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Opinions Please!

nontyp

nontyp

Active Member
Just wanted to know what you guys would do in this situation. I have an opportunity to hunt a very big whitetail this fall. Would you hold out for this deer and pass on 150-170 inch deer or shoot the first mature buck that you have an opportunity to shoot? My inclination is to hold out for the big one as hard as that may be.
 
I have had this issue the past two years and have not shot a buck for this reason. I will continue to hold out for two bucks this year unless something I am totally unaware of runs onto the farm during the rut, which could happen.

It totally just depends on if you are fine not taking a deer and understand that is a big possibility. I am the type that would rather shoot a monster than regret shooting a 130 inch deer.

With that said, the past two year I could have shot a 140-145+ inch deer and never got a shot at my top buck. Right after the season I have definitely thought about the bucks I let walk.
 
I'm a firm believer that you take what the good lord gives you and you don't be greedy. If a mature buck presents a shot, I wouldn't hesitate. This is the down side to running cameras. It gets you somewhat spoiled knowing that there is a big boy in the area. More times than not, you never see him and before you know it, you're eating tag soup.
 
i personally would not hesitate to take any mature buck that presented a good shot.. but any buck over 140 with my bow would make me happy, so i guess if a 150-170 would make u happy then take it but if nothing would, except the "big one" then hold off and hunt only him. just my opinion.
 
Everyone will have their own opinion on this because not everyone has shot big (170) deer. I for one don't have any deer on the wall yet so for me...I'm shooting the first good 3 year old that gives me a good opportunity. If you have shot a bunch of those caliber deer already, maybe hold off for the bigger one. I say if the deer gets you a little jacked up and is mature, I would be shooting.
 
This is a great question. I keep telling myself I am going to hold off until the 150-160 comes in....yet the last two years I have harvested bucks that score 130-140. One has a 4 inch droptine and the other is an 8 with heavy mass and junk all over his bases.

When I look back I have no regrets even though I have trail cam pics of bigger deer on my property.

Couldnt say the same if I had passed them....


If a nice mature buck gives you a shot.....I say take it!!!



On the flip side I am sure this is why I don't have a 150 + inch deer on the wall yet! Maybe if I showed some restraint in the stand....I would!

However I am happy with the ones I have shot...and that's all that matters to me.
 
I say just remember to keep hunting fun and shoot what makes you happy. I have been all over the map in my hunting career as to what I would shoot, or not.

Years ago, I decided I was going to hold out for a Booner or go bust...well guess what, after 3 years of not shooting anything and being quite frustrated about it I finally realized that there aren't that many Booners around(at least in the area that I was hunthing then) and I hadn't even seen one that would qualify. I may as well have spent my time hunting for Bigfoot, as there were as many of those around as mature top end bucks. :D

Nowadays I am able to hunt in a very high quality area where Booners are not uncommon, but they are also far from a slam dunk to see/shoot in a given year BUT my hunting time is often quite limited, so I adjust my goals accordingly.

If you are happy with yourself and enjoyed your time in the woods after a season that you didn't shoot a buck while you waited for Mr. Big, then go for it. Otherwise, shoot any buck you like that makes you happy and be proud of it.
 
Shoot the first buck that makes you happy. I've hunted a buck for a month and a half after I had an encounter with him only to find out the neighbor shot him and he was at the taxidermist the whole time.

I don't lower my standards I just shoot what makes me happy. If he's 4yrs + and I like him I'm shooting. I've seen way to many deer disappear off my cams over the years never to see them again. If you get hung up on one it can be very frustrating...
 
Although putting any mature buck on the ground is a challenge, it would be fun to actually set a goal of harvesting a giant that you know is around... whatever you do, all I can say is that if you end up shooting a "smaller" one, dont go back in to fill a doe tag, because you know that big one is going to come in and taunt you at 20yds... then you'll really be kickin yourself
 
180class said:
I'm a firm believer that you take what the good lord gives you and you don't be greedy.
Click to expand...


Couldn't have said it any better 180 :way: I always try to take a mature deer 4.5 yr old or older or a bully buck. But it is up to the individual hunter to make that decision. Shoot what makes you happy, enjoy the hunt, and enjoy the season that can be a roller coaster ride of emotions. But bottom line is take the opportunities God gives you and have fun!
 
I was gonna hold out one year for this big perfectly symmetrical 10 pt that would have easily topped the 170 inch mark. After my first encounter with him at 18 yds in the first week of October, and no shot, he was the only deer I was going to shoot that year. That is until Nov 11, 2009 and my Nontypical buck walked in at 21 yds broadside. Even though he only scored 143, he was way too cool of a buck to let walk. And he was an old deer. I would have regretted not shooting him in with the hopes that one day this 10 ptr would show himself.
 
I agree with what most have said about shooting what makes you happy. But giant deer dont happen very often and if you can end the season emptyhanded and still say that you had a blast trying for him, then i say go for it.
 
I have target deer that I would love to put my tag on but if a nice mature buck comes walking through there's no way he's getting out (unless of course I miss).
 
Do what makes you happy.

I like to hunt specific deer. Last year I saw the buck I wanted to kill on my 2nd trip out in the field. I passed on several bucks over the next 5 weeks and ended up having a great encounter with my target buck on 11/11/11. Harvesting that buck after I held out was a great feeling.

This year might be different. No matter what happens I doubt I'd shoot anything under the 150" mark before the first week of November because I want to enjoy that week of vaction with family and friends in deer camp. The wife might have a hard time understanding why I'd be gone that week if my tag is already full.
 
good sugestions from everyone. also keep in mind unless you have this bucks home area figured out or his patterns good luck! then factor in the rut comes around and maybe never seeing him. first mature, good looking deer i see is going down but.......then again i still might if he's that big! a picture would make my decision for me.:D
 
Depends on how big the deer is. If he is truly world class, and for the area you are hunting is a 'deer of a lifetime,' then I'd hold off. But, I haven't really had anything like that to hunt so I won't know what I'll do until that day comes.
 
If ur happy do it , theres nothing like setting a goal and working through the problems that you encounter and then achieving the goal.
On the flip side be ready for the lows of not achieving the goal. It can be a tough road depending how consumed and deep your desire is.
 
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Thanks for the input guys. I think I am going to hold out. Though I have done this before and came up empty handed, I am bound to get lucky one of these years. I am not the type to just "fill my tag". I have nothing against that, but when I have filled tags in the past it is quite an experience. I go into each season with the thought that I am not going to just shoot one to throw in the antler pile, but rather shoot one to take to the taxidermist. I have waited years between kills, but each time I make a kill it is worth the wait. I always feel like that 200 incher is going to be right behind the buck I am passing up.
 
you can't kill a 170" buck if you shoot one that's 160".
you can't kill a 180" buck if you shoot one that's 170".
you can't kill a 200" buck if you shoot one that's 180".
and you can't kill a new world record if you shoot one that's only 200".
 
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