Still can't believe I let him walk...

[Deaner]

I was telling Central Iowa this last night but, this weekend I let a nice one walk. It happend yesterday morning on my treestand. It was I'm guessing about a 140 class buck. Sat. I let a little forky go and that was no big deal but about 7:10 yesterday I saw a huge buck coming my way. He took his time coming and I really got a chance to size him up. He was a little bit bigger then the one I have mounted in my basement and that's 123 4/8's. I had the chance to do the math in my head and I put him at about 140. Kind of new to this QDM. I talked myself into letting him walk. He was 15 yards in front of me for at leat 5 minutes! God it was the longest 5 minutes of my life!!! It still kind of smarts but I know it was the right thing letting him walk to (Hopefully make it through the next couple weeks) get bigger for next year. I only had one shootable doe and she was on a flat out run through a corn field. I had to leave early to go back to Des Moines and left my tag behind letting everyone else know that it had to be filled with a doe only. It was. It was hard telling my group what I did. But I told them I wasn't planning on mounting it so it's better to let it walk and fill my tag with a doe. So that's what happened. But man I still can't believe I let him walk...

 

[Bowhunt]

Good Job man, if he makes it he will be a dandy. I let a 130 go three years ago, he is now a 8 point pushing 170. So they do grow!!

 

[150 Class]

Good job but I sure hope your friends don't get caught with your tag in their possession.

 

[Old Buck]

deernut,

I've gone through the same thing many times. The best advice I've gotten is if you think you would be happy with it on the wall shoot. If you wouldn't be happy with it there don't shoot, let him walk. Then he has a chance to get larger.

I have a buck that nets close to 160" on the wall from several years ago. I got him on video during the summer several times and even after season opened. I showed him to friends and sought their advice. In end I convinced myself that he was 4 1/2 years old (my personal limit) and I shot him. He is a beautiful mount and a great buck but it is hard for me to look at him and not wish I'd have passed him because of what he could have been if he survived for a year or two. For many hunters he would have been the right buck to take but not for me at this time in my life.

So again, it is a personal decision. Would you be satisfied if he were on the wall?

Hope this helps,

Old Buck

 

[SaskGuy]

Great Post Old Buck....well said. I've started going by those theories the past 2 years and I will no longer shoot a buck unless I want him on the wall. Letting the good ones go is the only way to get great ones. I don't expect everybody to have the same views as I, they should do what makes them happy. I know what will make me happy.
Yes, over the course of my life I'm sure I'll hang my buck tag on the Xmas tree as often as I fill it, likely more but so what. I get the same thrill from finding some nice sheds as I would if I killed the buck. Call me a softy but those whitetails are just too damn beautiful and intriguing, I doubt it'll be too long before I don't even wish to kill one, I hope not.

 

[Daver]

I have passed up many deer over the years and there are several people I know that do not understand this. If you are happy with the deer and would be proud of it, take it. If not, let him be and keep moving.

I shot a doe Saturday and used my antlerless tag and really did not care if I got a buck or not with the regular tag. I passed up shots at two bucks Sunday afternoon, one was probably 130" or so. Some don't understand, but it does get easier the more often you pass them.

One piece of advice I have picked up from others here is to film those bucks that you pass up. I really hope to get into this more next year, I can see where that will really spice up the hunts because you can show others what is out there and watch them over and over yourself.

 

[FarmlandQDM]

Hang in there Deernut, if you want to shoot deer like Oldbuck, you have to pass on many deer. If you questioned wether you should have shot him while you where in the stand, you probably should not have shot him. I'll post a pic of the buck I shot, it's a nice buck but I wish I would have let him get to 4.5 and I can't stop thinking about what he could have been next year.