ORIGINAL: Zim
Nice thread! The responses show us just how hard it is for a buck to make it to maturity.
Yes. I personally would pass on him. But of course it all depends on the situation. It is very early in the season, and you are allowed only one buck. Also, that buck I don't believe would make pope & young (which is my personaly standard). I have 2 Illinois buck tags and one Indiana tag and I still would have passed on him at this point in the season. However, if it was late season and I had not tagged anything it would be a different story. Of course it all depends on the quality in your area too.
If a guy wants to shoot a real wallhanger he's got toget used to passingin these situations. It took mefour 123"-124" bucks before I finally decided I was going to shoot a P&Y deer. Then I got two straight. Now it's easier to pass. To this day, I do not regret any of those decisions.
Of courseluck is always a factor and I hope it goes in your favor and your action is rewarded byseason end. I think it will be.
Nice post, and again, it is very dependant on many circumstances. For me, in NY, that would be one dead deer. The odds of him making it through the insanity that is rifle season, then the bad winter which I think is coming, are slim. Personally, I would also weight into effect where did I see him? Whose property was he on? Is anyone else hunting there? Have I seen bigger bucks in the area?
These are just a few of the many questions which you would need to answer before you release an arrow.
Or, you could release an arrow, and have plenty of venison and a nice rack on your wall.
To each his own.
