A deer hunter's life is a life of choices. He has to learn from hisexperiences in order to make every choice correctly. In his early years of hunting, he may choose to shoot a doe or button or spike deer. Later as he matures, he may choose to let walk several deer and be a little picky of what he shoots. Those early yearchoices are not regretted and are quite satisfying to him. If he has matured in a sportmanship like way, his later choices of letting walk a few until big boy comes calling, are golden! My hunting plan each year is: Early bow season, take a doe for management purposes and for the meat in my freezer. Look for anice buck in bow season. Black powder season, Nothing under a six pointer buck will I shoot. Regular gun season, get the big boy as soon as possible to take the pressure off. Then hunt for another nice buck just because I love to hunt so much. Oh, this sounds like a good plan and easy too. Well, it isn't but boy, wouldn't it be great if it all happened like that every year. It has happened like this for me this year so far, and I thank the Good Lord every night for this year's season. It's been the very best season of my life so far and I've even started going to church just because I promised God I would for the fine deer He's given me. God's deer are the greatest! Happy hunting guys.
BuddyBo

I always feel sorrow for the animal I take. I think it is because I have so much respect for them, however I do know that it is my place as a responsible hunter to try and control the herd for their over all well being. I think if you don't feel any kind of sorrow, your not a hunter, just a killer. It's just a matter of respect.

Ouch........lol.............If it made me feel bad, I wouldn't do it. I don't consider myself a killer.

AMEN TC .... WELL said !

dd

In many places including where I hunt, The deer population is nearing out of control. Every year the Game and Fish adds more annlerless deer tags and extends the season to try to get the herd in check. Every year many of the doe tags go unsold or unfilled. The cost will be the loss of the entire herd if over population and desease take over. As an old country boy, I understand the need for harvesting animals and keeping the population in match with the food supply. I take no joy in killing an animal but its never wasted and I take as many antlerless deer as the law allows as long as I have the freezer space.

like most I don't like poorly placed shots but that is what motivates me to do better. You are probaly just soft hearted and that is not a bad thing to be, I am too. Happy Thanksgiving!

yes

No sadness, except when the doe turns out to be a button.

I don't know much about Texas deer hunting,except what I see on the TV,but here in New York,it's about population control.We have a lot of deer here and our fair share of so called "trophy hunters"Most of us fall into the "meat hunter" classification.I have been hunting deer for 39 years,and I have a garage full of horns.some small,but a good number of "trophy" racks.At least by New York standards.I have found that the immature deer eat a lot better.Iwould rather shoot a young deer for myself,and leave the old tough one's for the trophy hunters.I like steak a lot more than hamburger.As for feeling bad,never happens.I do put my hand on the deer,and give it a silent thank you for it's life.


Charlie

I don't feel bad about harvesting deer, I feel bad when I don't get a lethel shot on them and they sit there and suffer. You don't want to get down out of your tree to put them out because they might get spooked and run, but you also don't want to see them suffer. I had a big doe that I killed that I dropped in her tracks but she didn't die very fast. It was only about 15 or so yards away from my stand so I said screw it and got down and put one threw her neck. After that I got down beside her and prayed and thanked Christ for the chance to harvest such a beautiful and smart animal. I just can't stand to see anything suffer.