Question on a theory
 

I've heard the statement "Never pass up a buck during the season that you'd be proud to shoot on the last day of the season" or something similiar to that.

I don't agree with that statement (for me personally) and I'll state why. But I'd like to hear other replies..either for or against this statement.

My reasons.
In Ohio it is a very long season (Last weekend in Sept to Feb 4th.) Obviously hopes and expectations are high at the seasons beginning. I generally look for a "Wall Hanger" in my area that's say 120's and up.
It never fails that I pass up a few 80-100 class bucks prior to rut. the rut this year seemed non existant in my area during daylight hours due to temps?? or what-ever.
So a wall hanger was not seen from the stand.
Now, we're well into small game season and have been through most of gun season with the only the 16&17th left. Then Muzzle-loader comes in. The deer, and especially the bucks (those that survived this long) are awful spooky.

If that same 100 class buck wandered into range now I'd take it without hesitation and be proud of it. This is not to say I wouldn't have been proud of him in October, but I'd have robbed myself of many hours in the stand. Like most of you guys, it's being there, never knowing what will ultimately happen that makes it fun. The kill is the ..call it.. reward, and final payment on your time and efforts. Lack of a kill, does not make the season a failure.
I took a doe for meat earlier in the season with my bowand enjoyed every part of that hunt. I took a buck in Pa Rifle season and enjoyed that also.

But the fact that I still have a buck tag and thus the opportunity in Ohio keeps my senses sharp and my desire high. But you guys know the late season is TOUGH and also time afield is limited due to available daylight and Holiday activities etc.

I would view an opportunity at a higly alert and heavily pressured buck differently now than I would have say in Oct.

Anyway this thread wasn't for any real reason or justification of anything..I just am curious to the thoughts of others.

I guess I could see that statement having merit in a much shorter season. Where the up and down, swings are not so great.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I've let bucks walk that I might or might not shoot if I get the ooportunity, again. I don't find anything wrong with this, at all. What I won't do is shoot one of them....JUST to say I filled a buck tag. I'm not saying you said that, either.

jeff

RE: Question on a theory
 

I see your point of view. My standards stay the same throughout the season, if I won't shoot him onopening day, I won't shoot him on the last day.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I agree 100%. Like I tell my kids - there is nothing wrong with hunting, there is nothing wrong with not hunting. There is also nothing wrong with deciding not to kill something that you previously decided would be a taker.
I know exactly what you mean, well sort of, since we get 3 antlered and 3 antlerless tags in VA, I'm rarely out of buck tags, since I try to be picky. But where you only get one tag, to fill it early, is to be done hunting! And it may sound out of place, but of all the things that revolve around hunting, whether it be scouting, planning, shooting, killing, butchering, taking photos, showing off photos, bragging or whatever else - nothing is as fun, as the actual time hunting. Not sure why, but that's how I feel about it...

RE: Question on a theory
 

My standards don't change throughout the season. I certainly don't see anything wrong with doing so, though. Just the way I am I guess... stubborn.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I have only hunted two whitetail seasons now. Last year I got a nice 8-point, this year a 9-point. Also, a doe. Anyway, back to your question; for me, I will only take a buck that is as good as or better than what I have already taken. I would rather let them grow to be bigger for next year. If that means that I might not get a buck some years, so be it, I would rather only take an animal when it is at its best. I do not just want to kill something just to kill it. That said; I think every hunter must decide for themselves what works best.

-Hoytgirl

RE: Question on a theory
 

You go girl!

Kind of ironic that a lady had the cawhona's (sp) to start this argument again!

Let'em go, and let'em grow baby!

RE: Question on a theory
 

It will be interesting to hear what atlasman has to say about this.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I think I will sit this one out!

RE: Question on a theory
 

Atlas has intelligent arguments to thwart the "let 'em grow" forces.

It's the "if they be brown...then they be down" theory. He's one of the US's most prolific vealison dealers.....and I'd probably give $1K just to meet him.

Jeff

RE: Question on a theory
 

if they have spots -we take shots

RE: Question on a theory
 

For me, I decide on the spot whether I'm going to shoot the deer given the oppuntunity. One day maybe I'd let him pass and the next I take him. It all depends on how I fell at the time. My standards change hunt to hunt depending on what time of year it is, what the temperature is, how far out of the woods am I gonna have to drag this guy:D etc. It all comes down the moment of truth and I don't regret any of them.

RE: Question on a theory
 

Jesus.......If I'm not mistaken....he told me that's why they put the dots on the braodhead targets......to simulate field conditions.

Sounds plausible.

Jeff

RE: Question on a theory
 

"never pass up a deer you dont want to pass up" thats the philosophy that seems easiest to me. my standards change through the season, and i see nothing wrong with that. i know i live in a great hunting area, so for me, when i realise it isnt enjoyable anymore(by far the most important thing to me) i go stick the next 2.5 year old that wanders by and am done with it ( I do not shoot a doe with a either sex tag as I want the extra 30 lbs of meat). In contrast I have passed up 140 inch deer (I might add, a little bigger than anything I have actually harvested with a bow) early in the year because I didnt want to quit hunting yet. This year I shot a nice 9 point, only about 120", on my second time out because I wanted to, I was not going to get out more than 2 or 3 more times before gun season. The whole experiance encompases a hell of a lot more than inches of antler to me, even though I am awed by massive racks as much as the next guy.

RE: Question on a theory
 

If you passed him early it was for a reason and the deer made it this far so let him walk and next year he will be bigger .

