Good choice, Cardeer! You did the right thing. Being a good and ethical hunter, requires choices and takes discipline! It is an easy choice when others are around, but its what we do when no one is there to see what we do that makes us who we are. That is what determines what type of moral and ethical caracters that we are!
I have hunted for years and have NEVER been checked by a warden, (fishing, I get checked a lots!) I could have taken a trophy buck a few years back, last day of the season too! But I did not have a tag for him. I thought about it, and figured I did not want to see an illegal deer on my wall, or even in my mind for the rest of my life! Did that make me a great person or hunter? No! I simply did the right thing!
You did the right thing! Now, since he ws not disturbed, you still may have a chance to get him with a bow. Or maybe in gun season, if you have that option! Whether you get a chance at him or not, you can rest with clear conscience!
Good luck! Remember, good things come to those who wait!

There is no way you would have enjoyed that buck if you had shot it. However, you got a great deal of enjoyment just by seeing it! I know I would have.

Power to the angels. Way to go Cardeer!

Oh the devil he is sneaky, I would have made the same choice and had the same devil on my shoulder. You got something now you' ll never forget.

congratulations, that is almost as good as taking him. you will NEVER foget his rack. ever. you will remember every curve and tine on his head. i LOVE getting close to trophy deer. my house is surrounded by about 300 acres of park land and it holds some big deer. you cannot hunt it, but i can get close to the deer and then try to find their sheds in the spring. congrats cardeer!!!!

Cardeer, I' ve been a member of this board for over a year now and having read many of your posts, your decision is of no surprise. You seem to be an honorable gentleman and a stand-up kind of guy. Looks like you have a couple of new acres to bow hunt in. Go back and stick him.

i had a few times like that already and im only 16....last year first day of rifle...3 hours before light...driving to our spot..on a old dirt road we seen a MONSTER buck....everytime we counted points we got more...defiently over 10....and spread was massive...and the mass...man was it a massive deer...we could easily shot it and actled like we trailed it across the road onto the posted land at daylight.....or dropped it there hurried up yanked it into the truck and left.....but we didnt....we talked about it the whole way to the spot......its a waste...i couldnt look at a deer i didnt take fair and square and have good memories and brag about it......i rather brag about the basket rack 6er i shot last year.....and one day i was hunting during the junior doe season....only deer i seen was a rather nice 8pt......very tall rack...good mass....noone would ever known the truth about either of them deer but me and dad....but thats no way to hunt....and i couldnt look at them on my wall or brag about them like i killed them........i dont know how anyone can do that......its kinda sick.....ill stick with my fair and square killed deer....even if they are small...i can brag and have a great TRUE story and look at them and smile and remember the day......

Golly Gee Beav' , do ya really think you oughta gone ahead and shot that buck?

Of course not! Ethical hunting is the key to hunting preservation.

Come on shaman,
You know Murphy' s Law dictates that the opposite will always happen. Had you had your bow you wouldn' t have had one close enough. And conversely having your muzzleloader during the early antlerless season means that you would only have a chance at a buck. We all know if a hunter does one thing the deer does the opposite of what you expect. Now take your bow back out and have a go at him.