re: This is why we don't shoot nice deer

Yea and I think most places I hunt are that way, including the high and dry big buck places. Granted, you may see a larger percentage of the deer simply due to being able to more effectively cover the whole property, but I don't think you see nearly as many as you think you do.

Regardless of your practices you will have bucks growing old and dying without somebody ever laying eyes on them. It's the nature of the prey. I believe the only exception to this is high fence where your deer population is controllable. You simply cannot control your population on free range deer.