is it really worth it ?
 

i have 70 acres of good land in NY it is real thick and swampy. do you think it is worth passing on the smaller bucks to let them grow...everyone around here shoots any buck they see. the last 2 years we have passed on every small buck we saw. but you know once they leave our little 70 acre peice they are going to get shot. what do you guys think ?

Yes they leave your property BUT they will also know that there is safety on your property when hunting pressure on the neighboring tracks push them into the "safe" area. Besides even when/if the neighbors do kill many of the young bucks you pass on.... I promise you that if YOU kill an immature buck then his life is OVER and he will get no bigger for you to ever be able to hunt again.

However, if you are just lookin' for an excuse to kill young bucks then do it.... you don't need our permission!

That being said, we own a few properites of similar size and NO ONE better EVER remove a small buck off these properties unless it's their first buck or they are a Youth hunter. I simply don't believe that any able-bodied adult that has resonable hunting experience needs to remove the most easily killed and naive deer in the entire herd.... a yearling buck. If it's a "meat" deer they need then shoot a Doe !!!

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couldn't have said it better myself. but i will add something, on the deer camp we hunt a couple times a year, its about 300 acres, yes alot more than you but we enforce a 125" minimum unless it is a first deer. there is a fine if it is under 125, starting at 100$ with 10$ per inch under 125. we use all of this money to buy stands, blinds, cameras, make foodplots, fix the cabin etc. hope this helps.

Storm

thanks guys. and no its not an excuse to shoot the young bucks i want nice bucks on my wall i have plenty of little ones. i wish they would make a law in NY where the bucks have to have at least 8 points or 4 on one side. just something to let these little bucks grow !

If it is a legal deer on your property and you want to shoot it, then go ahead.

I like to shoot bucks as much as the next guy, but I also want to get a nice racked buck. Shooting a smaller buck burns my buck tag, and then it's does only for the rest of the season. Hunting is more fun for me knowing that I still have my buck tag and the next deer I see could be a big buck. Late in the season I can be tempted by a smaller buck, but I generally do let them walk.

They are all smart. Most people dont relize deer are smart and alot of hunters are not. so even tho u have 70 acres,they are probly staying on it like they do my 68 acre property.

We have strict rules on our property 650 acres total 1-buck per year per person 16" wide minimum 4 pt's on at least on side 100.00 dollar fine if under this and done for buck for year. If you pass on the younger deer they will learn very quickly to stay very close to your property you will lose some to the neighbors but you will start to see a little better quality of deer.

People often accuse us as hunters of having the advantage over the Deer with all our high tech,scientific gear and knowledge. Maybe we do but I think when a person uses a bow and lets the small Bucks walk so they become mature,wise and produce offspring of good stock for future hunters we give a little of our advantage away. Mature Bucks and Does make hunting a challenge therefore I say let em walk and breed unless the meat is a major part of how you provide for your familys food.

thanks guys thats helps alot. and there is quite a few nice bucks on our land....we have owned it for 3 years and got 2 big six pointers off it last bow season ( same night i shot mine about 1 minute after my dad shot his. thats was great day ) and seen alot of other nice ones just didnt have the right shots. dont have nothing big on the trail cam yet but that dont mean the big one isnt there :)