Shooting bucks

Schultzy · 01-22-2009, 05:41 AM

Say If your hunting late season and a 3.5 year old or older buck walks In front of you at 15 yards broadside (without a rack). He apparently has just shed his rack but you know It's him being you've seen him before and recognize him by his body. Do you shoot him?

My brother had this very same thing happen to him In mid December this year but elected to pass on him hoping to get a crack at him the following year when he has a rack on his head. The buck my brother passed on we figured was a 3.5 year old with about a 130" rack when he still had It attached yet. This buck never gave my brother a shot when he still had his rack but he saw It several times during the rut. If this same scenario would happen with me he would of gotten a pass as well. So what do you think you would do?

Jim_IV · 01-22-2009, 05:46 AM

If I wanted meat, I'd shoot a doe

FLboy77 · 01-22-2009, 05:50 AM

Id wait till next year. Whats the point of shooting a mature buck without a rack??

Talondale · 01-22-2009, 06:00 AM

To me it's the equivalent of shooting a button buck. Which I wouldn't knowingly do. Does are for meat and bucks are for antlers and meat.

GregH · 01-22-2009, 06:01 AM

No, I wouldn't shoot him. Even if I didn't have any venison, I'd let him walk. I would, however, do everything in my power to shoot a doe for meat.

wallhangr · 01-22-2009, 06:06 AM

Wouldn't shoot, now if he still had one side I'd have to think about that one awhile.

Sliverflicker · 01-22-2009, 06:15 AM

Nope, It just ain't the same, don't care how worn the teeth are.

npockat32 · 01-22-2009, 06:16 AM

I'd let him go till next year

Edcyclopedia · 01-22-2009, 06:22 AM

This is the same situation I poised to myself and why I am not going on a late season archery hunt in Ohio.
So that is a NO for me!

I will take the chance for the beginning of next January 2010, hopefully, playing the odds by going early Jan instead of late Jan.
* But next year if I'm presented with a large antlerless buck, I will still pass and wait to use a Doe tag.
With any luck, when I get to my kill and lift it's leg, it won't have any nuts![

]
Although, I'm confident I should be able to distinguish the difference from a large doe to an immature buck??!!!

txjourneyman · 01-22-2009, 06:58 AM

I can't shoot does on my lease in the late season. They aren't legal after Nov 16th. If my freezer was empty I would shoot. If my freezer was low I would shoot. If I had 2 deer in the freezer I would think about it and then shoot.