# How big does your deer have to be to mount?



## waterfowler06 (Aug 10, 2006)

*How big does your deer have to be to mount?*​
110" or bigger56.76%120" or bigger79.46%130" or bigger1114.86%140" or bigger2128.38%150" or bigger3040.54%


----------



## waterfowler06 (Aug 10, 2006)

I am just wondering regardless how many points your deer has; how big does it have to be before you would get a head mount? Size is determined by the number of inches it scores.


----------



## speedimager (Nov 2, 2006)

Size doesn't matter!

Nevermind that sounds really stupid!!


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Lots of variables I have a 120 inch whitetail on the wall, but it was my first deer with a bow, when I was 14 and it was in valvet. I think half of it is the story. As a rule of thumb I like the 150 plus inches otherwise I would be poor.


----------



## HonkerExpress (Sep 23, 2005)

right between 140 and 150 is the magic number for me. Just depends alot on the deer and if I think the rack is original or if there is something special about them? If it has something unusual about it, definately something to take into consideration when looking to mount. Just my two cents.


----------



## FlashBoomSplash (Aug 26, 2005)

For me its all about the experience the memory is in the mount. When we get animals mounted people ask about the story if you have a 150 class buck that was shot off the road or shot at an outfitter the buck just isnt impressive to me. I like the stories of some one that hiked 2 miles into the back country when it was 10 degrees and shot a 120 class buck as it chased a doe across the prairie. Its all about the experience not the kill. For me anyway. :beer:


----------



## fylling35 (Jun 15, 2007)

I am all about the story and the experience as well. Character is HUGE in my book as well. Actaul Size/Scoring is only a small factor.


----------



## Shooter (Sep 21, 2004)

I think it also matters if its shot with bow or gun. To me, a bow kill is much much more rewarding than gun. There are many more variables to consider.


----------



## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

FBS and SHooter..............Good call, good call!!! Too much to consider other than the score of the deer. Was it the first with a bow, was it a kids first. The number is the least of it for me!!! :beer:


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

The animals character has alot to do with it. As well as is it a personal best?

I personaly would probably mount a 120 class buck even though I have bigger ones if he had alot of character.

Granted, I think any buck over 130 with a bow is wall worthy in ND, other states no, but here yes.


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

speedimager said:


> Size doesn't matter!


Tell her that.


----------



## ej4prmc (Dec 3, 2004)

In 1986 while a guide in MT Bob Marshall Wilderness and I had a 65yo gentleman from Iowa who told me he wanted a "TROPHY" elk, when I asked him how big was that 370-410 he siad "hell if it has bone it is a trophy"! Made me look at hunting a little different after that.


----------



## Wyomingpredator (Oct 16, 2007)

I hunt where nontypicals are not even a once in a lifetime trophy I've seen one in 20 years and that was in July. To me it all depends on character. size doesn't matter


----------



## Wyomingpredator (Oct 16, 2007)

I hunt where nontypicals are not even a once in a lifetime trophy I've seen one in 20 years and that was in July. To me it all depends on character. size doesn't matter


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

bareback, I am going to step out on a limb here. In North Dakota I think it is easier to shoot a big buck with a bow. By the time rifle season rolls around they have been chased all over the place. yes, it is a great time with rut and all. BUT the first week of bow, and the two weeks before rifle are PRIME!

Also, it is alot easier to get on prime land that you woulden't be able to rifle hunt on!

my .02


----------



## angus 1 (Jan 14, 2007)

I think half of it is the story or the hunt behind it. I have a 120 on the wall . I also have one that's 150 and one 190 all whitetails. My wife even has her 115 on the wall, to her it was the best hunt she's had so far. Define "Trophy"? I hunted with an elderly gentleman a few years ago and he shot the biggest deer of his life. His "trophy" was only 130 and it went on his wall.


----------



## rburt (Apr 12, 2002)

125 bow
150 rifle

uniqueness trumps score (double droptine, lots of garbage, 3rd main beam, etc...)


----------



## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Does it matter? Not to me. I have a small whitetail mount. I have shot many that are bigger, but to me this one is beautiful. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I didn't get it mounted for them. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think that younger animals just approaching their prime look nicer than fully mature animals.


----------



## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

Wow - that is a nice looking animal.
M.


----------



## headhunter (Oct 10, 2002)

Well size is the main factor, as size usually defines how "unique" or "rare" it is........bigger they are the harder they are to come by. Thats the way it is where I live.
A plain jane 150 will go on the wall long before a 110 inch with a drop tine. How much room you have is a factor too.....my basement is allready getting cramped looks like mabeye 160 is my new mounter limit.


----------



## theodore (Nov 3, 2007)

You guys dont mount does?


----------



## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

theodore said:


> You guys dont mount does?


Only the two legged kind.


----------



## magnum44270 (Jul 20, 2007)

my biggest buck ever, decided not to mount.. dont have the money.. i will do a european mount on it though..............havent scored it yet .

any guesses on its score?


