I have seen some pretty amazing deer on here from trail cams to people wondering scores and some getting shot. But I've noticed some of the deer on here which I wouldn't think twice about shooting have people saying give it another year. I admire your self control in that and I guess I may get that way if I am fortunate enough to start getting trophy bucks.(I have yet to get a buck with bow.) So what are your standards for deer? 4x4,5x5 or 3 year old, 4 year old? I'm hoping for a 4x4 but I am willing to take a smaller one. I actually have no standards at this point in my hunting career. I'm happy with getting a shot and being able to say I got a deer with my bow.

You will recieve a wide variety of answers to such a question.

Myself...I have kind evolved to where I am at now. When I first started hunting I shot the first thing that went by. Does, button bucks, 1 1/2 year old bucks. Over time my tastes have changed. I will no longer shoot a button buck or a 1 1/2 old deer. I would shoot a 2 1/2 year old deer, but it just seems I have never had the opportunity.

Once I started being selective of what I shot, my success ratio on actually harvesting and seeing mature deer has increased dramatically. Since I may let 10 deer walk by, I have a better chance of seeing what may be the 11th deer. If I shot the first one...I may not see anything else.

try to stay 140 and Up.....130s if I think he is an older deer and not gonna get much bigger.

I assume from your post that you're new to all this like myself (this is my second season). I just got my first about two weeks ago (a doe) and, as a result, am just going through the whole "I'm getting really addicted to this" phase.

My [buck] standards, like yours, aren't very high right now. I think, for me, it's more a function of the fact that I'm new to the sport. With more experience and experiences, I think I'll continually set a higher bar. However, for now, just the excitement of the hunt and any opportunity I have to make a successful harvest is amply fulfilling.

125+ I have killed three 3 1/2 year old bucks now and 2 does. Now it is time to let the little ones go and wait for something with some horn to it.

I think the premise of the question is a bit off the mark. Everyone is different and most hunting areas are different as well. To my mind it depends on the area more than anything. If I'm hunting an area that has an overpopulation issue, I might shoot a deer I would pass in an area with fewer deer. If I'm hunting an area I know has several trophy bucks running around, I'm gonna be a bit more selective....on my home turf, I want to shoot at least a 2.5 year old buck, but I'm not above shooting a doe if I'm given the opportunity.

I firmly believe any deer taken with a bow is an accomplishment. Further it's an accomplishment that alot of people will never achieve. There is a time and place for everything. It's a wise man that fully understands whata situation merits.


GH

depends on what weapon I'm holding and where I am and if I've got meat in the freezer

shooting a recurve or longbow changes everything

The area that I hunt is basically a 40 acre CRP field. There is no real reason for deer to be there other than just traveling through to get to somewhere else. They bed somewhere else and they feed somewhere else. So, I take any deer I'll be happy with. I rarely see a buck. Last year I only took one deer off this property (a large doe), and never saw anything larger than a spike. This year will be a different story though. With the cost of a license at $136, I can't afford to be too picky.

On public land, anything that's around 100".

On private land, gotta be bigger than last year's so 125".

I would agree with what I read above. Any deer is a good deer with a bow. With that said, I usually pass on button bucks. Other than that, anything is a worthy trophy for me, considering I haven't shot anything yet!