Bucks or Does ??

When the conversation turns to WhiteTail Deer hunting it seems the first question always asked is "How many points did he have". What is the allure of the average hunter to taking an antlererd deer over a non-antlered one ?

The Missouri hunting regulations allow only "One" antlered deer per gun season. Not a Buck but Antlered. Yes females do on occasion have antlers. A few years back a young girl a few counties over took a female deer with a Massive Non-Typical spread. My thoughts on the subject are:

1. During the Rut (mating season) Male Deer (Bucks) are a lot easier to take than females. They have only one thing on their mind, causing them to be less wary. They tend to ignore typical danger signs and pursue does with reckless abandon. They also challange other males for mating rights and will respond to calls of grunts, antler rattling, doe bleats, and scent trails and lures.

2. Meat for an average (2 year old) buck is less tasty than a doe. I'm a meat hunter and always perfer a doe over a buck. Have never found a good receipe for antlers.

3. A BIG misconception is you can tell the age of a buck by the number of spikes on his rack. Not true at all. Deer DO NOT put on a spike a year. The average life span of a Wild Deer is 10 years. Some may put on a couple and never get any more the rest of their lives. The only sure way to tell is to check their teeth, like a horse. Kind of hard to do before you take them.

So whats the driving force behind The Hunt. Is it the Primal Instinct to elimate other Male competition ? Or the satification of having that trophy Mount hanging on the wall ? Or is it another driving force to privide FOOD. I guess is a little of them all......