Shoot or Pass

[Obsessed]

Hypothetical: For whatever reasons, you've basically had to start over with new property, strictly public, just prior to season opener. All of your cameras disappeared over night, you don't have the $ to replace them, and you've basically got to hang and hunt new public land this season. You're going in absolutely blind. (Kind of like how most of us started out, and some still hunt. You remember. The true good ol' days.)

It's late rut and you haven't seen but a handful of smaller deer over the few hunts you've had time to get in. Today is your last day hunting for the season, and there's 15 minutes of legal shooting light left. A solid 150" buck steps out of the thick cover into your shooting lane at 20 yards and stops broadside. Looks mature, but it's the first time you've laid eyes on this deer and you just can't age him well on the hoof. He's just starting to take a slow step back into toward the thick stuff...

Do you shoot or pass?

 

[Brett Morris]

Arrow is headed down range, no doubt. Probably true of a 140" buck as well.

My goal at this point is to increase camaraderie & top-shelf hunting memories.

I had a young guy hunting our personal farm last night during EM. Gave him the green light on anything. I can't imagine at the end of my life I'm going to cherish the memory we made recovering a deer together less than passing that great up & comer. That said, I'm not looking to wipe out all of my good young bucks but I have to get less focused on inches & more focused on enjoying life. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Wapsi Tree Rat]

Oh, I'm pretty certain how that scenario would go for me. No doubt about it. I am for sure going to shoot and miss.

"I had a 170 at last light, but I gave him a pass."

 

[sep0667]

shoot. 150, looks mature, last day you can hunt, and on public. shoot

 

[2-bucks]

draw...aim...shoot! I love to shoot big mature bucks and spend more time on my property trying for more and bigger every year. but I just love to hunt and take a deer or two each year. so if that meant my goal was for something smaller I'd still go and still love it.

 

[hillrunner]

I guess I don't know why anyone would pass in that situation unless they didn't really want to shoot a deer.

 

[iowavf]

No, I can't hit the broad side of a barn with an arrow.

 

[Obsessed]

I guess I don't know why anyone would pass in that situation unless they didn't really want to shoot a deer.

THIS nicely sums up how I feel about this scenario too. Even though I've harvested larger bucks, a 140-150 class is a no-brainer decision for me. (Sometimes beefy 130 somethings get me itching too...) Even if I know there's an absolute monster in the area, (a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush). To me, this is why I'm out there to begin with. I'm not an elitist, after 200" class bucks, although I wouldn't pass up the opportunity at one. I'm out there to enjoy myself and a 150" class is a trophy in my eyes, especially if he's sporting other signs of being over 3 years old.

I'd like to hear some 'pass' responses, and why. I'm sure there are several.

 

[Hardwood11]

THIS nicely sums up how I feel about this scenario too. Even though I've harvested larger bucks, a 140-150 class is a no-brainer decision for me. (Sometimes beefy 130 somethings get me itching too...) Even if I know there's an absolute monster in the area, (a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush). To me, this is why I'm out there to begin with. I'm not an elitist, after 200" class bucks, although I wouldn't pass up the opportunity at one. I'm out there to enjoy myself and a 150" class is a trophy in my eyes, especially if he's sporting other signs of being over 3 years old.

I'd like to hear some 'pass' responses, and why. I'm sure there are several.

A big factor to me is the shot opportunity! If I see a 140-150 older buck i maybe pass at 30 yards, but if he’s under my stand and I know it’s a chip shot. I might take it knowing the odds are high !

 

[Obsessed]

A big factor to me is the shot opportunity! If I see a 140-150 older buck i maybe pass at 30 yards, but if he’s under my stand and I know it’s a chip shot. I might take it knowing the odds are high !

"...into your shooting lane at 20 yards and stops broadside." Fair enough, but are you saying you would take a shot on a 180" buck at 30-30+ yards, but not a 150"? I shot my largest buck, (grossed in the low 190's), at 54 yards, and I though he was a 150" something until I laid my hands on him. I guess what I'm saying is that if I'm confident in my shot out to 60 yards, I'll take that shot on anything big enough, on up... Depending on conditions of course. i.e. wind, brush, etc.

Now, with does, I generally don't take long shots on does, because I've got a better chance of recovering my arrow the closer range I can take my shot.

 

[hillrunner]

THIS nicely sums up how I feel about this scenario too. Even though I've harvested larger bucks, a 140-150 class is a no-brainer decision for me. (Sometimes beefy 130 somethings get me itching too...) Even if I know there's an absolute monster in the area, (a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush). To me, this is why I'm out there to begin with. I'm not an elitist, after 200" class bucks, although I wouldn't pass up the opportunity at one. I'm out there to enjoy myself and a 150" class is a trophy in my eyes, especially if he's sporting other signs of being over 3 years old.

I'd like to hear some 'pass' responses, and why. I'm sure there are several.

To be clear, I do pass deer that size. I just wouldn't if i was in the scenario you described . I'll also shoot one smaller if I know him to be fully mature.

 

[Stoney]

I’ll go with my first impression. Fully mature shooters always make an impression on me. If he doesn’t do that and I have to second guess, I’ll wait for one that does or shoot a doe instead.

