model722

We still have that problem up here, that is why are ratio' s(buck too doe) are so screwed up. I' ld rather see someone take a mature doe then a baby buck why not give the animal a chance to grow, and maybe even have off spring of its own? Some people and laws are wierd, and really make a person wonder why things are like they are. You did nothing wrong, you hunted legal and have nothing to be ashamed of. Morally I believe you might have been more correct, like someone said those dead bucks won' t get any bigger.

Rack-attack

Those little bucks are the dummest deer in the woods.

Don' t let em bother you - a dinker is always a dinker

DaveH

Man, I' m with you on this. I will shoot a nice doe over a dink buck EVERY TIME. Last year, I ended the season with all does because the only bucks that offered me shots were dinks. Inform these other hunters that they' re killing all the " seed" bucks for future years and that if they continue to do so, they won' t have big bucks around to shoot in the future. I will continue to pass on the small bucks, saving my buck tags for the big, mature hawgs, but I know that the guy over the hill will probably kill the buck I just passed on.

adams

I do belive you' re correct in your thinking Jorgy. I would shoot a doe anyday befor I' d shoot a small buck. When I was younger I shot a couple of small bucks. Now that the ice is broken it' s time to be picky. In Maine it' s bucks only unless you' re drawn for a doe permit which leads to the shooting of a lot of small bucks. I wish they would open it up on does and let the bucks grow to trophy size. It sucks to know you let a six or small eight walk just for someone else to shoot it a week later. I guess that is the diffrence between SPORTSMAN or not.

SnoBall57

For years in my hunting area you had a hard time getting a doe tag because of all of the close-minded senior hunters forcing the game commission to hold down the antlerless allocation because the " she deer were the ones that kept the herd numbers stable." Now here in north central PA the deer numbers have climbed substantially since the GC started giving out lots more doe tags!
For years, if you wanted to put ANY venison in the freezer you HAD to shoot a small scrub buck ' cause that' s the only kind of buck there was and doe tags were precious as hens teeth.
I haven' t killed a buck in a couple years, but I normally fill the freezer with an antlerless license or two! My buck tags are reserved for wall hangers only!

tbonecpa

There are those who understand and appreciate herd management and those that don' t. All we can do is educate those who want to know more about increasing the quality of the herd and therefore, their hunting. " Tag soup" tastes better to me than " I wish he was bigger chili" . I also beg someone to argue that taking a mature doe, especially when she is around other deer, isn' t more of a challenge than taking a rut crazed young buck.

skeeter 7MM

Let it run off your back, taking a mature doe is more of an accomplishment than taking young uneducated buck any day. Not to mention it is good solid heard management, trophy management and tastes better on the table to boot. Horns laying in the shed or garage are just that no need in killing a potentially good sized buck just to say and puff your chest at taking a buck. He wether your a meat hunter or trophy hunter is really besides the point, any hunter who practices DM is to be commended and realize the impact and effect our decisions to have on game.

You did good, they are the ones who should be feeling bad and disappointed in their zest to fill atag with a immature animal which offers no challenge or benefit to the herd for future hunts and generations to come[:@]