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Also, it is alot easier to get on prime land that you woulden't be able to rifle hunt on!
> 
> my .02


Where are you hunting at? Im going hunting with you than.

Granted, there is some truth to that comment. Theres still alot of guys out there that think "you cant kill a deer with a bow". But theres also alot that are now bowhunting themselves, it seems like everybody thinks bowhunting is this thing that was invented in the last 10 years. The numbers have really climbed and it is tougher now to even get bowhunting land.

I still dont think ND has the quality bucks like we should. A little more QDM in this state and some selective harvest would go a looooong way.

Im sticking with 130 or better with a bow. And no gun bucks because thats cheating :wink: .


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I am a firm believer if you like the deer or are proud of the deer get it mounted. With everyone looking at inches is really taking away from the sport. That is why people are poach, trespassing, leasing land, etc. All of this is going on because everyone is focusing on inches.

I would love to go back about 10-15 years ago when people were not so focused on inches. Because a Trophy is different in everyones eyes.


----------



## rburt (Apr 12, 2002)

barebackjack said:


> hunt4P&Y said:
> 
> 
> > Also, it is alot easier to get on prime land that you woulden't be able to rifle hunt on!
> ...


I shot a P&Y buck in September on land that I got permission to bowhunt on, but they were very adamant about me not gun hunting there. I was very upfront about it as well, telling them about the bucks that I was chasing and that there were 2 specific bucks I was targeting. They gave me permission, but wouldn't have in November.


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Chuck Smith said:


> I am a firm believer if you like the deer or are proud of the deer get it mounted. With everyone looking at inches is really taking away from the sport. That is why people are poach, trespassing, leasing land, etc. All of this is going on because everyone is focusing on inches.
> 
> I would love to go back about 10-15 years ago when people were not so focused on inches. Because a Trophy is different in everyones eyes.


Whats wrong with looking and hunting for inches? Whats wrong with trophy hunting? I happen to be a trophy hunter, I dont shoot small bucks, I shoot big bucks and lots of does. Its not the trophy hunters who are the slobs, in fact, trophy hunters are some of the best hunters and game managers there are. The "slobs", tresspassers, poachers, etc, are the weekenders who really dont care what they shoot (or shoot at) but wont pass up an obviously good buck. Ive seen and heard of just as many guys breaking the law for a small buck as a I have guys doing it for big bucks. These guys are just slobs in general and have always been around.

10-15 years ago there were still the tresspassers and poaching going on that there is now. Granted, leasing may be a direct result of "trophy hunting" but there is no law against that.


----------



## Joe A V (Oct 3, 2007)

ive been to guys houses where they had 5 and 6 pointers mounted and i just dont understand them?


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Bareback......I am not saying don't be a trophy hunter that is fine. But if you look now at the DVD's, the hunting shows, the hunting magazines, etc.....everyone is concentration on "inches".....it is not that they shot a nice buck. It is hey i got a 160 class or I got a 150 class etc. You see people are focusing on the inches and not the experience.

You see if the guy is happy with thie animal that they harvested is should not matter the amount of inches. That is what gets me about this post.....look at the poll it does not have a space to say it was a first buck shot, was it a unique rack, etc. All it talks about is inches.

I myself am a trophy hunter. But you will never here me talk about inches. I could care less. But you will hear me talk about the experience, the hunt, who I was with, time of day, conditions, etc.

Now with that said this is what is getting me red a$$ed on this topic....

The majority of people that I encounter that focus on inches are the same people that will put down others for the animal that they harvested. They are the people that think that if someone harvested a yearling, fawn, fork horn, or some smaller buck are poor sportsman and need to change there ways. To those people they don't know the situation. I posted early a pic of my brothers deer he shot. It was a button buck. Some guy went off about it.....guess what he did not know the situation. I will just leave it at that.

People should be happy with what they harvest. If they are not then you should not have pulled the trigger. And if someone is proud and happy with the harvested animal they got then nobody should say anything accept _CONGRATS ON THE NICE DEER. _ Because a trophy is different in everybody's eyes.


----------



## rburt (Apr 12, 2002)

well said, Chuck


----------



## Tracker21 (Jul 9, 2007)

Very well put Chuck couldn't agree more.


----------



## koppkd23 (Sep 20, 2006)

Totally agree with Chuck, every deer is a trophy. This deer green scores only about 135, but the experience behind it was priceless. I hope I never get to the point where I (or someone else I'm with) shoot any deer and a picture is not taken, a high five is not given, or a back is not patted. Some of the despicable acts I saw last weekend by not hunters, but deer shooter-atters was really sad. I saw too many people that think a successful hunt involves a 12'er or busch light, the skill of silently closing a truck door so the dinging stops, a pile of spent brass, and a deer that looks like swiss cheese.


----------



## gunsmokex (Nov 3, 2007)

If you can fit your *** in the rack its a wall-hanger!


----------

