GMMAT

First of all....PLEASE do not let this get into a "Shoot what you want vs. let 'em go so they can grow" debate.

Reason for the post.

I have been hunting whitetails for all of 2+ seasons.....and I've been fortunate to take a coupel of deer indicative of good bucks for the herd I hunt. I've also let some bucks "walk" that I regret not.

As the years go by....I will be becoming more and more choosy in what I take. I have to ask, though......how satisfying (I'm assuming VERY) is it when you let that first one "walk"......that in former years you'd have been extremely proud to harvest.

IF....(BIG, HUGE "IF") it is your inclination to let animals walk (in hopes of a bigger one)......Do you garner more enjoyment as the years go by....employing this practice? Is...."the one I let walk".....AS enjoyable as the one I GOT, two seasons ago? I can honestly see where it could be.

Does any of this make sense?

farmcntry

I let smaller does and bucks walk, not in hopes of growing huge racks in the future, but rather, I just don't WANT to take them.

I'm happy hunting if I see deer and COULD take them.

GMMAT

Let me give an example.....

GregH lets a 3.5yr old 9 pointer walk....because he's just not what he's looking for.

Does that experience with that deer.....give you as much enjoyment.....as it would have if you'd taken that same deer 3 seasons ago?

I have to think (only if you subscribe to this type of hunting)....that it would. Being in the presence of a "great" deer (everything's relative) is a huge rush. I would think that would be enough, "sometimes". I would think (again....if you subscribe) it would get better and better with each occurrence.....even if it only occurred once a yr or LESS.

A camera will defintely become more of a friend to me as I continue hunting.

GMMAT

Thanks, Keith. Perfect.

Maryland_Whitetail

I enjoy letting them walk. Just being in the stand and seeing them in their natural environment is joy enough for me! Being a hunter for only two year like Jeff, seeing them and passing has gotten rid of my horrible shakes!!!

BrentH243

I enjoy showing all my videos to my buddies of all the young bucks I let walk. They are always like...dude, thats a 6 pointer though, why didn't you shoot him. I used totake a shot at any buck (if I had a tag) and now I have become more selective. I know that I see more deer now that I am patient and it feels good to be "closer" to nature when those deercome in.

I let them go so they can grow and maybeoffer me an opportunity the next season. I do feel very grateful for anyone that shoots abuck and they are proud of it. Just becauseI let 'em walk, doesn't mean the neighbors have to...as long as they arelegal, that is fine with me.

Not sure if I answered yourquestion though...

GR8atta2d

Well for me..
I get great satisfaction of having the self restraint not to shoot. It's not the same as actually shooting, it's a different feeling. It's the inner peace that comes from the Hunt being the focus of my time outdoors.

In my younger days the Kill was the important factor.

I could go on and on..but that paragraph sums it up, aboutas well as I can.

09mjl01

letting one walk by the tree im in is close to but not as exciting as the kill. i love the rush of a deer thats inside 15 yards, it really cool to just be inside that distance of a wild animal. its not necessarly exciting that i may have the opportuninty to kill that deer later but just being close to it like that and knowing that i could have taken it. hope that makes sense.

mobow

I understand exactly what you mean. My goal this year was to take a "nice" 8 point. You know, one that you would look at and say "That's a nice buck!" Not huge.....In the 100 inch range. I let a couple of bucks that fit that description walk this year, and at the time I was REALLY second guessing myself.

Until my 127 showed up.....I've never been so glad to let bucks walkin my entire life, not that I've let very many. Prior to this year, all I've let walk are does and illegal bucks. I let several perfectly legal bucks live this year, and I couldn't be any happier. It's pretty cool.

GMMAT

Hey guys....this is exactly the stuff I'm asking about. And ...it's been answered to a degree (Thanks, GR8). But...it would seem (if you're so inclined to let 'em walk) that it would be different with bucks. I see MANY, MANY "deer" every year. I see VERY few "great" deer. The ones I have seen....(and again, guys....everything's relative)...I've tried to kill.

What's it like letting that first "great" deer ..........walk?

Are you satisfied that you didn't take him...(deep down knowing that likely...someone else WILL)?Does this thought come into play.....ever? Or....once you've made your decision......it's out of your hands?

Again...ONLYif you subscribe to this way of thinking....when you "graduate" to it not concerning you......I "assume" THEN....you've just had an awesome encounter.