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passing deer

doulos

By doulos,
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doulos Newbie

doulos

Posted
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First of all a disclaimer----------In no way is this thread meant to imply what people should do or kill. Its not a promotion for QDM.  My take is this if you have a tag go ahead and take it.

First off Ive been deer hunting a long time (38 years) and love it. I love all aspects of it,including the preparation and practice. 

Last year was the first year I didnt shoot the first 1.5 yr old buck that was a 4 pt or better.  I passed a total of 4 or 5 bucks and then killed a 10 pt that scored 141 7/8 total and 128 7/8 after deductions. It was my best and I realized I wouldnt have been on stand if I had killed one of the others.

Well so far this season I have passed at least 4 small bucks and have seen 1 for sure shooter that I couldnt get to come in. Id like to kill something at least 2.5 years old or better.

I have also passed some does for no other reason , some were fawns and some were bad shot angles.

Actually thought i had adecent sized doe to shoot tonight but passed a shot once I saw the buttons on his head.

With this bow season winding down Im starting to realize I could get skunked for the first time with the bow in a long time.

My questions are:

For those of you who pass shots do you have regrets if you get skunked? 

On average how many shots do you pass a season?

Do your standards get lower as the season wears down?

Did getting skunked make you revert to your old ways?

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fasteddie Grand Master

fasteddie

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Well , I will give you my honest answer . I passed on a 6 & 4 point last year that would have been chip shots and ate my buck tags . passed on doe fawns and didn't fill some tags .

This year I have passed on 4 doe fawns and wouldn't shoot them if I had it to do over . I passed on a small 5 point and a spike and have not shot a deer yet this season . I may adjust my personal standards but still can't bring myself about to shoot a doe fawn .

We'll see .............

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Bleitten04 Newbie

Bleitten04

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The only thing I will pass up is a fawn.  I would love to do some sort of QDM on the property I hunt but it is to small and the deer don't stay there.  If I owned a few hundred acres it would be a different story because I could put in food plots and not have to worry as much about deer wondering of to other hunters.  If you want to pass up on small bucks that is fine.  In my honest opinion though you should be prepared to eat a tag.  Big bucks are not gauranteed!!!  Good luck though and I hope your patience pays off!!!!

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doulos Newbie

doulos

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My honest opinion is shoot whatever you like with in reason. I took a small 5 pt eairly this season and it put meat in the freezer. I have the tag and will fill it when possible.  Passing really doesnt do any good becuse the surrounding properties don't practice so QDM.

I dont think you understood my question. Congrats on your buck. I am not judging what anyone shoots or doesent shoot. Or suggesting anyone think like me. Nor am I holding myself up as an example for anyone.

A far as other properties not practicing QDM.  No one by my lease practices QDM either. And I killed a large deer and one of my partners saw one larger.  I just know that most of my bow seasons were over the first week and I wouldnt have killed him because my tag would be filled. And so far this season what keeps me going is that I know for sure at least 4 bucks that frequent this lease made it through the season last year. (dont know if they made it throught the winter though).

I am asking for those who do pass shots how they react when they get skunked. That's all.

Fasteddie seems to understand what I am asking.

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WNYBuckHunter Experienced

WNYBuckHunter

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Ill take a doe or buck with 8 points or more at this point. After I get my first buck with my bow, Ill up the anty by looking for more mature deer instead of just any 8 point. I was skunked completely last year from passing deer, and I did pass alot of them. It sucked, but I wasnt that upset. I have yet to get a good shot on a doe, have missed a basket 8 and came really close to taking a shot on a big non-typical this year. I dont mind passing on the little guys.

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nyantler Apprentice

nyantler

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As a young hunter I found it tough to pass on anything.. maybe cause as a kid I thought maybe my friends wouldn't think I was a  good hunter if I didn't get a buck every year.. as I got older I realized its not a contest to see who can stack the most bucks up each year or even deer for that matter... I'm ok with eating all my tags every year if it means not compromising my standards of what I believe to be better for the whitetail deer. I refuse to shoot a young buck or a fawn of any sex. Just not my thing even if it means getting skunked. I just feel lucky to be physically able to get out and enjoy the hunt each year.

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doulos Newbie

doulos

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As a young hunter I found it tough to pass on anything.. maybe cause as a kid I thought maybe my friends wouldn't think I was a  good hunter if I didn't get a buck every year.. as I got older I realized its not a contest to see who can stack the most bucks up each year or even deer for that matter... I'm ok with eating all my tags every year if it means not compromising my standards of what I believe to be better for the whitetail deer. I refuse to shoot a young buck or a fawn of any sex. Just not my thing even if it means getting skunked. I just feel lucky to be physically able to get out and enjoy the hunt each year.

