Growth Stages of horns you shoot at 16 to 50 years of age
When I first started deer hunting, just seeing a deer in the woods was exciting. I can remember not worrying about much of anything. We spend lots of money to us on a bag of apples for $6. We rubbed them on the bottom of our rubber boots and walked to the nearest tree, put up a stand making as much noise as you can imagine, and sat for a few years. That was the process. When you’re young, you’re just excited to have your bow in hand with camo on and go hunting. Do you think baseball is any more or less fun to 8 year olds than it is to guys in the major leagues? That’s what this is all about; having fun and enjoying the outdoors.
There were not thoughts of Kentucky hunting guides or Kentucky deer hunting outfitters, in fact, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what a hunting outfitter was back then. You bought a bag of deer bait, placed it in the woods, put up your stand, and hunted the same day. Nearly 100% of all my Kentucky deer hunting came from state land experiences. I can still remember my first whitetail kill with a bow. There wasn’t a lot of thought put into it. I seen horns, I pulled back and let the arrow go. I went back to deer camp, which was located a mile away on state land and got some guys to help me drag it out of the woods. I still remember the names of each of the ones that helped me. Chris, Matt, and Brian for sure. Brian was the one who gutted the deer for me while I held the chest cavity open. I think he made me touch a little of the guts out of principle. There was quite the laughter when it was realized I grazed the deer’s adams apple which let do him bleeding out.
That buck was a spike. Every buck after thought has not been let than an 8 pointer. Hunting Kentucky deer slowly shifted to me letting 8 pointers and 9 pointers walk. I started looking for the wider and taller bucks. Still, when the season started to come to an end, I’d shoot any 8 pointer at that point. I grew more into waiting for bigger and older deer. One time I went 2 years without shooting a buck and that got old quick. I had others around me shoot larger deer and since it was my property I was managing, I felt like I was still successful. Now I’m at a point where any Kentucky deer hunt I decide to take, I’m going to shoot a big bruiser. I don’t feel the need to have to prove myself to shoot bucks. My success comes from watching others satisfaction during their Kentucky deer hunt. Some may consider me a Kentucky deer hunting outfitter at this point, but I’m more of a game manager. I don’t offer the bells and whistles some of the high-end Kentucky outfitters offer. Their places are amazing and their service is amazing! I offer a well-managed area, a well-baited set up, lots of stands, 13+ food plots to choose from, mineral sites, stagnant water ponds, cover, “edge” in most of the food plots, auto-feeders, etc. No matter which Kentucky deer hunting outfitter or land lease you choose, you’re out in the woods enjoying what Man has doing for the last 200,000 years.