What no one seems to be catching in this discussion is that he's already decided that letting them go is what he wants to do.
...and pass up a lot of smaller deer. I'd like to think I am letting them grow up to be something bigger...but this may not be the case. .........I know I am going to keep on passing them up. "
I think he wants to know if he's being a fool to pass them if someone else is going to shoot them. Again, I say shooting a deer just to prevent someone else from shooting them is petty and small. Don't be so selfish that you have to horde every deer just so someone else doesn't get it. It doesn't sound like you're thinking this way but you're beginning to have your doubts. You're doing the right thing. I don't mean that because of QDM but because you obviously don't want to shoot a deer of that caliber so you let it pass and hope it gets bigger. This is a fine quality and a characteristic of a SPORTSMAN. When I go fishing I release the fish I don't want allowing them to grow and be enjoyed by myself and other fishermen for days to come. I don't flip them on the bank just to make sure the next fisherman doesn't catch it. Don't let greed dictate your actions. Keep to the higher path.