I let90 inchers walk and don't care if the next guy shoots them, because I plain and simple just don't want 'em. I've shot enough of them that Ican'tgrow wood over the thought of killinga year and a half old buck. I would rather hunt my twenty days a year and kill nothing than shoot a 90 incher during the second week of the season.
Now...130 incher. He's going down baby!

I let them walk all the time and often see the same deer from year to year.I should mention that I only own 125 acres and have considerable pressure (for this area) around me also. Two years ago I let a 130 class 8 point go on a 75 acre parcel a friend owns and he saw that deer two nights ago and said it is a brute now. There is heavy pressure all around that piece and he had not seen that deer at all last year. We know it is the same deer because he has a very unique narrow tall rack. The point is,if you shoot him young the only guarantee is that he will never mature. If you let him go there is always a chance he will make it. Kill what makes you happy but to just shoot a deer for fear a neighbor might get him first is not sound management in this area.

your right fletch, greed should not be a motive in hunting

I let a 130" buck walk







If there was a 160" following behind him!


Dan

That's the only time I'm lettin' something 130+" go!
--now if only I could get that to happen

hunt the way you want to - shooting a doe, a fawn, a spike ........ those are good deer to kill, don't let anyone tell you what a trophy is and isn't (assuming you hunt them ethically)

Since this is my first year hunting I am shooting anything that walks thats a decent size (not a fawn)- Ive never shot a deer so I would like to have one under my belt before the big one comes along and im shaking so much I cant pull my bow back.

I have passed them up only to have the guys on the adjacent property shoot them . Someone has to use the QDM in order to get big racks .

I don't think I'd ever let a 130" buck walk, BUT....
My hunting buddy has killed many more P&Y bucks than I, and he often does just that. Well he showed me some trail camera pics he got from the property we hunt, and the 130" 5x4 he passed last year, put on about 30+" of antler and is now a 160 class 5x6, so I guess if you have that kind of discipline, it can pay off. Now granted that deer is not on the ground yet, but I have to admit, it's pretty exciting knowing that caliber of deer is running around where you hunt.

I really don't know what I would do??????? Not really into big bucks any more.My son in law and cousin would kill him in an instant. Or at least shoot at him, (buck fever),I aways take my camera with me sooo a picture would be nice. If I thought theycouldget a crackat him I would definately not shoot.