I was lucky enough to be taught to hunt by both my grandfather and my father. They hunted together ever since my parents started dating. ( mothers Father). My grand father would say "its a buck shoot it, no matter what size the horns are". I assume that comes from the 1930s mentality of when he started hunting. My dad would let little bucks go he had already shot the little bucks. I spent a lot of time hunting with both and then I got into bow hunting when I got out of the Army.
Neither of my mentors bow hunted so I was never informed about it. But some of my army brothers were avid bow hunters and turned me on to it. I fell in love. I studied bow hunting gathered all the information I could and due to that became a better hunter.
I am not saying that I am right, None of us are, But in my opinion. If there is the biggest buck I have ever laid eyes on in front of me and a doe. I am taking the buck. If I have already harvested a buck that size I am smoking the doe. I have 0 racks hanging on the wall. My grandfather has many. My grand father has racks that sit in a box in the back room of my parents basement. The only thing they are good for is they intrigue my step son and son. They want to know more about hunting. Why we do it, when they can start, etc... For that I am grateful, my grand father is still with us at 95 and although his short term memories are fading, his long term is sharp as a tack. So they ask about all of his" trophies" and he tells them stories. The same ones I loved. Back on point here. I have killed many does, I am a meat eater. Some day I hope to bag a trophy. But I will take a mature deer either way. My trophies are the memories, the friendships formed, and the time to be in the woods and reflect on my life. Not to mention I love eating venison.
There is no right or wrong in meat vs antlers. Its isn't about that, at least for me and the people I hunt with. It is about our kids, our parents, friends and neighbors getting together enjoying the outdoors and each other. I can afford to buy food, I don't have to hunt to feed my family. I know people who can't, and are too disabled to hunt, so I try to feed them too. I am sure a lot of you are the same way. I mean come on , you can afford a computer to post on here right.