RE: Question on a theory
 

I go with the notion, Ill pass up bucks I simply settle with come near the close of season.

RE: Question on a theory
 

Hoyt Girl........

If you only shoot bucks bigger than your previous buck you are going to run out of bucks to shoot before too long. They only grow so big. ;)


IMO if the deer is good enough for me to shoot on the last day then he should have been good enough to shoot the first day. Otherwise I feel like I am only shooting that deer just to fill a tag. Of course I don't worry too much about antler size either. given the choice between two deer I will shoot the one with the bigger antlers but I won't pass another buck that is good enough to shoot on the last day.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I try to get bucks in teh begging of the season, But if the season is almost over i'll take a doe for the meat

RE: Question on a theory
 

you can save alot of money on freezer paper if you can fit both backstraps in one pack

RE: Question on a theory
 

I'll play devils advocate in regards to shooting a buck I passed on early. Alot of bucks are good enough to shoot but I pass on them early, why? because I am hunting a particular buck, I will hunt that buck or a fewspecific bucksall season, and then on the last day even on a buck I have previously passed...if he's a buck I like and feel good about, I'll hammer him and be very happy about it.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I like that explanation, Shed. It fits me, too.

Jeff

RE: Question on a theory
 

Good reply..and yes I've hunted 1 deer for the last year and a half (prior to this season)..foregoing others. But this year I never saw that 1 deer, that I would hold out for, above all others.

RE: Question on a theory
 

My personal motto has become "Don't shoot something on the last day that I would pass on the first day."
If I need meat, I just shoot does. I personally would feel little satisfaction lowering my standards at the end of the season, just to kill a buck.
I also feel that the last 5 minutes of a hunt are just as good as the first 5 minutes. But then again, I get to hunt some prime areas.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I take my two doe early in the season and pass small bucks till the end. Im going to put a third deer in the freezer regardless. Mind you, most of the time it is a cull buck anyway, but im not above taking a lesser buck. I only get three tags, two doe, and on buck, so on my last hunt, a buck is going in the freezer. When some one shows me how to cook a set of antlers, ill be a little more picky. Now if you do not care as much for the amount of meat in the freezer, Thats fine. to each his own. My family will eat three deer in a year, easily. So Three deer are going in the freezer. Id shoot a fourth if my county would alot one more tag. We always run out of deer meat around mid summer.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I have the perfect answer to this question.

It's all a matter of personal choice.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I'll pass up deer all year long, but when the clock is about to strike midnight onmy archery season, I will shoot what I believe to be the last legal buck to present me with a chance. I like to kill my buck with my bow, and it's that simple. A 70" scrub with the bow means more to me than any rifle buck ever will.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I've twice passed on a buck and then shot him later in the year. Once was several weeks in between and the last day I could hunt, the other was about 5-10 minutes later when I noticed the buck had a drop tine. I've got mixed emotions on the deal and I really don't know what I'd do if presented the situation in the future. I might lower my standards a little, but I'm not going to just shoot anything.

RE: Question on a theory
 

We're all different in what is important. And it changes!!

RE: Question on a theory
 

There is NO RULE. You're out there to hunt. Do what makes you feel good. I've never had remorse over a single deer I killed or ones I let walk. It's a daily thing to me. It's a particular property or state thing. For example, in Ohio I passed up several bucks that would have been dead in NY or Maryland. I had bigger ideas for Ohio. I also have some unfilled tags.:D But that's OK. I planned it that way, one day at a time.:) Do what makes you happy. Of course if you're on some managed properties you go by "The Rules" in that case. If I know someone is trying to raise some big deer but they tell me, you shoot anything you want. Well hell, you know you can't do that so you pass on deer you might shoot somewhere else. About 4 years ago I watched this rag horn buck pass me opening morning and evening. He passed me the next morning. When he showed up the third day I said, "hell boy, you're dead". He ate just fine.

RE: Question on a theory
 

same here

RE: Question on a theory
 

for me it depends on hunting pressure, deer in that area and number of days I have to hunt. If I only have 7 days and I don't see a deer until the fourth day Im takeing him/her, what ever comes in first. As long as your hunting for the right reasons (food and enjoyment)you shouldn't feel bad about any kill. Of course all of us would like to have a chance at a mature whitetail but a doe will taste just as good if not better than a tough old buck, just my 2cents.

RE: Question on a theory
 

I always hunt with the sun at my back, I have stand's for all wind dirctions, though 90% of the time it's from the W,NW or SW around here.

RE: Question on a theory
 

15 yrs. ago I wouldn't have passed on any buck. I needed the meat, and would fill my tag with a doe if possible. Today I don't need the meat. I have the money to buy a 1/2 a beef, plus I also would rather fill the freezer with Elk over Venison. This allows me to be more of a "trophy hunter". I set out in the season to find a particular class of buck, and i pass on any i find that are smaller. The younger bucks I hope will make it a couple more seasons to become the caliber of buck I want to hunt.

RE: Question on a theory
 

In WV you can purchase three archery tags, but one must be an antlerless deer. I go with the first antlerless deer over approx 80lbs that comes within 25 yds and I can get a clean shot. I pass on any button or spike, as you never know what they will become. As far as bucks go. That is icing on the cake to harvest a nice buck. But I believe you need pass on the little ones to get a big one. but also believe that a nice or what is considered a big buck is decided on by the person who is harvesting it, not someone else. But that for me does not change as the season progresses.