Well, I' m 14, and this is my second year bowhunting. I' ve shot one doe with a rifle, but that' s my only deer. Lately, I' ve been trying to get a little local forkhorn. I know there are bigger bucks around, but I' ve only seen them a couple times. Personally, I would consider this buck a great trophy. I' ve spent alot of time in the stand trying to get him. Sure, he doesn' t have a lot of head gear; but, no matter what, he' s one warry buck. I' ve passed up a smaller spike, but there' s no way I would pass up this buck. I know that he would be a bigger buck next year, but only if he survived rifle season (which is very unlikely). My goal for this year is to shoot this buck. If I happen to get lucky and find a bigger one, great. I' m sure some of you older hunters pass up bigger bucks than this all the time. But, when you' re a newbie, it' s hard to do.

-Spike Buck

States have bag limits for a reason. They employ deer biologists to study the deer population and the quality of the deer herd. Some states have restrictions on the size of the deer you hunt. In Arkansas, I believe it' s a 6 point or higher (3 points on one side), in Tennessee the antlers must be 3 inches or longer, in Virginia the antlers only have to be above the hairline.

In Virginia (West of the Blue Ridge) I' m only allowed 3 deer a year. In Tennessee in the particular county I hunt I' m allowed 18 deer a year - yes I said 18, and that' s not with any kind of bonus deer permits (I only take 2 deer a year, FYI)

These biologists make these different requirements based on the deer population in their area. They are managing the deer populations based on their own independent government-funded studies. If the deer are so unhealthy, or in need of better management then I' d think they would be a lot more strict with what size buck you can kill.

I tend to be wary of what I read in magazines because they are really only out to make money, and appealing to the big-buck hunters is probably where the money is at. Not that I trust the government any more than I can throw them. Some states want bigger trophy bucks only to attract more non-resident hunters, so there is some financial incentive for setting restrictions on antler size.

In all the years I' ve been hunting I' ve never seen an unhealthy deer. Deer are smaller in some areas than in others, but I' ve never seen a half-starved deer or a mal-nourished deer. To say that only killing big bucks will make the population healthy is stretching it a bit, IMO.

To bash anyone for the size of deer they kill is unacceptable IMO. If you want to shoot a trophy just so you can go show all your friends, or just to hang on your wall is your own business. If you hunt for the first thing that comes along because you find entertainment in that, then more power to you - that' s what makes this country great. If you hunt to put meat on the table, then I can empathize with you as that' s what I do. Some people hunt all year long and don' t kill anything but still get the thrill of hunting from sitting in their stand and watching the dark, quiet forest come to life as the sun comes up. I personally am a combination of these things.

I like to watch as the woods around me comes alive, and the squirrels get to playing, the deer get to moving, the birds get to chirping, but I also want to feed my family. I let fawns go by, but I usually shoot anything else if it presents itself. If it' s a 1 year old buck I' ll let it go probably. It' s really my decision to make, as long as I keep to the regulations that the Game Commission sets for me.

Just my opinion, take it for what it' s worth.

Thunder

Exactly....

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

By shooting a little buck, and not a doe you are ensuring a future season. A buck is easily replaced, as a doe is not, and can have one or more fawns for next year. I never shoot does, and only shoot a small buck if its the last day of the season.
And as for " trophy only" hunting; its a matter of personal preferance. I myself consider myself a trophy hunter, but will take meat for on the table.
I have heard the " you can' t eat the antlers" phrase quite a bit, but the bigger the antlers --- the more meat there is under them

It' s nice to see large bucks in the woods. But my opinion is... You can' t eat the antlers. You can chew on them a bit, but they' re mighty tough to swallow.

I hunt for the big-uns but come the close of the archery season, I need to put some meat in the freezer and anything that' s legal by PA law is fair game. If a legal buck makes it through gun season in some parts of the state, it' s a miracle. Just my 2 cents. When harvesting any animal loses it' s glory/excitement then it' s time to hang up the bow/gun and find a new hobby/sport. It' s a blessing to put meat in the freezer.

Those who hunt for only ' monster bucks' are fine with me, and maybe i will evolve to that and consistantly shoot 120 + class deer every season. But until I' m that good I will continue to hone my outdoorsman skills.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck out there.
-BJ

well in years past i was a still hunter so i took just about whatever i could sneak in on..... most were does but i did drop a spike one year .... and that was the only deer i bagged that season so he didn' t go to waste and he was quite tasty. I don' t consider myself a trophy hunter just a hunter who enjoys eating his kills whether it be duck,goose,dove,quail or deer.

My goal as a hunter is to put food in the freezer. Usually that means a doe first. In the past I' ve taken my share of smaller bucks with a 4pt being the smallest. With todays laws we' re now limited on antler sizes. Depending on the location it' s got to be 3 or 4 points to a side.

Okay, here' s my two cents. I' ve been hunting since I was about 12. I could hunt well, and I learned from experts, but I will say that the first buck I shot was with a muzzleloader when I was 19 years old- a 115 lb. 7 point. It wasn' t a huge buck, but it was my buck.
Yesterday, I took another deer much like it with a muzzleloader, my second buck at age 21. I never see bucks, and I am dang proud of the buck I got yesterday. It' s nobody' s business whether I let him go or not. The bucks we get on our 40 acres are usually passing by, and you take ' em or you don' t get a buck. I had a buck tag, and wasn' t about to spend another $20 on a doe tag, so I took the first buck I saw. I' m also gonna take another buck like this with my bow or rifle if I get the chance, too. I' m going to eat it, and I' m going to enjoy it, and I' m not going to give it another thought. I' m also not going to assume I did it because I' m uneducated. I did it because I wanted a buck, and I got one.
It' s not an uneducated thing to do. I don' t hunt for my ego. I hunt because I love to, believe it or not, hunt game. My buck I shot yesterday is a trophy to me, and I am glad I took him!

It seems I have a different perspective on hunting than most. If a deer of any gender or size is in line of my sights, it is doomed and destined to be dead meat. Not just by me, but by another hunter or predator. The truly impressive animals will not make the mistakes the younger or inexperienced will make. The ' survivors' will carry on their genes. Also, if the younger of the bunch is killed, the older, more stable will better survive the winter. A doe with 1 fawn will raise a healthier deer than if she had 2 or even 3. I hunt for food. In fact, to shoot a deer simply because of a rack seems to be getting away from our right to harvest. I don' t believe in bragging rights. A large buck is definitely difficult to find and shoot. I prefer to watch them instead. Let him breed his incredible genes. Just my personal 37 cents.

I think people get the wrong impression of people who do not shoot little bucks. You call us " trophy hunters" or horn hunters. That is not the case. I shoot does with my bow and usually get one with my rifle. I have gone a year or two without taking any thing though. I often pass up deer from the bow stand and just enjoy watching and learning from them.

I do not hunt for big bucks. I hunt because I love nature and being outdoors and the serenity of a deer stand. I do not need to shoot a thing to be successful.

With all this being said, I still have the choice on what to shoot. I will shoot does, fawns, and mature bucks. I still pose the question: " If you had the choices I have, why would anyone choose to shoot a little buck? To these meat hunters and the guys " who need something for the freezer" I think you are full of crap. Find a doe for the freezer, or shoot a couple of fawns, they taste the best anyways. If the only presentable shot you have is a little buck, go ahead and take it, its your liscence to do with what you want. If you need meat that bad though, I' ll shoot a couple for you.