interesting philosophy
 

I was at the local butchers the other day and there were, as usual, several folks with deer. I myself was dropping off a doe. there was this real pretty little eight there. honestly, I think it was a yearling, but had a great little, and I mean little, rack. no more than say 8" inside. maybe 90# dressed. my doe dwarfed this thing.

there is a sign at the place that says 'we don't save horns'. so, the girl checking the deer in says to the guy 'do you want the horns'. the guy says 'no, they aren't big enough'.

now I tell you this is not the first time I have heard this. I have passed buck after buck in all three seasons here, and I just do not understand this type of thinking. I KNOW there are a ton of does around here because I have shot 9. so, why not shoot a doe instead? anyone else out there run into this?? I just shake my head every time I think about it.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Before PA went to antler restrictions, I would see this all the time. A lot of people just don't save the horns and might not have a doe tag.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

wow if that was a yearling imagine him next year or the year after.... i saw news article earlier this year about deer and it was saying a couple years ago that 12 and 14 point yearling bucks were brought into the DNR for check in....

RE: interesting philosophy
 

the thing that bugs me the most is that our tags in va come with a minimum of 4 antlerless tags, and you can use your antlered tags for does. you can buy 2 antlerless tags for $12.50. and, you can buy an unlimited amount of tags too.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Here in PA we have lived with an attitude of "any buck isjust better than a doe" for decades. Cant even count how many times I saw guys proudly declare "only got a spike, but at least I didnt have to settle for a doe". Thank god our antler restrictions seem to be gradually erasing that moronic mindset.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I must have posted this a hundred times but I can't get over you guys that get unlimited tags!
I get one tag when I buy my lisence, and theres a lottery to see if it will be antlerless (any deer) or antlered only, antlerless are like gold up here.
I haven't hunted my favorite spot since I used my tag in October, there are a few areas that I can buy archery only tags for, but I have to drive a ways andam lucky to know a land owner in the area.
As for letting them walk its pretty uncommon up here, not enough deer in the woods to be really choosy.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

and everyone cries about the fact that there aren't alot of big bucks around. hmmm, wonder why. I declared war on the doe population this year because it is truely unruly. I have been practicing my own qdm for the past two seasons and this year it paid off. I did see the biggest buck I have seen in va. let five others go, and all the button bucks too. kid up the street shot two bucks I was hoping were going to make it through, and that got me, but hey, it's a deer and I have to understand that. he was happy, and no longer hunts there, so, next year is the beginning of a whole new qdm year...gotta love starting over. one other thing that gets me about folks like the one I mentioned...these big does are the ones that bust 90% of us. shoot them! they are the hardest to kill. a doe with two, and three seasons behind her is very hard to kill. I finally shot a doe this year that was at least 4.5 yo. missed her two years ago. smart girl. they are the ones that educate all the other deer.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

A little off the topic but hey...hoyt3, how do you know the doe you shot this year is the same one you missed 2 years ago? Just curious.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I would rather shoot a young buck or doe than a big rack. But, like others have noted, people have been ingrained with the attitude that a doe is sometimes worse than nothing. So,as the season progresses, a spike may be looking pretty good for many folks. My philosophy is that if a young buck survives a few seasons, then there will be a big rack. If he doesn't, he doesn't.Think of it as wildlife management that weeds out the stupid bucks.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

long story short, I was stillhunting in to my stand and shot at this doe and the bullet was deflected. caught another doe in the vitals, killed her. I couldn't figure out how I had multiple blood trails with one dead deer. well, I trailed her until I jumped her and lo and behold, her tail had a limp spot, about the last two inches or so. this year, opening monday, I get a shot at this doe that had me picked off. I get down and it is a BIG doe. wide, flat forehead and just big. I look at her tail and think, 'that is a short tail, but there is no way that is her'. well, it was. her tail was cropped, and as far as I can tell, the same deer, only 40 yds from where I knicked her two seasons ago. she was at least 2.5 y.o. then. if you want, take a look at her. she is posted on team 11's post in the gun forum, big girl. very proud of that one.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I see. Pretty cool story, congrats on your deer!

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Not everyone is a as blessed as you in seeing deer. I've hunted the local WMA in Florida over 15 times this year. I walk 1 mile off the main trail.I've seen zero deer. I've seen 2 driving in with my truck but none from my stand. I do hear hogs nearly everytime and saw one hog in archery. Yeah..I would of shot the little buck too.
Chuck7

RE: interesting philosophy
 

people just aren't educated in deer management. it starts with educating hunters. it should be part of hunter ED.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

To me if they were big enaugh to shoot,
Then they should be big enaugh to save.

That statement ( ' they aren't big enough ' )
Belittles that Buck to the point that
The person shouldn't even be allowed to even go back in the woods.

I would have saved them even if they were a spike
two inchs tall.

People have lost there respect all living things.
To degrade a buck like that is so pitifull.

JMHO

RE: interesting philosophy
 

This is an easy one. Cause some people could care less about horns. They love the kill. One of my best buddies is like this. He doesn't even eat the deer but I get the backstraps and loins so I ain't complaining. He just loves the kill over the challenge of getting a big buck.

