Shooter buck question

[all4s]

What OneCam said ScottIC said,....wow that was easily said.

Hunt on All4s

 

[kelcher]

I would like to say that I would let him pass, but I never know what my mood will be. The end of my season last year was looking bleak and I told myself that since it had been a couple of years since I had shot a deer during bow season and I still hadn't shot one with this bow, I was going to shoot whatever came in. Buck , doe, fawn, whatever. I just happened to get lucky and this is who walked in next.
[image]http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1465&password=&sort=7&thecat=522[/image]

 

[stump]

A lot of good answers and scenarios on both sides of the fence on this topic. I personally would let him pass. Before each and every season I set goals for myself and I stick with them no matter what time of the year it is. Like I think Liv said...he spends all year putting in hard work throughout the season to not let him go. I fully understand that. For me, I spend all season long working hard to shoot a big buck. That big buck certainly won't be there if I shoot a little ones. Just two different ideas. If he makes it through the winter and all the variables that mother nature throws out there then he does. If not, well it was his time to go.

 

[Ghost]

It all comes down to what each of us is going to be personally happy with. If your not satisfied with your decision to shoot or not then who's fault is that?

I think that each shot opportunity is different and yes there are a lot of variables to consider. The main thing to keep in mind here is to enjoy the hunt and be happy with your decision to shoot or not.

Here's a situation that is very similar to what we are discussing....

I had seen this buck during bow season many times and had several good shot opportunities. He just wasn't what I was after and could use a couple of years of antler growth. Along comes second shotgun season. My eight year old son and I were sharing a "buddy stand" together trying to stay warm on his first real deer hunt. You guessed it, here comes that buck I had passed many times during bow season. When I saw my son's face light up when he said "Take him Dad!" ....well you know the rest of the story. One of my most memorable and happiest days in the deer timber.

Every shot opportunity is a great day whether you shoot or not.

 

[teeroy]

just depends on how much meat is in the freezer. if its low, he's a gonner, if its full.....just depends on my mood, and on his chances of making it though shotgun season

 

[River1]

If the freezer isn't an issue, which it isn't now we have these antlerless tags. I'd let him walk.

I faced pretty much this type of situation last bowseason and those 3 does sure made it easier to pass the little bucks.

I love shooting those old does.

 

[SaskGuy]

I'm going to agree with Fred(ScottIC) and the others who've agreed with him. If he's not good enough to shoot day 1 then he isn't on the last day either....for me that is. Maybe I could find his sheds as a bonus. Anyways we all know a definate shooter the minute we see him, if you have to think about it maybe he's not a shooter. I've never had a buck turn into a shooter as I watched him, On the other hand I've seen myself turn to jello as I watched a shooter.

 

[houston]

The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. However if you passed on him twice let him live,You might be surprised what might still walk by before sundown, at 47 years old I've had the good fortune to hunt in many parts of North America and I have harvested a number of awesome animals on the last day to the last hour of the hunt. My wife says it's intentional so I don't have to come back to our business as soon, and go back to work.So lets pass for the third time.

 

[straitshot]

I would pass, I had a shot at a 4 pointer this last season. I have never taken any deer with a bow thus far. Let them grow

 

[Liv4Rut]

I think with a serious post where you actually have to think, everyone envisions their own little scenario, for me i figured if im spotting this buck i figure he must be a 150+ class deer however on the first day i realize he wont make 150 but in the low 140s, by not wanting to miss the rut, i would definitely say he needs another year to grow, so then the first week of november rolls around, same buck walks by, i would say to myself it isnt even full rut, im not gonna miss the rut for him a 190 could walk by any minute, so i pass, then i envision shotgun season is over, the deer are spooked like crazy, i got the whole late season to hunt, i hunt every morning and everynight for around 20 days straight, starting to question my sanity, then this 140-150 class comes strolling in on the last evening, he looks like a MONSTER, i havent seen a buck over 115 all late season, this is definitely the one im taking, and it would be over like that, and i would be tickled to death to have taken him. I dont know about most of you but a 140 class buck is a great buck, i know many of you have shot them and its one i would shoot anytime from around thanksgiving on till the last day of the season. with all the smaller bucks i passed on that season, most would become a 140 class buck the next year, and all ones bigger i seen, would definitely be just as big or bigger the next year, taking one out wouldnt hurt a thing. plus the fact that i mainly hunt public land and dont have my own land to monitor and control a QDM plan really isn't that feasible. Ive never shot a deer on the last day of the season yet, but if it was in the last half hour and i had a bunch of does around and small bucks i would take a doe without a doubt, but even if a small buck came in those final minutes, most likely I would of reflected the whole season in my mind and realize i had a great year, and i would start to get depressed, and start being on iowawhitetail for endless hours to feed the crave of whitetails withdrawals when its over in a half hour, most likely instinct would take over and i would shoot without even realizing what was going on. then when it comes about this time of year, when i reflect the season and think in my mind all the deer harvest for the previous years, that last one, the most rescent would be a vivid image in my mind and i know i would just kind of smile and say only 77 days 7 hours, nine minutes and 27 seconds as i post left till i can experience it all again, and i would always have my last day of the deer season to look back on whether, it be doe, small buck or a 140 class buck they all excite me just the same, when i let that arrow fly. If i ever lose the enthusiasm of taking a doe, or a small buck occaisionally, or the thrill of the hunt, or if i ever let other peoples opinions driving me to only shoot big mature deer which i know you guys arent like that, but ive seen many older hunters where i hunt just cut down people about how they should of not taken that deer when the hunter is totally psyched about harvesting their buck, then i mines well quit, okay is it time to hunt yet