Im like you Joe I feel fortunate to be still hunting after 3 heart stents. 

Just checked out your web site. I like it. 

Like you also I havent used my inline as much the last 5 years.  I have been using inlines since the eighties once I found how effective they were. I used them all season.  But the last 5 seasons I mostly use one of my Hawkens and patched round ball.  Ive had to pass alot of shots because of the open sights as compared to the optics I have on my inlines.

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mkrafty133 Newbie

mkrafty133

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I dont think you understood my question. Congrats on your buck. I am not judging what anyone shoots or doesent shoot. Or suggesting anyone think like me. Nor am I holding myself up as an example for anyone.

A far as other properties not practicing QDM.  No one by my lease practices QDM either. And I killed a large deer and one of my partners saw one larger.  I just know that most of my bow seasons were over the first week and I wouldnt have killed him because my tag would be filled. And so far this season what keeps me going is that I know for sure at least 4 bucks that frequent this lease made it through the season last year. (dont know if they made it throught the winter though).

I am asking for those who do pass shots how they react when they get skunked. That's all.

Fasteddie seems to understand what I am asking.

Sorry your right I did miss understand it. I like to fill my tag. If it means taking a smaller buck I will. Bleitten04 said it right. If it was my property and could manage it correctly I would definetly wait for a nicer buck.  Hopefully some day I will have that option.

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5.9cummins Newbie

5.9cummins

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I generally go for outside the ears. I passed a small six yesterday still hunting. It was a chip shot. Bumped something (8 or 10) outside the ears 200 yards after that. I was pissed i spent half an hour looking in the hemlock thicket because i knew a deer would be there.

I have had tag soup on more than one occasion. The only thing i regret is not connecting or messing up on a big boy.

I did lower my standards a couple years ago after tag soup in bow season. Shot a small 8 opening day of rifle and i regretted it.

Doe are what i look to put in the freezer. That being said i usually wont pass a doe during bow or gun (unless its a fawn).

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First-light Grand Master

First-light

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Last year I took a 14 year old out and he shot his first deer with the bow. It was a small doe. This year he passed up two chip shots at small doe and one at a big doe. He held out for a shot at a buck which he almost got. When he left camp with his dad i asked him if he was upset not shooting at those doe? he told me now way just seeing that buck this year was worth it! There you go. Myself I won't pass on a doe or a 1.5 year old. I travel a great distance to camp and time is limited.

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wztirem Newbie

wztirem

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Last year I took a 14 year old out and he shot his first deer with the bow. It was a small doe. This year he passed up two chip shots at small doe and one at a big doe. He held out for a shot at a buck which he almost got. When he left camp with his dad i asked him if he was upset not shooting at those doe? he told me now way just seeing that buck this year was worth it! There you go. Myself I won't pass on a doe or a 1.5 year old. I travel a great distance to camp and time is limited.

That works for me! You paid your money for a tag(s) to legally kill a deer of your choice.

Good luck to you!

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knehrke Community Regular

knehrke

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I'm greedy...I know that if I shoot a deer, my hunt is over. And I really enjoy being in the woods. So, I usually pass on most everything, unless it's bigger than anything I've shot before. I've got no problem eating a tag. No problem shooting a five-point, 1 1/2 yr old deer, either, under the right circumstances. But as my own personal standards have gotten higher (emphasis here on "personal", as a trophy is in the eye of the beholder), I've gotten used to seeing lots of good bucks up close and personal. That's been enough on it's own to convince me to hold off. If I'd shot them, then I'd have lost the privilege of observing them.

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nybuckboy Enthusiast

nybuckboy

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My take is Bowhunting is for sport... (so I pass on small fawns, does, and bucks).  I look for racks beyond the ears.  However, Rifle hunting is for fillin' the freezer!

I kinda feel the same way here as MuzzyLoader... bow is the time for a wall hanger and Gun is for either the meat and/or a wall hanger.

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doulos Newbie

doulos

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Last year I took a 14 year old out and he shot his first deer with the bow. It was a small doe. This year he passed up two chip shots at small doe and one at a big doe. He held out for a shot at a buck which he almost got. When he left camp with his dad i asked him if he was upset not shooting at those doe? he told me now way just seeing that buck this year was worth it! There you go. Myself I won't pass on a doe or a 1.5 year old. I travel a great distance to camp and time is limited.

Im very fortunate , as I have a lot of time to hunt. Im sure that in itself and how long I have been hunting have influenced me and given me more patience to pass deer.

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jimbodwb Newbie

jimbodwb

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When I hunt my buddies farm in Souther Zone I will pass on smaller deer because I have seen what is on this property. I have yet to take a deer in the Northern zone though so up north I will take whatever is legal. Once I get one from up there I will be more selective in the future.

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