What have you let walk and why?
 

Mine was a huge I mean HUGEbodied,very easy booner on a private piece I hunt. I watched intently from the ground as he was walking from my right to left towards my shooting lane. When he stepped behind a thicket of small trees/saplings I drew back. He took about 4 more steps and decided for some reason not to come out from behind that thicket. The wind was absolutely in my favor but it was like he knew something was not right. He then turned and came straight towards me. At 20-25yds he stopped and looked directly at me though I was behind a thicket of small trees myself. He stood there for a full 4-5 seconds as I contemplated trying to hit that tennis ball sized target at the base of his neck. I was shaking so bad I decided to just hope for him to turn. And turn he did, but with a ffffff, followed by a waving white flag. I let down and finished freaking out as it was the biggest rush I'd ever gotten in my 4yr bowhunting career.

Everyone I talked to said they'd've let that arrow fly. I don't argue with them, it's their legal choice. I more than likely will never see that deer again but at least I didn't contribute to its demise.

So, what did you give a free pass to?

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I have let everything walk by. Doe, small bucks and even a couple 110-120 bucks. I will have to make a decision tonight/tomm. about evaluating to shoot or not shoot. My goal again this year was a upper 120 to lower 130 buck at a minimum. I just bought a home and my honey-do list is about 20 pages long, thus cutting my hunting time way down.

Second reason is the land I hunt on now is being sold to a conservancy and they are not going to allow hunting next year. So the let them go let them grow theory does not apply IMHO.

Third reason is gun season starts in 2 weeks. Anything and everything will hide out after the second day of gun season.

And finally, my freezer is getting low))))) I see a doe or a smaller buck going down soon)))

Dave

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Any buck <2.5yrs old is going to get a free pass on our property. As far as does go, we usually try to harvest does from a wide variety of age groups in order to keep the social hierarchy in order

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I've let at least 15 bucks walk and about 10 does walk since last Friday. I let the bucks walk because I get zero satisfaction shooting a buck that isn't mature nor has the headware 140'+. I let the does walk because I haven't really had a chance at a doe that wasn't so close to the rut. I figure I'll let them doe get comfortable in the area so close to the rut that maybe they'll come back with a buck on her tail.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

It's the one I did not let walk:eek:

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I let a few 1.5 year olds walk this year. I also let a couple of 2.5 8's walk. The 2nd 3.5 year old I saw got the shaft. The first 3.5 I saw I got busted by,He caught me off guard. The way things went this year I couldn't be happier but I was going to try and hold off for a 4.5 or better but time constraints limited my hunting season.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I've let 7 bucks walk in shooting rangethis year so far, the best one was atall tined8 that has lots of upside in his futurethatwould score 125-130ish; however, this has been the worst big buck movementaction (so far)I've personallyseen happen in years. I letbucks walk becasue it's a personal chanlenge to me to harvest a big buck. I don't get excited anymore when I see a 135 inch ten point and it's that feeling when you seea monster buck at close rangethatonly a bow hunterunderstandsthat keeps me going to the woodseach week, it's an addiction worse than any drug could ever be I imagine?I have not shot a buck now in three years which is my longest drought in 25 years of bowhuntingbut it does not bother meas I'll take a couple of doesin late season for winter meat if the rightsituation does not present itself. I truly believe that it's muchharder to harvest adoe than it is a 1.5year old buck.

I still think the rut was/is a week late this year and I'm thinking this weekend might be some pretty good action if the weather cooperates. Enough of the rain, warm weather and wind already, how about a frosty morning with no wind? The kind of morning that you can hear that buck coming from a 150 yards away.

