all I know is that it is hard to eat the antlers. I personally have only seen one, maybe 2, bucks that I would want to mount (head mount) - didn't get a shot. I will take the first good shot i have at any deer. don't get me wrong, I would love to have wall hangers (I do mount all the racks I have gotten). I think it's great that people can hold out for the big racked bucks, but its not for me - too much public land around to pass smaller ones up.

buckeye - do you at least shoot doe to help with herd management???

As I'm a newbie here and just started, I haven't taken any deer with a bow. But I have with my 25-06 and my black powder rifle (patch & ball). I hunt for meat. Mostly does because of population control. I don't get many opportunities for bucks because I hunt with friends on their property. Buck priviledges go to lease holders, which I am not.

I have been hunting for 5 years now and just got my first buck (Axis) 4 weeks ago. He is being mounted for three reasons:
1) he was my first
2) he is absolutely huge! 2nd largest Axis off the ranch, 29" from base to point, 25" spread.
3) I shot him old-style. .50 cal black powder w/ open sites @ 90 yards. I had only one shot.

The story behind this hunt means more to me than the mount ever will. It holds many great memories. The mount is just the proof. But I may never get another deer mounted. Depends on the circumstance.

If I only shot bucks that were worth mounting I would go hungry. So it's safe to say that I'm NOT a trophy hunter and proud of it.

Yes sir I do. I only will shoot a mature doe as well.

Yes and no. I won't shoot anything unless it's huge until the end of the season. Even then I really don't like messing the animal so I tend to talk myself out of it. I do have a request for a few deer and I need to help out my team so I will be dropping a buck this month sometime. I may stay selective until later in the month.

Devils advocate here...If you won't shoot a small buck early in the season, why take him late season? Did he get a bigger rack during the season? If I deem a buck off limits to me, he is safe for the entire season. Just MHO.

I will shoot a "Genetically Inferior" buck for Land Managment and the Deer Herd management, but will not shoot small basket racks, spikes, or any other small bucks (1 1/2yr-2 1/2yrs) For me to shoot a 3 1/2yr old it would have to be a big buck, otherwise there is no point, normally those deer do not have the mass of a 4 1/2-5 1/2yr old buck. I hunt mature bucks only, and a mature doe in the later part of the season.

i shoot only mature deer no matter when i see it if hes not big enough to have mounted he lives untill he is( in my book) and taking one that is, consistantly is not easy (i guess thats why it's not for everyone). i shoot my limit on does while i hunt for a mature buck and while i don't shoot one evey year when i do finally settle on one you can bet he's going on the wall.




SIZE MATTERS LET'EM GO ANOTHER YEAR
RESPECT THE ANIMAL YOU HUNT
QDM
HOYT USA

I got into it a debate with some guys who would archery hunt and hold out for a big buck, but then turn around in gun season and shoot the 1st legal buck(we have AR here) to come by them. To me that made absolutely NO sense. Some guys just have to get "thier buck" I suppose.

i believe in taking only mature deer, doe or buck. this has not always been the case when i was younger i killed a couple 8's that were not mature animals. the last buck i killed was in 2000. its mounted, an 8 pt that scored around 140; since then i have passed on bucks that size and larger that weren't mature.