Passing On The Small Bucks = This
 

Two years ago I began to get pictures of a nice little 8 pointer maybe 1 1/2 years old which I posted in a thread then. I have not seen him but once since then and he was growing wider and taller. I checked my trail cam the other day and got a picture of the biggest Buck I have ever gotten on camera and after some comparrison photos of the 8 and him he just might be the little 8 from years ago. I think you will agree he has become a dandy 3 1/2 or 4 year old. I don't think it is wrong by any means to shoot the small guys but I by preference let smaller Bucks walk. Let me know what you think this Buck may score with 7 or 8 weeks to grow yet and how old you think he is. The date settings are wrong they don't function on my camera. See my Thread My Little 8 for a comparrison and let me know what ya think if maybe he has become this big boy.

Hey... he's sticking his tongue out at you.

He's gotta attitude for sure! I'll be the first to admit taking a Buck like this is beyond my skill level or luck it seems thus far in my hunting career. But I might get lucky and get one of these 3 this year. I work hard at it and do all I havelearned to do thus far from some pretty good hunters I hunt with.

That's a good looking buck! Kudos on waiting.

Id' say from the looks of his body that's he's 3 1/2 and no more than 4 1/2. If his tines contiinue to lengthen like they should with quite a few weeks to go I'd say he might hit 160". He sure has some nice brows!

Hey Doetrain,
You're right across the river from where I work. Where is this magical deer place, if you choose to release the info?

Looking forward to the bridge traffic?

Have a good one and nice pics.

What's all this "LIKE" crappola that is suddenly sprouting up all over the posts and taking up twice the space on a thread than is needed? If I wanted to be on Facebook, which I don't, to "LIKE" something or somebody I'd go there, LOL! IMHO it makes a good hunting website look like a little kids playground, LOL!!! I hope all of you "LIKE" this post!

Why so angry?

Very nice deer looks like a real healthy 3 1/2 year old with excellent horn to body weight growth.
Where I hunt the fellow has a 15" spread requirement and if you don't adhere to his policy you're out. Pretty simple.
daddus
but it has given me thrilling moments where I can watch a buck without the pressure of harvest.

I don't mind telling you where thses Bucks are. They are located in the Hoosier National Forest not on private property even though they are filmed on private property but they retreat back into the forest every night.:) Payneville is where Webbs Butcher Block is located right? Good eats there.

Yes it is. Web's is closing his store, but he will be open for deer processing. I don't know the hours yet.

Sorry to hear he is closing the store, but I guess yet another small town operator can't afford to keep his doors open and that's a shame.

Why so angry?

***Hey newbie, you haven't seen angry, LOL! I see they must have had enough complaints already that the "LIKES" are gone!!!:barmy:

Id like to let the little guys walk but, where I hunt everyone on the neighboring properties shoot anything that walks, which forces me to do the same.

I let the small bucks go.

3 1/2 year old

Some will no doubt be taken if I let them walk but the way I figure it some will slip through to maturity. Some younger Bucks need to be taken out if they show no potential to better the herd. If your like me and you mainly hunt for the meat then passing on the Bucks is not that hard to do. I like any hunter can appreciate harvesting a nice mature Buck but I don't consider my season a failure if I don't. And some are of the opinion that Doe's are no challenge to kill but I have found them to be quite a challenge personally. I'll admit I'm not a very skilled Deer hunter a novice if you will, but I hope to get better at it as each season goes buy. Young Bucks are good eating thats for sure,I'm not sure if the older ones get less so as they age because i have never harvested a truely mature Buck, yet.

I agree. I saw that it had been tagged all over the place like some school kid had nothing better to do. Every post had it tagged all over. Looked like some gang tagger on the rail cars or building sides.
On the OP's note, I agree with letting the little ones walk and you done a good job on passing on him. If he shows up again during season, he will look good on the wall. Too many would not have passed him the first time and not got to see him now. That will have some good genetics in the herd now.

Nope TOO SMALL .... I suggest you let him walk ....



... past my stand :)

well its hard to tell what he will grow. but this brows are tipped out so there done but everything else looks like its got alot of growing left. i think he will finish in the 150s

Saw him yesterday while walking in the woods looking for a good stand site, he's grown quite a bit looking real good if he stays in the area. The first time I had been in the woods for months good trails where they have been coming to the mineral site.

Sounds promising doetrain! Unless a hot doe takes him out of the area during the rut for a day or two, he'll probably give you a chance at him if you can get out there enough and not stink up the area doing it!

I don't know if thats possible because my Mom always called me her little stinker.LOL!

He must be a "town" deer. Here in VA they are wild and if ya doant killem when ya seeum in season the farmers will get somebody who will. Going from 1&1/2 to 4&12 years he don't get that much more meat on him, his tail doesn't get that much bigger and his hide doesn't expand enough justify letting him walk. Hide and tail $2 max for buckshot, rifle or ML killt. JMHO, of course here it's 3 bucks a year and unlimited antlerless and that kinda makes you jaded. Excessive amounts of "posted" land and plenty die of bad teeth or yotes and get eaten by the vultures and mice/squirrels. Bout 1/2 the places I hunt, if the farmer knows you let any deer walk, ya don't get to come back, just a fact. Yeah, there are some big ones here but they are wild and wily and know where they are safe. Congrats on growin a nice one and hope ya get a whack at him. 10

***That's funny!!!