hunter numbers I would think differently, but I would like to think I wouldn’t. I am very fortunate to live and hunt where I do.
The property holds a lot of deer, and with almost 400 acres of neighboring timber that gets almost no human activity the whole year, there are plenty of places for the bucks to hide so they have a better chance of growing up to their potential. This is a double-edged sword, as it can make for frustrating hunts where you can see big bucks out in the pasture or the bottom ground across the fence and you just can’t get them to come your way. Even if I never get a shot at them, I still love hunting them with cameras, and I think trail cameras have fanned the flames of my hunting addiction. I enjoy watching the bucks grow throughout the season almost as much as actually hunting them. Always Remember to see full size pictures feel free to click on the picture!
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