RE: should I have shot??
 

Its gotta be hard turning down your first buck. It sounds like you had a great day in the woods though.

RE: should I have shot??
 

You got to do what makes you feel good!!!

If that means letting this one walk then great, but don't think that you have to always do it sometimes you may let them walk and then change your mind.

Take it a shot at a time!!!

" Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad"

RE: should I have shot??
 

If you feel good about your decision then you made the right one. But it has to be your decision. Lots of bow hunters would look down on you for taking that 4 pointer. I would have nailed him. I have only taken one doe...ever(this season as a matter of fact) If it's a decent sized deer I would take a spike. Maybe after I get some more kills under my belt I might let im walk....I let a few does walk this year because I thought they were too small. But I'm not a big time trophey hunter. I love to hunt, and I love to eat venison ( and squirrel, and turkey).
Only you can make that decision.

David

RE: should I have shot??
 

I agree with SW Iowa! Free Will! I went to my stand countless times this season saying " I'm taking one for the freezer". I passed on deer no less than 6 times this year, does and small bucks, and haven't regretted it. I may still shoot a spike or a young doe...maybe, maybe not. Maybe a monster. I'll decide when I'm in the stand!

Trushot }}------>

RE: should I have shot??
 

We all pass up deer all the time. I've passed up deer one day and had the same deer push my button the next day and TWACK..... You don't have to please anyone other than yourself. Bowhunting isn't to make others happy or said. It's your thing.. relief, adventure, nature, Twack and blood.... whatever. That doesn't mean you should do everything you want... just within reason and the laws. I don't bother to count the deer I let walk by anymore. I don't consider it anything more than a sighting. I do closely observe their actions and see what they're up to. They also have far better hearing and sight than I do and will often alert you to a better prize in the bushes. If you're happy... I'm happy.

RE: should I have shot??
 

badluck- that's how the big-un's get to be big. you done good<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

daytona 500 winner- Ward Burton
go Cat-22

RE: should I have shot??
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
... This young buck stops and gives me all kinds of shots, broadside more than once. ...

Hack
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

I shot at a range near Madison Wis years ago called Valkyrie archery. There was a guy in there with pictures of a HUGE non-typical that he had gotten -&gt; I think it is 9 or 10 on the P&Y list. He was talking with some regret - he knew that he would never get another deer that would approach that one.

Write your own moral... :-)