Someone who has never hunted property holding numbers of racks would have a heart attack on Greg Hackney’s club trying to decide if a deer was a shooter or not.
But Hackney said one question will help make the right call.
“Ask yourself, ‘Am I hurting the club by killing that deer? Am I taking something that can help the property?’” he said.
One of Hackney’s club mates said a shift in thinking also helps.
“You’ve got to get over thinking your neighbor is going to kill it,” Jason Young said. “You’ve got to let deer walk.”
And Mike Staten, biologist for Anderson-Tully Lumber Company and consultant for Hackney’s and Young’s club, said the bucks that are most impressive should be allowed to age.
“I’m a believer that the 9-points and 10-points have the best chances of getting big,” Staten said. “Those are the ones that you blast as soon as you see them, but they’re the ones that should be allowed to age.
“It’s a change in philosophy.”
That’s why Hackney pushed for a change in club rules that allows each member only two bucks with nine or more points.
“If you want to kill the first two 9-points that walk out, that’s fine. You’re done,” he explained. “But when you only have two, you’re going to think on it a little.”
The other four deer in each member’s allotment, from which guest bucks detract, can be any buck meeting basic club rules.
“That way, a fellow can come up here and kill the biggest 8-point he’s ever seen, but not hurt the camp,” Hackney explained.
When it comes time to decide whether or not to shoot, Hackney said his rule is simple.
“If you ever hesitate on one, don’t pull the trigger,” he said. “If you ever think, ‘Oh, he’s not big enough,’ there’s a 99-percent chance he’s not.”
