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For those who say pass....question?

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If you are not going to mount it...why shoot it?


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Dewy, I'm not trying to pick on you. I've heard that statement many times before and don't like it. What is wrong with shooting a buck and having the rack screwed to one of those cheesy plaques? Or nailed to the shed wall? Or piled in the corner of the man cave? The only way to pay tribute to a deer is to pay $300 to have it stuffed? Do people think the dead buck feels better that you "honored" it by taking it to the taxidermist? And if you aren't going to spend the cash, why shoot? I'm not sure how big a buck would have to be for me to have it mounted, probably some where over 200 inches. Still isn't going to stop me from shooting a 150-175 class deer (which I won't have mounted).

Sorry for the rant. For me, it comes back to what many have said so far in this thread. If you personally are happy with the deer, that should be enough.

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That is why the IMO (In my opinion) was stamped after my comment.
Am I upset when people slaughter all of the young bucks in the areas that I hunt...YOU HAD BETTER BELIEVE IT!!. Am I right to feel that way...depends on who you talk to.
Do I have the right to feel that way...I believe I do.
Do I try to encourage others to harvest does instead of shooting young deer...yes I do.
Have I always felt this way...absolutly not.
It used to be that shooting a doe was not an option as many of you remember. The mind set of "shoot a buck any buck to fill tags because that is the only option" is not the case anymore.

IMO

My first deer with a bow was a small buck and I was as proud as I could be with the harvest. I am proud of the accomplishment of every doe I harvest with gun or bow. I will be proud of my sons when they harvest their first deer large or small, buck or doe.
I too believe that any animal harvested can be a trophy to he/she that harvested.
At the stage I am at in hunting deer I will pass on a deer, (not a 150-160 as you stated JNR), that I feel (I) have no reason to harvest. I would not be happy with the fact that I shot an immature buck just to say I shot a buck. (I) would rather harvest a doe and have the (potential opportunity) to see that buck next year. This has not yet happened for me but I assume that it will someday...to answer the original question stated in this thread.

Sorry for ruffling feathers...every hunter has the right to pull the trigger when they feel it is right.

Again (My Opinion) and not attacking anyone who feels differently.
 
Well put Dewy(Salph).
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It may not be me that gets the shot on the buck I passed on last year...I may get the shot on the buck the neighbor passed on.
 
I have never passed based on what they may look like next yr but in fact for what they are now. It worked out huge in my favor once and it may never again. In nature, passing a deer and seeing him even once ever again is far from a given.
 
Dewy, reading your post, it appears we have much more in common than differences.
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I'm still not waiting for the deer that I deem worthy of mounting if given the chance at a mature buck.
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you are not going to mount it...why shoot it?


[/ QUOTE ]
Dewy, I'm not trying to pick on you. I've heard that statement many times before and don't like it. What is wrong with shooting a buck and having the rack screwed to one of those cheesy plaques? Or nailed to the shed wall? Or piled in the corner of the man cave? The only way to pay tribute to a deer is to pay $300 to have it stuffed? Do people think the dead buck feels better that you "honored" it by taking it to the taxidermist? And if you aren't going to spend the cash, why shoot? I'm not sure how big a buck would have to be for me to have it mounted, probably some where over 200 inches. Still isn't going to stop me from shooting a 150-175 class deer (which I won't have mounted).

Sorry for the rant. For me, it comes back to what many have said so far in this thread. If you personally are happy with the deer, that should be enough.

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Damn Randy!

You are killing me. A 175" buck sitting in a pile in the corner? You best start giving more plasma or start buttering up to the Mrs.
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This thread is all about opinions so figured I'd throw in my .02 worth. I think the decision to harvest is often, but not always, tied to the stage a hunter has evolved to. I'd love to see my son knock down his first buck whether it be a forkhorn or a 30 pointer. I won't intentionally harvest anything under about 140-150 or so (ground shrinkage not included
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). Have I done it before? HECK YES!! It's just been in the last 5-10 yrs that my thoughts on this have changed. Not only would I like to hope we may meet in the field again, I would also like to give a smaller but quality buck the chance to breed does. The wildcard to this whole thing is a buck that dons a rack that IMO would place it in "management buck" status. What constitutes a management buck is another topic of debate altogether. In the end, I'd say do whatever feels right. People have different goals in mind when they head to the field. Set a goal and try to achieve it.
 
I must say that my standards are that I will only shoot bucks that I will mount. I would shoot any buck over 125" here in MN. I have passed on tons of 1 1/2 year old buck over the last ten years. I can only recall only seeing 2 of those bucks as 2 1/2 year olds. I need to start applying for IOWA!!!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: THA4</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
my point here is this,
if you own, or have a lease, or have exclusive rights to land where you can implement a QDM program, or like 150 said, 'manage' the bucks, then by all means pass the younger/lesser deer in hopes of taking them when they are huge. Many of us do not have the luxry of making the rules of the hunting land we have, so killing a solid 3.5 year old deer that may score between 125' and 140' is a huge accomplishment, especially on land where the landowners would kill that deer in a deer drive during shotgun!

i have lots of respect for the hunters who have passed solid book deer in hopes of taking larger older deer. but there is lots to be said for the hunter who kills deer in the 130 to 145 slot every year on land that has alternative hunting pressure on it.

bottom line, 3.5 is maturity for whitetails and there is no shame in taking a deer that means something special to you! </div></div>

Good point. Some of us have to think about the fate these deer face if we do pass. Especially on land that will be shotgun hunted by a large group.
 
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