IMO, it depends. How much pressure does your hunting area recieve?
I can't control what the people on the bordering properties do, so I'll be darned if I am going to let a legal buck walk so some guy neighboring me that doesn't give a hoot about QDM can shoot the thing. I see it like this...it's gonna be me or him, and it ain't gonna be him if I can help it.
What it truely boils down to is you. Are you man enough to set your goals and stick with them, or are you going to wimp out and modify your goals to satisfy your urges?
Not ragging on anyone....jsut seems funny that these two statements were made by the same poster.
I've had a half-rack (3 on one side) that I passed on this year....and a spike. I haven't harvested a deer this year, either.....but I still wouldn't shoot one of these evenif he broadsided me. What might seem like gratification....(taking a buck with the bow)....might also turn into remorse. No one canaddress thatdelimma except you.
For the record....I HONESTLY think that hunting is HIGHLY personal. The reasons YOU hunt are LIKELY different than the reasons I hunt. To "ME"......I have never feltmore at-one with God than when I'm in the field.DO I hunt tohave this feeling?......or do I have this feeling because I hunt? Who knows? It's personal...that's all I know. And this is coming from someone sho would NOT classify himself as ANY type of religious fanatic (to say the least.....lol).
You make your decision on this buck.....and feel good about it. THEN...you know you made the right decision.
Have a MErry Christmas.
Jeff