I, like several others, don't really get a huge thrill after I let a buck (or any deer) walk on by. I do gather a great deal of information from them.. but that's about all.

For me.. after I pass on a buck.. I still may never see him again. Often I do not. I hunt different areas every year. I pass on 1 and 2 year olds so others may get the chance. I don't do it for other hunters though.. I do it for myself.

I guess I'm trying to look into my hunting future and see what's in store.

Another way to ask is....(I suppose)....Is the allure of what might come in behind the next doe enough to keep you guys intrigued? I was under the impression (and PT is right....I say it all the time....Hunting is VERY personal) that you seasoned guys garnered a lot of satisfaction just being in the presence of a great deer (whether you decided to take him or not).

I've only felt that way about one deer. I was elated every time I saw him....and, looking back, almost equally as much when I knew I didn't have an opportunity to kill him. Those encounters were extremely satisfying.

Well Jeff, Yes and No!
Yes, it is enjoyable and successful to know that I had the opportunity to harvest and I learn a lot more about the species everytime I let one walk. and
No, because as i let lesser deer walk, the excitement level does somewhat go down. On borderline game that i have to really think about, then it is til as exciting, sometimes I even draw back and let him walk just to see if I can, since the drawback it the toughest part of the hunt.
Make sense?

I went through a long period of time of letting bucks walk in search of and in hopes of killing nothing but "wallhangers" according to what I personally wanted as a minimum. For reasons that I sometimes ponder, I then went through a short stage in my hunting life that it didn't matter as much, and for a few years due to frustration I started shooting smaller bucks. For instance in one season due to hospitalization and not being able to hunt much that season I shot a young 6 pt. the day after leaving the hospital just for the meat and to kill something. Happily I am back to letting lesser bucks walk in search of the "boys" with the big racks although they are not cooperating.

One thing I want to stress and it's extremely important. Keep the FUN in it!! If you enjoy letting a lot walk fine. If you like to pile'em up (within your game laws) Great!! Just because your buddy or someone else does it one way doesn't make it the right way for you.
After all it is a Hobby to most of us and not a job!
Have Fun!!

Dan

Amen!

Good point on keeping the fun in it. I went through a phase in my life where the search for the big one, and the minsicule odds associated with it due to a conflicting schedule, made my hunting not fun. I had just aquired an instant family, was in the process of teaching two young boys and a wife how to hunt, and was having to learn how cope with the fact that my time guiding them was making my old style of hunting impossible. I got it worked out, got my priorities in line, and started having fun again. But I had to change some things to do it. I'm not wound quite so tight anymore, and it all works out.

Ihelped my 11 year old spend 5 days hunting a specific buck this year, untill he got it. It was a good buck, and he earned it. I didn't push him into it, he did it. He would have spent 30 days trying to get it, because it was the one he wanted. He did shoot it with a rifle, but it was total free range, no blinds, feeders, food plots, fences, anything. Hours and hours laying on his belly in a 300 acre wheat field. You should have seen his face when he connected.

You asked about you future as a hunter Jeff. Let me tell you, the biggest trophy I have is in the smile of a child...

I let several walk this year with no regrets. Even if I'm not going to shoot I still get pumped up in that I had them that close. I guess it's kinda like catch and release for me.

I have to admit I let a ton walk each year. I do that for personal reasons as well as the fact that there are a ton of bucks in my stretch of woods. I can only shoot two so I save it for the big boys. If I want meat its big momma that gets the nod. I have shot two sick bucks that I think were car struck both had broken limbs and should have been in commercials with Sally Struthers they were so thin. Regardless, big bucks get big for a reason... they have had a chance to grow. If you want see trophy deer every year - then pass. If you want to shoot straight meat go ahead, just don't post on the webcomments like"Must be nice to see deer that big!" whenever you see a big steaming buck. You would see buck that big too you just have to let them go (most situations). Sure someone else might shoot em' later but unless you high fence that's the chance we all take.

It's your thang, do what you wanna do. Obeying all local laws of course. As for me, give me the wall hangers.

If it didn't I would have shot it three years ago.