 

[SaskGuy]

LIV, I think it's great that you get totally stoked over any deer you shoot and I would never condemn anybody who shot a deer that made them happy and proud. I once would have shot it too but I'm already to the point at age 28 that I don't have to kill to have a successful and enjoyable season, just getting out and seeing bucks is great. I've kind of made a personal promise to not take a buck less than the smallest of the 3 on my wall, this years, 163" buck. I shot about a half dozen 130-145" bucks when I was younger and was happy as a pig in s$&t with each one. Now I'd just as soonlet them walk and hope they're around next year for me to look at and someday for my son to also look at. That's my personal conviction, nothing less than the smallest on my wall, I realize I could make a mistake and put a smaller one down but when i do I'll live with it. If you want to let the arrow fly no matter what, then right on, do it, lord knows I've put alot of lead in the air in my 12 years of hunting whitetails, hell any buck used to have me blasting and you're right,...it's fun.

 

[5465]

well let me start off by saying out of all the forums i have read on this site this is by far the best i've seen. anyways in my opinion this is how i would handle the situation: as this deer approached me on opening weekend of bow season i would use him as what i like to call a "practice buck", meaning i would do what i could to get him close and see if i could draw back without spooking him or drawing attention to myself, but not release the arrow. now the second time i saw him i would let him have it, without question. the reason i would shoot him the second time is because of an article i read a while back called "Where Have All The Deer Camps Gone", i think it was in NAW, not sure though. the article was about why todays hunters and yester years hunters thought that deer camps have pretty much dwindled away. the majority of the hunters in the survey said that the reason they are a thing of the past is because everyone is after that so called "trophy buck". i am a very strong believer in that answer. don't get me wrong i want that "trophy buck" just as much as the next guy, but, any deer i shoot even if it's a 4 pointer i feel like i shot the world record. deer camp is still a huge part of my life, even though we don't have deer camp anymore. the reason we don't have it anymore is because certain people in our camp gave up on our "ol' deer woods". they went looking for new property after going through a couple hard years in our "ol' deer woods". now if any of us want to hunt together, which is now usually only 2 at a time we have to pick a certain property out of 9 different properties. i hate that, i myself thought that the best part of deer season was just being with the guys for a week or 2. we never used to care what size the buck was, and if someone got a bigger one they never got bragging rights it was always now lets go try and get you one. to me holding off a hole year on this buck makes no sense, the size of the buck does not make the hunt , it's the fun you had while getting whatever deer it is you shot, and when it comes to late season any antlers or any deer, with the exception of fawns, is definetly fair game. if i shoot a 4 pointer late in season or early it wouldn't bother me at all. i truly believe, even though i want one as much if not more then the next guy, that the term "mature buck" and "trophy buck" is killing our great sport of hunting. just my 2 cents!!! once again great forum.

 

[bowmaker]

I agree with SplitG3 that all the talk of trophy hunting is spoiling deer hunting. The scoring system is the worst thing that we have come up with yet. One of the big problems with the hunting sports is recruitment of young hunters. These numbers fall off more every year and I wonder if all the trophy talk and articles written about 150 or 170 inch bucks is a turn off for these young people. This sport should be about enjoyment and excitment at being outdoors hunting and not about disappointment at having to take a small buck at the last second because nothing bigger comes along. When we more mature hunters pass this attitude about trophies along to the youngsters I think we hurt everyone. I read a lot on here about fathers taking their children deer hunting with them and think that is wonderful, but are these same fathers unknowingly inflicting thes kids with the "big horn" desiese?
When I was a kid hunting in general seemed to be a lot more fun and wasn't driven by the need to kill the biggest or the most, or the best of what ever. How many fathers take kids squirrel hunting to teach them about the woods and animals and to love the whole experience? When I have grandchildren I hope to be able to help my son do just that the way I did for him. I don't mean to sound holier than thou but this is really the way I feel. Forget the horns and hunt deer and if you get a big one or a small one or a doe love them all and the experience!
Sorry I got a little off the question. If I had all these opprotunities, and I had done every thing right, and it was a good shot, I would have already killed him before the last day and been very happy about it rather that disappointed on the last day.
A question with in a question. What can we do to create a "TROPHY DOE". There must be some visible traits we can key on to make a doe more than just a skin head or baldy.

 

[Guest]

There is no way that I am going to shoot a buck that either one is not as large as the ones I know are out there and two is too young.I defintiely go out every year with the intention of shooting a better buck than I did the year before.the same would apply with the doe.I know that the younger animals will probably be tasty but when you set forth your own set of rules I feel that I should not let myself down,ever.