I can't believe I did it..

[RockinChair]

Welll guys- I had an awfully bittersweet day in the woods yesterday. My brother was in for school, my dad was off work and we were all plannin on doin a little doe huntin. And I shot a button buck![:@] Here's the story:

Like I said- we were huntin for the mommas and I was hunting in an acorn flat that does are just overrunning right now, so I knew I would get a shot, I just had to be patient. Well I went out on Friday afternoon and passed on a nice 3.5 year old we nicknamed 'Momma.' Any other doe and she would have gotten an arrow-but throughout the summer when we freshened out mineral stations and put out protein pellets- she was always 10 yards from the quad with her little onewatchin us- waitin for us to leave. She's easy to i.d cause she has a white streak down her snout. Anyway- she wandered by with her little on at 18 and 21 yards, respectively. And it was super tough to not take one, but I just didn't have the heart to do so. I know, I know- I'm a softie. But I decided the next doe that comes within range I'm taking- and I think that's where the problem lies.

I saw no deer the rest of friday afternoon and went back to the same blind on Saturday morning. Well at about 9 30 I see a deer- glass her out to make sure she's a doe and tell myself (I talk to myself when hunting, weird I know) okay.. she's a 1.5 year old doe- not big but I'm taking her. She walks right down the path Momma and her little one did so I know Im going to get a shot at 21 yards. Well 'she' sees me move in the blind and looks right at me- while she looks at me scope her over again and was till postive she was a doe- I mean a genuine slick head. Anyway, she couldnt quite figure out what I was turns broadside, slightly quartering to me and I smoke her. Right behind the shoulder double lung shot- she doesnt go 15 yards and expires within 8 seconds. So I'm pumped as can be round up my brother, video camera and still camera and we go check her out.

As I walk up to her I realized I aged her wrong and that it was a fawn. Still, I thought for sure it was a doe- I glassed her over three times and NEVER saw a button. I bend down over her pet her head and feel it- the smallest buttons. I felt absoultely sick to my stomach. It was a button buck.

I was extremely mad at myself cause I take a lot pride in aging deer in the field and last year aged all the deer harvested from our club correctly- I dont want to sound arrogant- but I take a lot of pride in it. But I think just having 'doe, doe, doe' on my mind may have rushed my decision. I'm extremely proud of the shot- it was textbook. But completely disappointed in myself. I honestly don't think it's going to hurt our management plans- granted we don't want to make a habit out of this! But I learned a valuable lesson that's going to make me a far better hunter and ager in the future.

Sorry for the long post- but I just wanted to vent a little bit.

[SwampCollie]

Button bucks have rounder faces and shorter jaws.

Don't sweat it bro... you aren't the first one who has ever done it. Still an antlerless deer.

Just be careful here in the next couple weeks because all those "does" you see wandering around on their own are going to be button bucks run off while momma is out getting chased by big boy.

[RockinChair]

ORIGINAL: SwampCollie

Button bucks have rounder faces and shorter jaws.

Don't sweat it bro... you aren't the first one who has ever done it. Still an antlerless deer.

Just be careful here in the next couple weeks because all those "does" you see wandering around on their own are going to be button bucks run off while momma is out getting chased by big boy.

Thanks man- I'm still goin to try to take a doe here in the next couple weeks- but it's like you said they'll be off on their own and I won't be able to sleep at night if I make this mistake again. Still, they should be easier to recognize here in the next couple weeks.

The little man I shot- you really had to feel for his buttons and I still had to look between his legs just to verify that it was a BB.

[GMMAT]

I glassed her over three times and NEVER saw a button.

Well that's commendable....and shooting a BB isn't really the end of the world.

But I'll make two points....and I hope you don't take them as criticism. They're intended to maybe help someone lese reading this to not make the same mistake.

No 1 - This was said by Swamp, already. Fawns (this year's deer) have shorter, "boxier" bodies AND snouts....and if you take a moment, they're pretty easily identifiable. I will concede that a BB WILL mature a lot faster than his female siblings.....and that makes them a "little" tougher to discern.

No 2 - Always, Always, always pay special attention when you see what you think is a "lone doe". A BB leads a lonely existence......and he's most often found wandering around that way (alone). Whenever I see a lone "doe"....I make sure I do my homework and spend a LOT of time glassing them. If it's a young "doe".....i typically "pass". I just don't wanna get burned.

No problem taking one, though........and I hope you take my "suggestions" as "general" to aid some of the newer bowhunters who might not have known these things.

[hatchet jack]

Congrats on your deer. Don't let it eat you. It happens and that some good eating meat.

Hatchet Jack

[Schultzy]

It happens Rock!! Been there done that with doe fawns. He'll taste good though. All In all though a hunter has still got to be proud of what he or she shoots. You made a great shot, congratulation's!

[RockinChair]

ORIGINAL: GMMAT

Well that's commendable....and shooting a BB isn't really the end of the world.

But I'll make two points....and I hope you don't take them as criticism. They're intended to maybe help someone lese reading this to not make the same mistake.

No 1 - This was said by Swamp, already. Fawns (this year's deer) have shorter, "boxier" bodies AND snouts....and if you take a moment, they're pretty easily identifiable. I will concede that a BB WILL mature a lot faster than his female siblings.....and that makes them a "little" tougher to discern.

No 2 - Always, Always, always pay special attention when you see what you think is a "lone doe". A BB leads a lonely existence......and he's most often found wandering around that way (alone). Whenever I see a lone "doe"....I make sure I do my homework and spend a LOT of time glassing them. If it's a young "doe".....i typically "pass". I just don't wanna get burned.

No problem taking one, though........and I hope you take my "suggestions" as "general" to aid some of the newer bowhunters who might not have known these things.

Thanks for the constructive criticism. I'm a firm believer in the 'lone doe' theory you talked about- in fact I preach it to my brother and dad too. Like I said, I think just being jacked up and ready to take a deer made me rush my decision.

Again, I glassed 'her' over several times. It's just a habit I got into and do it with all deer I see regardless of age. I just like lookin for different facial features, stuff along that line. But it was definitely a hard lesson learned. And now when I go doe hunting- which I may resume tonight- I'm going to wait for atleast 2 does being present so I can compare body size and hold off on anything 1.5 years and younger.

[fastetti]

Sometimes it is really hard to tell the difference. For me, the one thing I really look at is the nose. A older doe has a real elongated snout. That usually helps me out a lot. Also, I don't shoot does until later in the year, but when I do, I usally wait for a group to come in and pick the biggest one, check her out and thats who i'll go for. The majotiry of button bucks I see are either alone or with a sibling. Last year in my 4 days of rifle hunting in Michigan, I had 3 different sets of BB twins come in. None had a mother with them and all were pretty big deer for being BB's. Good luck and don't sweat it, it will be some good eating meat!!

[MN/Kyle]

Looks like a story out of my book

Did the SAME EXACT thing, first day of the season, even posted about it.

I know how you feel...

[TreednNC]

It happens. You can always fall back on "Can't eat the horns" or "It'll taste good" or "Antlers don't stir the soup very well" trick lol....Lord knows Ive done it.