Bill Winke in Iowalets 150-160 bucks walk all the time, he even wrote about pasing on a 170" buckseveralyears back that he knew was only a 3.5 year old. Theyended up shooting that same buck at 4.5 years old and it grossed 230" just one year later.When a guy can lay off a 170" buck, I take my hat off to him, I certainly couldn't.Mr. Winke argulably has one of the best hunting spots in the worldon the sweet setup theycall "the Ranch" which Ibelieveis about 4,000 stricktly managed acres in one magnificentchunk. I visited the ranch about 5 years ago, if I could hunt free range whitetails anywhere in the world, that would be the place.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I let several deer walk. In my opinion you made a very mature and educated decision. I would hold my head high. Your decision was the difference between and awesome encounter or a season kicking yourself for wounding a great animal.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I did kill a BB, but since then I let a 1.5yo 8 point walk and a couple of spikes. I'm looking for any doe and a respectable buck, at least 2.5yo in the 1-teens or better.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Probably let 12-15 135-150 bucks walk so far, just passed up this guy at 16 yds the other day but I know there are better ones out there. Rut is poppin right now!

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I let this guy go last Sunday, and he is the one that I am after this year. I had him at 20 yards broadside just before dark. He was walking, and I couldnt geet him to stop, so I didnt have a shot.[:@]

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

About 15-20 Does/fawns.
6 pointer, 4 pointer & a 2 1/2 year old8 pointer.
However another 6 pointer wasn't so lucky on 9/18/08.
Just waiting for a buck over 100" or so, personal goal, as I have killed many basket racks and want abigger wall hanger!
A few more weeks and the 8 pointer may get it if he gives me another chance??!!;)Patience grasshopper!

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Not having a shot and "passing" are two different things IMO. Passing means you could have killed the deer, but decided not to. Anything other than that, is not "passing." I've never passed a deer I wanted to shoot. I've had plenty of times where I didn't get the shot, but no deer I've wanted to kill has gotten a "pass."

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Absolutely, I consider a pass, one that was in a perfect position to get stung and didn't.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

HAHAHAHA. Sorry, I just cant help but laugh.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Agreed. Someone mentioned "passing" on a 55-65yd shot the other day, here. I said where I'm from.....that's called a "sighting".

I've "passed" on every 1.5 yr old buck....and at least one 2.5 yr old. No deer I've passed on would break 75". There's also a couple 2.5's I wouldn't pass on that I've seen this year.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Well fine then, I have passed on abunch of small does, and a bunch of smaller bucks, none of the bucks would go over 70", is that better?

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

passed on 8 small bucks and two does...the rest got the shaft .....so far. 3 does and one buck have tasted a Rage head.

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I was at full draw on this 8pt at 10yrds. There was a small bush between us, and I was waiting for him to step forward of it but he never did. The bush was right beside him which I probably could have shot right through and still hit him, but it wasn't thegood shot I wanted. I keepwondering if I made a mistake every day that goes by because I'm seeing NOTHING lately.
Since Nov 1st I've hunted 79 hours and have seen exactly 4 deer. I don't think it can get much worse. We'll see if this "rutting moon" has anything to it. I'll be hunting all day again tomorrow and Sat. I just hope it doesn't rain too hard on Sat![:@][:'(]

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Good luck on that one EI. He's a shooter, here (in my woods).

I hope you get him (if you really want him).;)

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

Jeff, all I can say at this point in time is, if he were to give me that same exactshot, I'd take it!;)Lord, please let there be some fact behind this moon thing, I need all the help I can get right now!:)

RE: What have you let walk and why?
 

I must say, some of you have much more will power then me. Any of the bucks pictured to this point in this thread, I would have flung an arrow at in a heart beat.

But of course I do have to set some sort of limit for myself. I was at full draw, standing on the ground, 7 yards from this guy, but I gave him the free pass.


I guess the only reason I even drew on him is because I have yet to harvest a deer with a compound bow. Even if I dont get one this year, I will have NO regrets in my decision to go from crossbow to compound.

Another one I have passed on is not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I had a brute (for this area) of a 10 point 20 yards to my left. I drew but he only offered a quartering to shot, which I didnt like or feel confident in.