 

[JNRBRONC]

I'm getting picky in my old age. I don't feel the need to punch a tag for the sake of filling a tag, no matter where in the season or where the shot opportunity arises (public vs private). We don't eat venison, so that doesn't motivate me to fill the tag. Don't want to throw a rack on the pile in the shed after HUSH donation. So better be something I'm going to drop the coin on and get mounted (160" or better). Might make an exception for something freaky. Plenty of others out there who would gladly shoot it, good for them.

 

[iowavf]

I'm getting picky in my old age. I don't feel the need to punch a tag for the sake of filling a tag, no matter where in the season or where the shot opportunity arises (public vs private). We don't eat venison, so that doesn't motivate me to fill the tag. Don't want to throw a rack on the pile in the shed after HUSH donation. So better be something I'm going to drop the coin on and get mounted (160" or better). Might make an exception for something freaky. Plenty of others out there who would gladly shoot it, good for them.

I'm with you, I don't have to kill a buck to have a good season. Yes I've passed on 150" bucks and shot a few also along with some bigger, but many times use my tag on a doe at the end of the season. If I haven't seen anything big, I'll hold out to the last day I know I'm hunting just incase one of those big boys walk out and if they don't, a doe will work if I see the right one of those too. I'm old enough and lucky to have shot a lot of deer, so filling my tag isn't the reason I hunt, it's the anticipation of maybe seeing the big one when I go.

 

[meyeri]

Depends on the 150. If it's a 150" eight point or has cool character, shoot him. If it's a 150" 16 pointer with a bunch of little points and the deer looks 3.5, then I'd probably pass.

Either way, 150 class deer are rare on public land. The Hunting Public hunt almost every day and most years they're not killing 150" deer.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[Hardwood11]

"...into your shooting lane at 20 yards and stops broadside." Fair enough, but are you saying you would take a shot on a 180" buck at 30-30+ yards, but not a 150"? I shot my largest buck, (grossed in the low 190's), at 54 yards, and I though he was a 150" something until I laid my hands on him. I guess what I'm saying is that if I'm confident in my shot out to 60 yards, I'll take that shot on anything big enough, on up... Depending on conditions of course. i.e. wind, brush, etc.

Now, with does, I generally don't take long shots on does, because I've got a better chance of recovering my arrow the closer range I can take my shot.

I would not shoot at a 170 inch buck beyond 40 yards. ..35 yards I’d feel more comfortable actually.

I guess I’m just saying a good close shot opportunity might change my mind on what I shoot? It also depends on which state I’m hunting.

Last year I passed up a broken up 155-160 during gun season and that was the biggest buck I’ve passed. Unfortunately I have not seen him this year ! I was expecting him to take a huge jump!

 

[Obsessed]

I guess I’m just saying a good close shot opportunity might change my mind on what I shoot? It also depends on which state I’m hunting.

Kind of like that girl at the other end of the club that wasn't quite attractive enough for me to walk over to, but worth bagging if she came to me and started chatting me up. Kidding aside though, I get it.

 

[whitetail_obsession]

I hunt probably 95% public and I'm shooting a 150 on day one. No doubt on the last day. Honestly I'd take 130 or better on the last day. From my time hunting public it is becoming more crowded and tougher to find deer living on public over 140. They are still there but not as many as there used to be. We run over 20 cams and if I had to guess how many deer over 150 we have I'd guess maybe 1-2. I now get squirrel hunters and people on all my cams at least one a year and yes some are 1.5+ from public access points. I love the challenge and feel fortunate to hunt here but anybody who is passing that caliber of deer on public has to either be on a giant or is watching too many TV shows. What Skip has mentioned about preserving Iowa hunting through the IBA and ISC is critical for Iowa's future.

 

[Obsessed]

I hunt probably 95% public and I'm shooting a 150 on day one. No doubt on the last day. Honestly I'd take 130 or better on the last day. From my time hunting public it is becoming more crowded and tougher to find deer living on public over 140. They are still there but not as many as there used to be. We run over 20 cams and if I had to guess how many deer over 150 we have I'd guess maybe 1-2. I now get squirrel hunters and people on all my cams at least one a year and yes some are 1.5+ from public access points. I love the challenge and feel fortunate to hunt here but anybody who is passing that caliber of deer on public has to either be on a giant or is watching too many TV shows. What Skip has mentioned about preserving Iowa hunting through the IBA and ISC is critical for Iowa's future.

Yes, I did say 'public land'. My thoughts are that if a person passes on a 150" class buck depicted in this scenario, (1st day or last day), they should take time to really evaluate what they're even deer hunting for in the first place.

When you have sole hunting rights to hundreds or thousands of acres, well, that's a different story. Then you're in a much better position to be an elitist if that's what it's really about for you.

 

[Hardwood11]

I hunt probably 95% public and I'm shooting a 150 on day one. No doubt on the last day. Honestly I'd take 130 or better on the last day. From my time hunting public it is becoming more crowded and tougher to find deer living on public over 140. They are still there but not as many as there used to be. We run over 20 cams and if I had to guess how many deer over 150 we have I'd guess maybe 1-2. I now get squirrel hunters and people on all my cams at least one a year and yes some are 1.5+ from public access points. I love the challenge and feel fortunate to hunt here but anybody who is passing that caliber of deer on public has to either be on a giant or is watching too many TV shows. What Skip has mentioned about preserving Iowa hunting through the IBA and ISC is critical for Iowa's future.

Do you get many cameras stolen ?