silentassassin

I don't think anyone can realistically expect to see the same deer next year. Deer move and patterns change and you have no way of knowing if he will even be in the same zip code next year. BUT I would pass on him because I absolutely positively guarantee you that he won't get any bigger if you kill him right now. Some one else may shoot him the next day, you never know. But you know for sure that if you kill him he won't ever get any bigger so you let him go and HOPE you get another chance when he is bigger. If not you hope someone else does and maybe you get a crack at one that someone else passed up last year.

Double Creek

I've let many deer that size walk over the years...... However, things are a changin'!! I'd definitely take a shot with my stickbow

Arthur P

Since that would be the biggest deer I've seen on public land around here in the past 10 years... The answer is obvious. Opening day, closing day or any day in between, I'd shoot.

SW Iowa Hunter

I would pass on unless he goes into a massive growth spurt. He is a nice buck but the lack of tine length and cut that mass in half from the velvet is not going to put him quite up there. Besides here in Iowa he still has a father and Grandfather alive somewhere!!!

That being said if anyone else shot him I would be happy to help drag him out and listen to the story.

RTA47

For me? Opening dayno I would not shoot that buck because I know there is bigger bucks in my area. But the last day of the seasonI just don`t know? I can`t say I would not I guess it all depends on how my season went? Do I need meat? How bad do I want to take a deer? In my area Thats not a bad buck at all .So I guess I would have to wait untill that day to see?

adams

He'd be tough to pass but I've let animal of the same calibre pass. The fact the season is coming to an end is a moot point IMO. He's either a shooter or not, that is how I look at it.

Lefty26

I would have to take him, while I know there are bigger bucks in my area that deer would still be a shooter.

NorthernHunter

I'd end up shooting him the first day or the last as long as he was close and I could get a good shot off.

silentassassin

lol.....yea that's how I look at it too in the early season but sometimes after a long hard season of hunting your standards start to change a little. It should stay the same but I can't say 100% that I wouldn't shoot that deer if it was the last day and I hadn't had a very good season. Because if I had gotten into that frustrated "OK now it's personal" kind of mind set on that particular day then that little guy might be in trouble

tocs

Approximately 80% to 85% of the bucks in my home area are taken at 11/2 years of age.My personal standards at home over the last several years have been a buck at least 21/2 years old and eight points or better.I believe that it is likely that the buck in the photograph is or will be a 21/2 year old this hunting season,he will be an eight pointer,so from that perspective he would meet my criteria.Having said that I would do my best to resist shooting him if I had the opportunity,especially if he appeared spindly.
The challenge that I have encountered in my home area is that there are years that I have hunted mybutt off and never seen a 21/2 year old buck.The % of bucks in our area that make it to the age of 31/2 is a joke.If I had an opportunity on this buck on the last day of all our seasons,bow,rifle,muzzleloader,late bow.I would pass because my goodness he made it.Now if he doesn't get hit by a car or run down by coyote's I may see him at 31/2!