burniegoeasily

Nothing wrong with letting a deer walk. I have let hundreds walk. If they are not what I want I let them go on. Like it has been said, if you dont need the meat there is nothing wrong with letting them walk. I enjoy setting and wathching them all day. I have been known to set out and rattle up bucks just to watch them. I do bring a gun of course. You never know when that monster might come around.

Lifes a garden, dig it.

445 supermag

Thanks for the thoughts. I do need the meat though as my freezer is empty right now. I just feel bad about having to shoot a doe that goes 70-80 lbs. I like the camera idea too and might just do that. Sounds like fun and I know my wife would love to see it.

I do plan on butchering my own deer when We move into our new house on Nov 19 is when we close on it. So I will be butchering it myself and My wife also got me a good video on butching deer yourself. I think its a Dan Fitsgerald video and I love it. So I will have to try that myself soon. I really do enjoy just being out there looking at them and enjoying my time out there with the deer and mybe that big buck will follow one of the does into my area in the next few weeks.

I did put out some doe in estrus sent just to see if anyone was interested in it and had a spike buck walk within 5 yeads of it and payed no attention to it. Kind on makes me say HMMMM... But he did for some reason start walking stiff legged right after walking by it and took off. So maybe it spooked him and its just too early for it. But I did put some in a scrape that is near my tree and the next day saw some doe foot prints in it so maybe some activity will start happening soon.

Thanks again

Brian

farm hunter

Brian,

Because you really enjoy hunting, you aren't doing anything wrong. I'm sure you'll get into processing your own deer, you and all hunters really need to in the future. We need to control our deer herds, but none of us want to pay $2-$3/lb to have it processed.

A soon as you close on the house, hunt planning to take the first doe you see, so there is no "trying to decide" and plan to process your own. It will give you another aspect of hunting to enjoy.

Of course, as soon as you decide to shoot the first doe you see, one won't come within 50 yds of you - but thats hunting.

Good, honest post. Good luck.

skeeter 7MM

I see nothing wrong with not shooting, even if you can. Hunting is much more than harvesting, I bet you are learning more this year, b/c your watching not worrying about draw, form, pin, etc. I pass lots of deer during every season, some does I have a tag but think oh not yet. As for bucks, the montsa will never reality if you tag a spike.

Butchering doesn't have to be a chore! It is fun, cheaper and gives you a biology class on deer make up...while doing it. We actually have a guys in the garage butchering and grinding, women in the house chatting get together when we harvest some deer. I wouldn't take my deer to a butcher now, I just really enjoy it and I can debone and package a average deer in just over an hour. When they charge 50-100 bucks for the same service, its money in the tickle trunk.

445 supermag

Yeah I just can't wait till I move into my new house down the jersey shore or atleast very close to it. I will have a big air conditioned garage to do all my butchering. I think I will hold off till I feel that this is the one for me. If its a doe so be it and If its a buck it will have to be atleast bigger than last years deer.

I will be doing my part in harvesting does as I have so many around me. I mean no more than 5 minutes in my stand I have deer walking by me. But with all the doe activity around and the rut coming I feel that it is just a matter of time till a shooter comes by and you all will see some pictures.

Brian

Hucklburry

Nothing wrong with waiting for a big un. Personally, I want a doe or two for the meat. Also, if you thin down the does where you hunt, the bucks will have to compete more for the does that are left, which in a well balanced herd would lead to rattling and grunting calls acutally working!!! With no pressure to compete for does, why would 2 bucks fight over it, there are plenty to go around.

So once you close on the house, get a doe or two out of there. Butchering them yourself is satisfying. It take me 5-6 hours for a good size doe here in MO, a small one might not take that long. Thats from the start to wrapped and in the freezer. 2 of us get a whole deer done in under 3 hours.

Anyway, hope you see a big one!

--Jim

Belle Island

To me the kill is secondary to the experiece.
I could kill a deer almost everytime I go out if I wanted. However, I prefer to only shoot maybe 2 does a year for meat and then I hunt for only 135 class bucks and up. Therefore, I go home empty handed most of the time. However, its the actual "hunting" not the killing that keeps me going.

Hunt the thickets

jimmya

Boy, i wish i had the problem of deer always under me. my hat is off to you for not shooting.
i also process my own meat (deer pig) you do not have to cut it up imedatly as some people think. skin, quarter, and put in a cooler on ice it will buy you some time. pluss it helps get the blood out of it. i usually keep in the cooler for a day or two. the first batch of ice will melt somewhat quick do to the warm meet getting cool. drain the water off (removing a lot of blood) re ice get to it when you can.
i spent almost $600 on a kick butt grinder (with the optional stuffing kit for making brats, slim jims) last year and it has already paid fot itself. (4 domestic hogs, 3 deer) now i am going to get a killer vaccum sealler hopefully it will be paid off this year. if nothing else you know for a fact that you are eating the meat that you harvested. i really enjoy it

dehavenphoto

You are simply maturing as an individual and as a hunter. You are going from the quantity to the quality stage in hunting.

I've let several does pass this past week - one was hugh for around here. I figure I have several more weeks before rifle season to get a nice buck with a bow. If I don't get the one I want by rifle season then I'll take a doe (just to keep up my confidence) after rifle season.

Jack