You can come score any of them, I never claimed they were 180" and I have only shot 3 on 4 tags in 20 years two were 170 + and in 2000 I shot a little 100" 2x4 the last day of the season for jerky. mass and mb fooled me in 05 a little, and 16 is a 3x4. In 16 also passed some main frame 4x4 that were 170-180 class early in the season and a 182" that someone shot the next day. I didn't fill my 2010 tag and passed up some nice deer, spent 6 days playing hide and seek with a 190 palmed horned buck that was smarter than me and up against land I couldn't hunt. As far as bow deer I have only shot two in the badlands/public land one a mid 150s with an extra main beam and trash that was 169" when it was 20 below, I honestly seen the extra main and that was it, definitely a mistake because he could have been really nice, the other was a small 2x3 velvet buck for meat. Like I said I don't care what people shoot but I target 175+" deer when I go out on public land do I always shoot them no, do I usually see them yes not near as many in the last 5 years, but that is what I am going after a few inches of mass either way takes a guessed 180" to a 170" or a 190". Shoot what you want as long as you are happy about it but if you are targeting 140-160" typical deer as mature bucks to me they are young.Apparently 150-160 is shooter quality to you too , I mean , pictures don’t lie . Your 2005 thin horned buck isn’t 170-180 . Your 2016 buck isn’t a record breaker . In all your dead deer photos I never saw a 180” . So maybe you need to look in the mirror
- - - Updated - - -
Having said that , you have shot some nice deer , and it don’t matter to me , just don’t point the finger and then not point it at yourself too
Nice.. yes.. big?? Maybe 1 or 2.. for private land I’m not that impressed. Don’t mean to be a dick like most badlands landowners just expected more is all.. ��
The best days of the badlands are gone, there's just to much pressure on those public lands. I score allot of the biggest deer in the state each year and the vast majority of the best muleys come off private lands, its not even close. They can control what is being harvested and now days on allot of ranches if its not 180 gross its not getting shot, at least by the adults. And I think the oil field has really put the hurt on the muleys as well, from both poaching and getting hit on the roads. Can't imagine how many get smoked by trucks every week.
And you will also start to see more and more leasing and outfitters as the years go on state wide.
Hate to say it but social media is the demise of good hunting across the country. Information is way to readily available these days with the click of a button
And with things like ND bucks and bulls it just adds fuel to that fire for our state.
Loose lips sink ships...
Oh and having rifle season smack dab during the rut is a shame...sorry but it is. Nothing easier to kill than a buck muley in November.
I actually agree with you and good job on your hunts and good luck going forwardhome field advantage
- - - Updated - - -
You can come score any of them, I never claimed they were 180" and I have only shot 3 on 4 tags in 20 years two were 170 + and in 2000 I shot a little 100" 2x4 the last day of the season for jerky. mass and mb fooled me in 05 a little, and 16 is a 3x4. In 16 also passed some main frame 4x4 that were 170-180 class early in the season and a 182" that someone shot the next day. I didn't fill my 2010 tag and passed up some nice deer, spent 6 days playing hide and seek with a 190 palmed horned buck that was smarter than me and up against land I couldn't hunt. As far as bow deer I have only shot two in the badlands/public land one a mid 150s with an extra main beam and trash that was 169" when it was 20 below, I honestly seen the extra main and that was it, definitely a mistake because he could have been really nice, the other was a small 2x3 velvet buck for meat. Like I said I don't care what people shoot but I target 175+" deer when I go out on public land do I always shoot them no, do I usually see them yes not near as many in the last 5 years, but that is what I am going after a few inches of mass either way takes a guessed 180" to a 170" or a 190". Shoot what you want as long as you are happy about it but if you are targeting 140-160" typical deer as mature bucks to me they are young.