tsoc

We all have our beliefs about what we shoot and why.I think we all have mental or cultural justifications that leads to what we find as acceptable.I think that many people have no problem killing animals of a certain age because of their physical size.If a juvenile is of similar size as an adult there seems to be less negativity associated with killing it,both by ourselves as hunters and also by the non-hunting public.
A good example would be bears,very few hunters would intentionally kill a bear in it's second year,because it is so much smaller than an adult.
Very few hunters intentionally kill fawns.An African Duiker could be 900 years old and I wouldn't have a desire to kill it.I don't eat veal,probably more for the way veal calfs are treated,but I know a good part of it has to do with their size and maturity.I know that at a later part in their life I will be gladly throwing them on the grill.
If a 14 year old was 6' 2" and 250 pounds of chisled muscle,would we want them in the NFL or in the boxing ring as the opponent of a heavy weight champ? How much does the challenge/sport element come in to play versus the pure meat in the freezer food element?
I am not looking for any debate here,just want to know how folks relate to what I am talking about.

GMMAT

I think hunting is about as "personal" as it gets.

I say shoot whatever makes you happy......is legal quarry.....and try not to be swayed by what others think is "right"/"acceptable".

I'll congratulate you on anything YOU feel is worthy of your arrow.

Tom2008

Personally I won't take any fawns at all. Last years hunt I tagged two, but thats a whole story that I won't get into right now. I also don't think I could take a doe with a fawn. I haven't seen it yet, but I don't think I could do it. The age of the deer for 1 year olds and up is different. In my area people shoot whatever walks by. I like to give the real little guys a second chance. I passed up a fork horn my first year of bow hunting. It was the first morning I ever bow hutned and he came in at 15 yards and I passed him. Later that season I seen him dead by one of the neighbors. It saddened me to see the deer there when it could have been my first archery deer. Oh well though thats life I suppose. Other than that like Jeff said " hunting is about as "personal" as it gets."

DaveH

In Maryland, the politicians are liberal -- but so is the bow season and bag limits! I can legally kill a boatload of deer, but I won't kill a deer that my family or some friends won't eat. I usually take 4 does and a couple bucks each season. Since I plan to do this in advance, I plan to take only mature or nearly mature animals - and that usually corresponds with the larger critters! Starting last season, I intentionally target the does that are approximately 2 1/2 years old because that seems to be the best combination of size and tenderness. For bucks, I'm looking for a mature 8 point or better. Body size is a consideration here because it's one of the signs of the deer's age. The rack development is another one. Since I usually have my freezer full of tender doe meat by the time the rut rolls around, I'm not looking for a tender buck - I'm looking for a wall hanger! I gave away the meat of my largest buck last year and that's not the first time that's happened.

rybohunter

For me it depends on where I am hunting and the availablity of tags. Most places I hunt tags are plentyful as are the deer. So i have on occasion shot a plump 6 month old deer. They butcher up real quick & easy, and the herd needs thinned a lot. I don't consider this any great feat and I don't even bother to get a picture like I do with an older doe. Now if I were hunting where tags were not so plentiful, I'm not wasting one on a small deer.

goos_blues

I think people should shoot what they want. Nothing bothers me more than somone telling another person what they should or shouldn't shoot.

Follower

A lot more goes into this discussion than it initially appears. Here in Idaho, the maximum number of deer you can take in a season is two. Some sort of regular tag, and then an X-tag which is for taking an extra doe. I love to consume the deer I kill, but when at most, I can kill two/year, and one has to be a doe, and I prefer whitetails over muleys, I don't tend to kill a juvenile or doe with my regular tag. This is just an "amount of meat" issue with me. When it comes to elk though, being as large as they are, killing a cow works just fine for me.

Philg

I personally shoot animals that are atleast3 or4 (this is old in my parts). I try to go for the later or older. I sit and hear the pressure to kill at camp and have fell victem in past years but no more. I argue that if we all just killed what ever walked out we dont really care about the animal we hunt or our right to hunt. If we dont takemore responsibility than to just sloughter we are not true advocates of hunting atleast in my opinion. (I do agree that there are acceptions though.) But as I age I feel the need to leave things as they were or better for my son and daugter and thier children. Hunting to me is a life source and gift and I will continue to stand for hunting and hunters. Hope you all can understand and do not think that I am against anyone who shoots other than what Itry to kill!

My last compaintI guess is when one comes back to camp with a buck and it does not score more than 125 the guysjoke and pick and say its ok. To me a trophy is what you imagin it to be. I mean it took me till I was 35 to kill one over 135 and I am very knowledgable and do my homework. I hunt public land by choice not b/c I can not afford a lease. All of those who hunt public land know what I mean. Ill shut up now.....

davidmil

As long as they don't have a milk mustache or spots, well they're legal. LOL Really, your examples are way off. If an animal never gets beyond 40 pound and you wanted to hunt one, then 30 pounds isn't so bad. Each animal has to be considered by itself.You can't just talk pounds of meat or no one would ever hunt doves, or rabbits or squirrels etc. There's nothing wrong with whacking a year and a half old critter. The meat is excellent. And don't say... aside from the meat... because really that's why I hunt. I don't count horns. I really don't do much "Hunting Camps". I hunt by myself with the bow. It's me and the critters. I could care less about what folks in a hunting camp would think. I usually shoot better deer and more than they do anyway. Size really has nothing to do with it. For example, I can think of nothing more useless than shooting an elephant. I have no desire to even think about such a thing. I'd rather weigh his poop pile and search for the world record.

fetzeriiif

I've seem some shot that could be thrown over the hunters shoulder and carried along with their gun and everything else. After some harmeless ribbing, all was still well. Boy are they tender.