Man, you guys have steered this thread in an opposite direction than what it was intended!

I believe the OP even stated in his first post that he understood and was totally fine with folks with LITTLE to NO hunting experience shooting yearling bucks! Everyone has to start somewhere.... we all know that!

We just remain totally confused as to why you guys that blow about being "good" hunters,with years of experience, would still shoot a young immature buck that in NO WAY could possibly provide you with a challenge??? Isn't it human nature to raise the bar? Isn't part of the attraction of hunting..... the CHALLENGE ???

I mean seriously, how difficult would it be for any able body adult, with even a few years of hunting experience, to shoot small yearling basket racked bucks? Most importantly, WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO???

I have 3 young kids that also love to deer hunt. This season my 9 and 10 year old sons both killed YEARLING bucks, a spike and a 4 pointer. It was an awesome hunt, they were proud of their bucks and so was I !!! Now, they both seem content to raise the bar and try to shoot bigger bucks or be happy to fill their Doe tags. On another note, I also have a 14 year old Daughter, she has been fortunate enough to take several deer at this point in her hunting career and she even asks me from time to time what some "old guys" are thinking when they shoot lil' bucks every year? She generally asks, "Are they afraid they won't be able to brag about shooting a "buck" so they have to shoot the first thing they see?" "Don't they want to see a better deer herd?" "Dont they want to save some deer for next year?"

What do you say for such disregard to any quality management??? Man, even the kids gotta wonder about some of ya? LOL!

Yes some people took this thread the wrong way. But i'm over it. I love hearing these kind of stories. The variety in them all is awesome! No matter how many deer you kill no two hunts are the same. To any one that hasn't posted yet, lets hear your stories!

First.looks like are congrats are in order for the 08 season and secondly,my son was the perfect example why some shoot small bucks.

Hey TFOX those videos are toooooooooo coooool man.... my six year son is so jealous!!! Awesome awesome job!!!! I had seen the original pics several weeks back but just now got a chance to see the videos..... great job to the both of you

IL-Cornfed - You are the one taking this post in the opposite direction of the OP. This is supposed to be about your first deer, not for arrogant posters to come on here insulting others' hunting styles!

You can tell your daughter that people shoot legal deer because they don't feel the need to brag about anything. They don't need a big buck to feel successful in a hunt. Just being out in the wilderness is fun enough, and contrary to your opinion, ALL DEER are a challenge to hunt!

Some people hunt public land where QDM isn't really a possibility considering there are hundreds of other hunters killing the deer they pass up.

TFOX,
Great videos man that is really cool that you have those videos forever now. I like how some people have to keep posting thier thoughts when thats not what this thread is about. It makes me chuckle because I don't care what people do or don't kill! LOL

My first buck was the first 10 minutes of my hunting life. I wandered to a stand that I aimlessly put up. Sat down, nocked an an arrow and a 120" 3.5 year old 8 pointer came right into me. 20 yards quartering away double lung done deal . 100% complete luck. I really had no clue what I was doing. Since then I've come to realize it isn't that easy .

NY BOWHUNTER
No better time to get lucky than your first deer! Well maybe at the bar with a hottie! That beside the point, great buck for your first deer no doubt!

You're a bit off base, cornfed. First, there's something to be said for meat in the freezer. Last year I passed a lot of shots, then decided I needed to fill the freezer, so the next thing that came along took the arrow---a 6 point.

Second, the rack doesn't determine the challenge. Several years ago I had the biggest buck I've ever seen walk within ten yards of my stand. He had so many points I couldn't accurately count them, because he kept turning his head to and fro, but he was about a 16-18. Shooting was out of the question, because I already had a buck, but he was dumb. Looked right at me...moved to the downwind side (still within 10 yards), and when he didn't smell me he never paid me any more mind. He just stood around. One of the dumbest deer I've ever seen.

The biggest thrill and challenge I've ever had was taking a button buck, after stalking him by coming down my tree in my climber, crawling 20+ yards, and shooting him at 15 yards with a hand gun.

You decide what excites you, and I'll decide what excites me.

I began deer hunting with noone to teach me. I became interested in hunting by reading magazines and hearing stories about my uncle who used to hunt mule deer in New Mexico. I finally received a gun around my 18th birthday and began to hunt shortly thereafter. I hunted 3 seasons on public land in Virginia and did not even get a shot at a deer. My junior year in college I met a guy who I am still friends with today. He invited me up to hunt with him on his family's land about 3 hours north of our college. I travelled up with him and hunted opening day in 1995 I believe.

I got situated in an old wooden tree stand his father had built about 30 minutes before sun-up on opening morning in 1995. About 5 minutes after sun-up I see a deer coming toward me! I had not killed a deer since I began hunting 3 years prior. I had rarely even seen a deer. I had probably only seen less than 5 deer in that time period. Then I see antlers! Oh my goodness. It was like a magical beast. I waited til he stopped then I shot.....he was down! I waited a bit then go down to inspect my kill. He was a beautiful 3 point buck! I was so happy I could not stand it. I did not even know how to field dress the buck. My buddy had to show me. And the kicker. I climbed an old pine tree later that day and killed another buck about 1 hour before sunset...a sweet little 5 pointer. So I went home that day with two bucks in the back of my truck. The memory of that day will last forever.