Note- Im not trying to stir a bees nest here, just an interesting question that came up with a co-worker.

It has been said on here many times during trophy deer, qdm vs tdm, and other various debates we have had in the past months. As we all know, a deer needs genetics, food and age to reach its potential, with age normally being the hardest one to achieve. We all know where these debates have gone in the past, most often times getting peoples panties in a bunch, but here is the question.

For those of you who are holding out for a "mature" deer, whatever mature might be in your book, if a mature buck walks by your stand but it has half its rack broken off, are you still pulling the trigger, afterall it is still a mature deer, or are you waiting for another mature deer with a nice rack???????

I'll let him walk. Chances are pretty good that I'll see another mature buck.

I'll be watching this one with great interest.

It gets even more interesting when you put a 160" 3.5 yr old AND a 120" 6.5 yr old in front of the archer.

I'd love to hear those answers, too.....

I don't claim to be QDM or TDM. I'm more WDM If it'll go on my wall I'll shoot him.. A half rack likely won't be eligible.


WDM= Wall Deer Management

I'm letting him walk. I'll be honest I like antlers both sides nice looking racks. With the trail camera's out in the woods I know there are more bucks in the area with both sides. Just my opinion.

I'll pull the trigger... if the buck warrants the word "shooter" in my mind regardless of rack appearance. Character is charcter.. and a big bodied elder with war wounds will yield my attention.

And for Jeff.. I'll shoot a 120" 6.5 yr. old anyday of the week. That is a trophy in anyone's book.

I called Rob last year and told him I had one I was saving for him. He was a 2.5, "maybe" 3.5 yr old deer with good mass and a good, solid 4 point left side.

Funky spike on the right. I saw him three times.....and had him standing under my stand for 20 minutes, one day. Now right there's a deer that I would LOVE for my son to shoot. I'd have him mounted for him.....and I would think a 3-4.5 yr old buck for a young man's frst archery kill would make ANYONE proud.

Hopefully...though....he'll be a full-racked deer, this year. I didn't shoot "at" this deer last year because of his rack. Honest answer.

well i had this buck on our property last year that would have gone in the 160s but it had everything past its right g2 broken off, i had this deer at 30 yards...passed, my hunting partner also had him at 35 yards and passed him.

I like GR8atta2D's answer. I shoot the deer I want that make ME happy. That is usually big mature bucks with nice racks. I have let many mature bucks with partial racks go by and not attempted to shoot. Big pretty bucks and yummy does for the freezermake me happy, so that is what I shoot. If I don't shoot a buck, that is fine.

I am in agreement with GR8attad.That animal walks.