Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Title says it all. Rob your answer doesn’t count we already know. [8D]:D

You have a mature (4.5+) buck in front of you that would otherwise EASILY meet your personal standards for a “shooter” and then some. He has a busted off side. Do you shoot him? If so, do you mount him?

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Not sure about mounting.....but you darned right I'd shoot that deer.

I've been lucky enought to take one 4.5yr old. If I got a chance at another.....I'd take it.

I'm loosing an arrow.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

No...

I don't mess with Rob's deer;)

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Yes I would shoot him .... but then again, I'd shoot an immature half racked buck :D

I would Euro-mount him ....... BTW Fran, my 8 is still rotting in my garage :eek:

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Ummm....I don't know. I don't think I would, but put me in the situation and I might. I have never shot a buck with my bow so there is a decent chance of me shooting a half racked one.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Wow, tough question to answer without actually ever being in the situation. I was close last year to having that decision. A 10 point we had seen early in the season was in the field, maybe 70 yards away, but one side was missing. Turns out, it was a difft buck, one side had a knob-like thing on it, no real beam. Probably woul dhave shot him had he come through.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Its possible! I passed on a half rack with 4 points about 2 weeks back! He already shed one side!

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

no...i would not shoot...who knows he might be my booner next year

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I don't think I would, especially in Minnesota where I only get one buck tag.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Um, not sure. I'm going to say probably not. If it's busted off I'm probably going to wait and see what other buck whooped his ass! If he did the whoopin, I'd really like to see him next year!

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I probably would shoot him. Reason's being not because he's a 4 1/2 year old but because he's got a funky looking rack! He would go on the wall in a heart beat! If I wasn't going to mount him I wouldn't of shot him then. I would have then waited for next year and hoped to see him again with his rack intact on both sides. Either way its a win win situation for me.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

No

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Good question!!That choice is entirely a personal decision. Why should that buck be any less a challenge or "trophy" based on a broken rack?? He is still a mature and very elusive prize at 4.5 years. That being said, I would pass and hope to see him again next year....unless I already found his broken side!;)

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I only shoot bucks that I would mount.

I don't want a half racked buck on my wall.

Hopefully i would get a crack at him the next year.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

LOL !!!

No- would not shoot.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

We can get up to 3 bucks here in WV. I would shoot him

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I can say, without a doubt, I would not shoot. I was in that situation last week and didn't even get ready, just let him walk.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

yes and yes.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

If its clearly broken I would pass and hope it grows back next year...If it looks as if it will never grow back I would shoot em and use the cape for a rack that my dad wishes he would have mounted...

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

This comes down to what do you consider a trophy:
-do you measure a trophy only by the size of the rack?
- do you measure a trophy by its age?

I am more the latter than the prior. Do you have any idea how rare a 4.5+ year old buck is around here? I would definitely shoot and probably mount.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Not only would I....I did! I shot this 300 lb. Illinois brute at 12 yards and as you can see every one of his points are broken. As a matter of fact, his one side had all of his points broken off to the beam. I shot him because he came from 100 yds. to my grunting and when he stood in front of me he looked like aMack truck with all cylinders firing looking for another fight.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I don't know. It's hard to tell, I have in the past though. It would depend on the buck, how much time I had left to hunt, etc........

As to mounting, it's hard to say but unless it was HUGE, probably not. I'd do a euro mount like this guy that I shot last year.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Congratulations!

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

A busted half rack 4.5 year old, i would not shoot. On the other hand, a defected half rack 4.5 year old would have to die! But it would be rather tempting!

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Shoot ... yes. Mount .... no. Eat and enjoy ... for sure

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

No

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

For me age matters just as much as rack size. Him being busted makes it no less a trophy in my eyes. 4.5+ year old buck around here are very rare, I am lucky to see one, let alone get a shot at it so he's getting drilled.
As for the mount part, that I don't know, it would minimum be a skull mount, depends on my mood at the time if I would do a full shoulder mount.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Yep, been there done that. The meat tastes just the same.;)

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Nope, passed on a would be 150 inch 8 pointer opener of gun season. Bust off his main beam about 4 inches up. Must have ran into a car! Hope to see him next year. If I want meat I'll find a small doe. There are plenty of them!

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Well before this year I would have said no.. I had passed on a half racked 5 point last year then seen him again this year still as a half rack. Not only him but a small 3 point and a 2 point all half racked bucks.. I will shoot them next year without a doubt. Don't want that in the gene pool if I can help it at all..

Wouldn't mount any of them though..

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Noi wouldnt shoot him. We ghad one a few years back that if he had both sides he would be a big 8 probably pushing 160. We all agreed not to shoot him and before the end of season all 3 of us had let him walk a couple times.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

I wouldn't.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Broken racks are not on my hit list.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

sorry, no way ..years ago a buddy of mine shot a darn nice size, half racked buck and everyone he knows doesnt let him forget it...every season since our group just pisses him off year after year. I might take pics of it or get it on video but thats all the shooting I'm doing. I couldnt handle that kind of verbal abuse for the rest of my life.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Nope

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

No, not at all. I'd eat my buck tag first. Plenty of does for meat and enough mature bucks under my belt, I'd pass.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

nope, would have to let him walk.

rules of the property dictate that any buck you shot will be shoulder mounted, so if I am dropping $300+ on a mount, he will at least have both beams, and preferably all his tines also......

on the plus side this last friday and saturday I did see what would have been about a 150in 8 pointer if he would have had both sides, so there will be a dandy running around next year if he stays around the property....

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

yes i would

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

i would say yes
because in my own opinion (i guess not most peoples) managing for trophy whitetails means harvesting the "mature" deer
not harvesting the ones that are quite up to standards because of a broken off side.

RE: Would you shoot a mature half racked buck?
 

Nope, I'll roll the dice and hope I see him next season