Button Bucks?
#31
I got so excited this archery season when what I thought was a big doe walking into bow range but it was a button buck. I decided to let him walk by. Not filling my doe tag in archery, I went with my rifle and shot what I thought was for sure a doe. Nope, a button buck. Oh well, when he was in my scope 100 yards aways I couldnt see buttons. It happens though.
#33
shot one this year, kinda by accident, kinda on purpose. took the biggest one of three that were out. didnt want to shoot it, but i had my 6 year old son with me and he was begging me to please shoot. so we took it. it was his first deer kill, so to me it was worth it. he didnt stop smiling about for a week. under diffrent circumstances i wouldnt have shot it. and dont plan on shooting one again, but accidents do happen. but to make my sons day/week with a BB was well worth it to me this year.
#34
I hunt with a deer management organization that culls sub-urban deer. I shoot them all, bucks, does, spikes, buttons and fawns, all year round, winter, spring, summer and fall. We donate many, many deer to Hunters for the Hungry.
#35
I don't shoot them. I do everything in my power to distinguish between buttons and does. If I'm not sure, I don't shoot. I'm fortunate enough to not have to worry about an earn-a-buck situation where I NEED a deer to get that buck tag. I think part of my not shooting is growing up in the U.P. where shooting does was not even an option, so I never even thought about shooting a doe, let alone a bb, until I moved to IL. Now that I target does in the early and late season, I just make absolutely certain that they are female.
#36
I don't shoot them. I do everything in my power to distinguish between buttons and does. If I'm not sure, I don't shoot. I'm fortunate enough to not have to worry about an earn-a-buck situation where I NEED a deer to get that buck tag. I think part of my not shooting is growing up in the U.P. where shooting does was not even an option, so I never even thought about shooting a doe, let alone a bb, until I moved to IL. Now that I target does in the early and late season, I just make absolutely certain that they are female.
I just envisioned you with a BB thrown over your shoulder and bow in the other hand walking out. You'd have to kill 2 to even break a sweat
I am the same as you. Things I look for to identify a BB are naturally size, then the snout always seems shorter compared to an adult doe, the coat many times has an almost fuzzy look, and last but not least the little nubs.
If a person has No desire or doesn't want to kill a BB it just takes patience to positively ID the target deer. Of course if you don't care then there is No problem. You just Lock-N-Load
Dan
#37
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 564
It's kinda easy in my area, too. It's not come to me shooting one I didn't intend to. Like I said....I've shot one (piebald). I didn't determine OR care about his sex, when I put a bead on him. It was a deer I intended to take, regardless.
It's only taken me a short time to learn to look first and shoot, second. 101 stuff.
It's only taken me a short time to learn to look first and shoot, second. 101 stuff.
My first deer was a BB at age 11 (with ML). I go out of my way not to shoot BBs. Like a few have said, in my area (whatever that means) I have no problems IDing a BB. Most times I am able to do the ID on a calm deer at 50+ yards without field glasses. Just gotta look for the silly looking toupe BBs have.
Been hunting 25+ years.
#38
Mike, Just had a Funny thought. Since I have met you at the IL Deer & Turkey Classic and know how Big you are.
I just envisioned you with a BB thrown over your shoulder and bow in the other hand walking out. You'd have to kill 2 to even break a sweat
I am the same as you. Things I look for to identify a BB are naturally size, then the snout always seems shorter compared to an adult doe, the coat many times has an almost fuzzy look, and last but not least the little nubs.
If a person has No desire or doesn't want to kill a BB it just takes patience to positively ID the target deer. Of course if you don't care then there is No problem. You just Lock-N-Load
Dan
I just envisioned you with a BB thrown over your shoulder and bow in the other hand walking out. You'd have to kill 2 to even break a sweat
I am the same as you. Things I look for to identify a BB are naturally size, then the snout always seems shorter compared to an adult doe, the coat many times has an almost fuzzy look, and last but not least the little nubs.
If a person has No desire or doesn't want to kill a BB it just takes patience to positively ID the target deer. Of course if you don't care then there is No problem. You just Lock-N-Load
Dan
Ha! The doe I shot with the shotgun nearly fit that criteria...
This bow season, I killed two does in the same sit, both mature, not 15 minutes apart. That was a mistake. I was by myself, and my god, the work to get them to the truck! If there is going to be a 2-deer shoot in my future, they will be suit-case sized!
#40
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Memphis TN USA
Posts: 3,445
Nah, I am finishing up my 23rd bow season and no I won't shoot a BB. I pretty much wont shoot a buck anymore unless he's a mounter. Which for me means he will gross 125". Otherwise, I will just shoot does. Some places I hunt my standards are stricter but I rarely go below that.
Yea, that's fun at first but starts to suck in a hurry! Especially, when you are by yourself. I shot a doe in the first week of Dec. several years back and I was hunting the river bottoms. so, I had walked a long ways in to hunt a spot that morning and hunted til noon. I wasn't seeing much so I put my stand on my back and walked til I found a spot that satisfied me and climbed a tree and hunted the rest of the afternoon. A big doe came by alone, so I shot her. A couple of minutes later a dandy 8 pt came walking by so I shot him too. I turned on my GPS and hit "go to" and I was alone and 2.2 miles from the truck......
LOL! I hear that Tim! Ive doubled a couple of times and tripled once. Definitely not worth it to me.
That is nothing but Work!! I'm in it for Fun
Dan
That is nothing but Work!! I'm in it for Fun
Dan
Last edited by silentassassin; 01-13-2010 at 08:24 AM.