Strictly depends on the area you' re hunting I agree. I put a doe in the freezer for meat then the hunt is on for mossy horns. All the small bucks that go by, I just envision them in about 3 to 4 years.

Choosing a trophy is up to the shooter. I have taken my share of smaller racked deer. Now by my choice I wait for wallhangers. That does not mean I think less of others who take smaller bucks. It' s just a progression most of us go through. Small bucks, better bucks, and wallhangers. I' ve past up smaller deer and been rewarded with bigger ones but I' ve also passed up deer I' ve later regretted, not having taken. But that' s Hunting.
As long as the deer is a trophy in your eyes thats all that counts and Dad and Uncles should allow you to progress through the stages as they did.

I also am not a big fan of venison so it' s not like I need the meat. I give 75% of my deer away to others anyway.

No offense Badatta2d but what the hell are you even doing in the woods? You don' t even like venison? In my opinion you have no right killing a deer if you don' t plan to utilize the meat. I don' t care if you give it away to someone who will, it shows that you are just out there to get a rush from killing...That' s it. It' s people like you that make me sick.

Now to the original post...Why shoot a little buck when you can shoot a doe? I think at your age you should learn to be more selective. I' ve set my buck standard at 3 or more on one side. I' ve only taken two bucks in my short hunting tenure, a 6 and an 8. I' ve seen several spikes an forks but if I wouldn' t have passed on them I would never have had a chance at the larger ones. If you' re looking for meat just shoot a doe. By bringing the buck to do ratio closer to 1:1 then you are doing more for the strength of the deer heard than you know. By the way, I' m only 20.

Unless you' re BA2d, shoot the doe for meat, then hunt for the big one. You would be doing the herd a favor as pointed out, and yourself a favor by bagging a whitetail with a bow. Don' t worry about your standards on " the big one" though. It' s different with everyone and depends on the area. I' m in a slump - haven' t got a deer in 2.5 seasons. I' m taking the doe, or the small six if presented the opportunity. It' s your own beliefs I guess. I make a lot of sausage and jerky and love the rest of it too, (that is, when I have venison). So strictly trophy hunting would be all fine and dandy, but then you may wind up like me and not have anything in the freezer.

I go for mature bucsk or does.

GVDOC,
I personally don' t care what makes you sick! I am a hunter, the game I kill get' s utilized and not wasted. I have given deer to landowners and friends who don' t hunt. I have donated deer to feed the hungry. Not that I feel I have to justify any of my actions to you!
I don' t hunt for meat. I didn' t say I don' t eat it but it certainly isn' t my favorite. If the fact that I still hunt offends you..ummmmm so what!

Yo Bad, you may want to start a post on this - it is an interesting topic. Personally, I like venison a lot so I' ve always been more of a meat hunter than anything else. If you choose to kill a deer and not eat it, ah, ok, so what... Nothing wrong with that in my book as long as you' re not just caping it and pitching the rest in the ditch. How many people go to Africa to kill game and donate the meat to villages. Nothing wrong with that. How many people donate meat all over the country to help people out. Nothing wrong with that. I know a guy that killed 10 deer last year utilizing unlimited doe permits and many different locations. He shot it for people he knew that wanted venison that either didn' t get their deer, or didn' t hunt but wanted meat, or donated it to a sportmans group for the hungry we have here in MI. Nothing wrong with that either. Hunting trophy whitetail is extremely difficult at best. And so you donate the meat to a charity, or the landowner, or to your Uncle Joe' s boss' s daughter' s husband who' s on disability with 18 kids. Big deal.

When I hunt I am out for the meat and the horns both. Usually I will shoot my does 3 and one buck any size 4 points or better on the first weekend hunt. After that I hunt for horns only for that big boy. If by the last weekend no big horns have presented itself I will harvest another smaller buck.

GVDocholiday,
It seems that you are a little contradicting in your post. I' m sorry but I have to stick up for badatta2d. You' re prerequisite for a hunter is he must enjoy venison?? If that' s the case then why do you have standards for the bucks you shoot?? It' s venison isn' t it? What drives you to pass on a spike or a small 4? The trophy??
Personally I like venison, but my reward is much greater by taking a big buck. It' s about the sport. The scouting, the stand placement, the persistence, etc.....
You said you pass on spikes and forks.................isn' t that venison?? why would you pass on them?? Waiting for something bigger?? A ummmmmm Trophy?
Because my reasons or other peoples aren' t just for the meat, doesn' t diminish our capacity as hunters. In fact, it improves it. I love the animal I hunt. I have the utmost respect for the animal I hunt. If I' m frying the meat of a nice buck in a pan doesn' t concern me as much as my accomplishment as a hunter. Knowing I hunted the animal I was after (hence: hunting).
I dont' care who agrees with me or not. I know deep down inside, the true hunters have a pure passion for HUNTING!! Meat??? don' t get me wrong, it' s great and I really do love venison, but why are you really out there? why not go to the supermarket?? It' s the sport and the game and don' t kid yourself.

T-23, I think until you have as much time and money invested as your father, you should show him a little respect. Evansville area is in the herd reduction zone. Let them go, so they can grow, while you still can. You might not be able to soon. An old long nosed doe is a tougher target than those little shi+ bucks anyways.