Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

How many of you guys that promote the let'em go theory have under your protective thumb the 10 square miles that that 130 class buck is going to run during the rut? If you aren't the local land baron, how can you expect that buck to be there next year.
I have one gaurantee....If I pass that 130 class buck this fall, I will see him next year.......on my neighbors wall!
Brian

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

No kidding! :-)

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I feel the same way

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

130, I have never let a 90/100 inch deer walk.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I did that ONE year and THAT was the year I had no venison AND no buck! Never again!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I would have to agree...I would tak a 130 class buck in a second flat.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I agree also!! Hard to pass those bucks up.

100 to 120 not so hard, 130+ is a shooter in my book!!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I wouldn't either but I notice those that have posted here don't live in the corn belt. There are a lot more big deer in that region and a 125 class buck is not as uncommon as it is on the east coast and up north. It's all relative. I let the 75" bucks walk though. LOL

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

If I see a 130 im gona melt him!!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

hunting is a personal sport. you do it because it makes you happy not what makes others happy. all you are required to do is stay in the within the law.
the let 'em walk debates and antler restriction debates can get worse than religious or political debates.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I let a 130" buck walk







If there was a 160" following behind him!


Dan

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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)

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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 .

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

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. :)

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

Hey if that deer walked in my shooting range You better believe I would shoot him . ;)

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I beg to differ that you will not see the same buck again. I hunt both public and private, and twice on public I have let a smaller buck walk....and twice I saw him the following year (one is on my dads wall)

On my farm we have 350 acres. Last year we started letting small bucks walk...result this year is we have seen alot of mature bucks (3 1/2 or older)

A 130 inch buck is my cut off. Anything under I am PROBABLY going to let walk. Not a gaurentee, but I just don't want to kill a 2 1/2 yr old. I can kill does for meat.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I decide what I will or will not shoot when I get the chance to shoot.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

My point in starting this thread is that A 130 class buck is probably the buck of a lifetime for most of us. 150 and higher will cost outfitter's fees.
I am all for passing up the younger deer. I have selfimposed restrictions. But I wouldn't pass a 130 in hopes of seeing him next year as maybe 150-160.
Here is me with my biggest buck in my 23 years of hunting.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I agree with you on that front. A deer that scores 130's is big enough for me. He is probably 3 1/2 yrs old on our land, and while there are still probably bigger bucks around....I don't get into a treestand every year and have a 130+ walk underneath me.

Now 2 1/2 yr. old 120 inchers are a different story. I see way more of these, and alot of them get shot by neighbors......but some of them grow up and grow up to big boys.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

this thread is pretty pointless. If you said "If you had 250 acres in Iowa and all your neighbors practice QDM would you let a 130 buck go?" answer: probably yes.

Ifyou hunt public land in New England: You are taking that buck!

I actually hunt in RI on private land. I would have to think hard on taking a 130 because there are some BIG deer this year behind the parents house! I only have one buck tag.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

how about this???

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

if i see a 130 class buck in the area i hunt, im gonna either chit myself or hit myself. ill hit myself to make sure that im awake and not dreaming!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I see any buck and he is about big enough for me. With the exception of fawns, deer around here are not everywhere. A buck on state land is gold.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

not sure I know exactly what 130 looks like but I'd love toget an arrow inan older buck with a rack like the one ostdc's got there nice Classic white tail he's very symetrical.

here's a buck I got last year what do yall think he'd score?

I'm

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I'm laughing.....
A 130 inch buck IS a buck of a lifetime. That buck you have there is about a 118 gross. Does that change your mind anyone?

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I would never pass on a 130" ever. I have my own size guidelines and 130 is above them. And there is some some exceptions on small Racks if there crazy looking enough.
Dan

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

well, if i want to shoot him when i see him i will but if i have "that" feeling i wont shoot him :D

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I shot a spike last week. It was my 1st bow buck. Now I want a forkhorn or better!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I was guessing around there He is STILL at the taxidermist I'm supposed to get him back in two weeks. I never thought twice about shooting that buck, that is the biggest buck I've ever seen in real life on the hoof. not sure how old he was but he was getting on up there.

I have yet to get a deer with my bow, I had a 7 or 8 jump the string on opening day and two timesI've had does bolt while I was at full draw waiting for a shot. Since I've let a fork horn and a 7 pointer walk I'd just rather shoot a doe than a younger deer I'm trying to get the number of bucks up as high as possible (maybe daddy squezzed off one one two more before I got to him:D) one of the does I was going to shoot had two button bucks.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

Are you serious? Come on, 30" in one year? That I would have to witness for myself!! That is an indescribable amount of growth in a single year...come one, come all, I'm ready for all of you to tell methis is normal and ithappens all the time!!

I'm not trying to start trouble here, I'm just trying to fathom 30" of antler growth in one year...

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I won't say itsalways common, but I willthat from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 a deer will grow that much with good nutrients and habitat.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

30" in a year? I would say that would be a minimum amount of antler growth. IMO.

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

Seriously? I've passed up 130" deer before, and I've never seen that same animal the next year that I would say was anywhere near 160"!! I guess if all factors are perfect and he's getting some serious nutrition, maybe. That just sounds crazy!! Wow!

RE: Let him go? Gimme a break!
 

I should have been more specific. I believe up to the age of 4 or 5, 30" doesn't sound too odd.