We just need to understand we are all out there for different reasons. And another guys is not my business. As long as he doesn't affect me.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I've saved all my antlers. I've shot a pair of spikes, and deer I would've passed now that I didn't in my younger days. I agree, if they aren't big enough to keep, the deer isn't big enough to shoot. and the thing that further chaps my a$$ is the fact these same folks will say that they passed so many does before this one came by. the conservation club I belong to has a very old mentality when it comes to does. you can shoot them in archery and muzzleloader, but not in rifle. talked to a younger member over there and we both agreed that it is the senior crew there that has it firmed in their heads that shooting does just 'ain't right'.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I guess I am confused. Why would it do anything to your butt? Its not your deer? Or your clubs?

You got to respect the philosophy of other peoples too don't ya?

RE: interesting philosophy
 

hoyt3,
you're better off to shoot the little does rather than the big ones. old does sometimes produce 3 fawns and they have alot better chance with their fawns surviving than young does. i don't shoot the big does if i need meat i shoot the younger ones.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I gotta agree with you on this......if the horns dont mean anything and shooting a doe is legal, shoot the doe. I know in Texas there have been like 30 counties the last few years and 30 more next year that will be under the new antler restrictions just for this reason. It will allow you to shoot a spike and a "good" buck in what is now a 1 buck only county.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

He gave the horns away because there is no law requiring him to keep them:eek::eek:

There is no law that states you gotta mount every buck you shoot.

There is no law that states you have to worship and "respect" every dink you kill.

BUT there should be a law for those that SLAM others because they hunt for different reasons or have different values about what it is to hunt!!

The arrow or bullet through the lungs - the gutting in the field - the dragging it out with a rope to the head - the strapping to the car - the picture taking - the buthering and all else that is done is belittling enough:eek::eek:

Don't you think????????????

throwing away the horns doesn't make or break the "Respect"

I doupt the Darn deer cares at that point[>:]

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Now thats funny. But true.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

While I agree everyone it entitled to thier philosophies, it IS very hard to understand why someone would shoot something that doesn't make them happy. If that or any little buck made a persons season, great. But if the only reason they shot that buck is because it wasn't a doe, then that is tough to follow and understand. Makes it evenworse if there are plenty of does/doe tags available.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I gotta confess here. During WV rifle season i hunt for 2 things. Something with 3 or more to a side or a LARGE doe. Everything else gets a free pass. We have killed so many does int he past 10 years where I hunt that seeing one with 3 to a side happens pretty often now. You want bigger bucks? Kill more does! With that being said though..thats only my choice..if someone wants to hunt spikes, small does or buttons..they bought a license and have every right to blast away....just not on my land :D

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Yeah, if you dont want the antlers, shoot a doe and let him grow up.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

We are not making laws here, just conversation and opinions.......
I have shot plenty of small bucks in my time becuse the law says i can't shoot a doe in some counties......im cool with that.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

.. now thats funny right there.
There is a sign that actually calls them horns? The thread here called "What do you call it" is talking about people that get all bent out of shape when someone calls them horns on a whitetail.. and there in VA there is an actual sign.. sweet.. Anyone ever complain?

RE: interesting philosophy
 

yes, the sign says that, it should say 'antlers'. I am sure that most people responding to this post will agree that anyone that buys a license is entitled to shoot whatever is legal. I'm not debating that. But it appears to me that if someone doesn't want to keep the (more than likely now) reason they shot the animal (antlers) what is the point? yes, maybe it was the only deer they saw. I know that the bucks I passed this year would not 'satisfy' me, meaning that they were not what I was looking for. that is the reason behind my doe kills. I prefer to kill the big does first becaue in my area the buck to doe ratio, not to mention the overall population of deer is way out of whack. I've killed two little does not knowing. they will make some tasty eating I am sure. I wouldn't of pulled the trigger had I known they were young, but they will be good on the table.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Jrbsr and Rybo have responded in exactly the same way that I would! I don't debate the legality of why.I question why you would shoot something if you aren't happy with it! I just deleted about half a page because I don't want to have a QDM debate.Suffice to say if an animal doesn't make you happy don't kill it and if you do show it some respect,maybe some young person would be delighted with having the antlers.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Maybe the guy just hunts for food, be it buck, doe, yearling, 8 yr old, spike, 23 pointer...

RE: interesting philosophy
 

Or maybe he was like me this year. I killed a 7pt first day of bow and needed two more doe to kill another buck. I couldn't buy a doe. I say spikes, 4pointers, a 5 point. Finally got a small doe. But still didn't get my other doe to go back to rack hunting.

RE: interesting philosophy
 

I've given plenty of antlers away..I hunt open public land where no does are allowed..two bucks per day if you can get them. If I kill a trophy size buck I appreciate it more since it's been shot at all it's life and is wild as can get. Would have had another trophy..the one that made this rub..but my gun didn't go off when I pulled the trigger on him broadside at 5 steps.
Just a little florida buck..and they do survive to trophy status even when given no free passes.