What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

I am interested to hear how old you guys let the deer grow where you hunt before they are taken off. Is it just, if its big shoot it, or do you actually wait untill they are mature. On our lease in South Texas we wait untill they are at least 5 1/2, no younger, and we are very adimate. If you shoot deer consistently younger, then you are gone. We keep pictures of big deer we think are too young up in the camp house for the other members to see. So we can let them spread their genes around for another couple of years. I was not sure how it was done around the rest of the country, I know it is tough in some parts just to see a deer over 3 or 4 yrs old.

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

I hunt for deer that will meet the P & Y requirements. Where I hunt that usually means they will be 3 1/2 or older. In the place where my friend and I have hunted for the last three seasons, there are more deer in the older age classes. This year I upped my goal to 140's or better. I took a 4 1/2 11 pt at 143. Last year a 134 8 pt at 5 1/2, and a 140 10 pt 4 1/2 the year before. Next season, if we get the lease again, I'll go for 150's or better. Generally, by increasing score size, you increase age class as well. I know that there are some dandy 2 1/2's, but in our area they don't usuallyreach 140. 150's to 160's is the top end in this area. I have seen only 1 170's in three seasons.

GregH

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

Fortunatley I've not been forced to lease....yet...but on the land that me and my buddies hunt, we try not to shoot anything under PY with a few guys holding out for 140-150+ and most bucks won't hit that mark until they are mature anyway so it usually works out.

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

I ask them before I shoot but they can't understand me so I figure there defective so I take them out of the herd. they eat better with spots.

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

Ditto , I don't care about antlers either , if it looks like it will dress out enough to be worth the drag I'll take it .

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

Depends on my mood and the deer. I don't like spots or deer with milk mustaches. Other than that, if it strikes my fancy I'm throwing an arrow at it until I get some meat for the freezer. After that's accomplished I get more picky but don't wait for macho buck. I hunt to succeed and hear TWACK. My woods are full of over populated undersized deer. Someone has to kill 'em.:)[8D]

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

I do not discriminate based on age, sex or religion when I shoot my deer:D

Basically if its a doe, I'll shoot, but usually not a REAL small one. Bucks - if its around P&Y or higher in my area, its most likely around a 3 1/2, so its fair game for me.

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

I like to wait for a 3 1/2 year old b/c if ever 1 kills the small 1s there will never be a wall hanger

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

Whatever age they are when they walk by ;)


This year that would be 2 1/2...........that is the combined age of all 3 deer I put an arrow through :)

RE: What age do you shoot your deer at?
 

Old enough to fit in the freezer. I could careless about trophies, im a meat hunter. Any mature deer, 2.5 years and up is fair game.