Was I wrong ?

[fearthebeard]

First if like to say I Havint harvested a buck I had a chance two years ago to take a nice 8 but didn't shoot because I knew there was a house behind him threw the woods the second was this year it was just a spike horn but I passed on it thinking maybe next year he will be a nice 6 or 8 should I just take anything with horns to get it under my belt or continue grinding in hopes I can take a mature deer advice tips and all are welcomed just kinda kickin myself in the butt is all

[Nomad]

It's your call. Most hunters moved up in stages,or simply stayed at one they'er happy with or matches what's around where they hunt.

I think you'll be happy to take any first buck though.

[thphm]

Let him go and let him grow, the hunting gods might bless you with a nice 10 pointer.

[Pygmy]

I think I know your problem.

Your head is sideways...

[Twax10]

You're going to have a bunch of people on here tell you 'Let them go so they can grow", which is fine for a horn hunter. But in my opinion the most important part of being a good deer hunter is having the experience to back it up. The guy with 5 small bucks is going to seal the deal more often then the guy that just watches them through the binos and waits for a bigger one. With all that said if your goal is a racker and thats what matters to you then don't let me stop you! Good luck

[fearthebeard]

My head is sideways ?

[Twax10]

lol i think he's talking about your picture

[ApexerER]

You had to pass the 8....knowing your target and what is beyond is part of responsible hunting. I think you have to do what will make you happy and keep you in the woods. I am 41 and have killed multiply doe. I didn't get a my first buck until year before last. A small 4pt. Then last year I got another small 4 pt. If I get a chance this year. I will probably take another small 4. I did see a 6pt last year while bow hunting and I have let a couple of spikes go. I have never seen a deer in the woods while on stand bigger than the small 6pt last year and I have been hunting since I was 16. It could be a long wait like it has been for me. Do whatever will make you happy and keep you interested in hunting. Hopefully someday I will have one I can hand on the wall. Until then I will be proud of whatever I get.....

[fearthebeard]

I have harvested does so in my mid I am a successful hunter my dad always tells me u can't eat the horns the rack is basically I challenge for me and my buddy's give me crap about not Having a buck under me yet is all

[fearthebeard]

Also the shot is very important to me I'm only 24 and I love hunting but I also want to me a good shot so the deer doesn't suffer sounds stupid but I respect what I'm hunting

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Not wrong in the least bit. About that last bit of common sense i've seen on this site this year. No deer is worth sending a round threw someones house. The first buck I ever had a stare contest with was wen I was heading out and I knew there was a semi busy road right behind him. Ofcourse I passed em up and kicked my self in the ass for a bit. But looking back on it I feel I made the right choice.

 

 

 

Don't give up the rut is moving and the hunters should be to. Go beat the cold im heading in the woods myself in the next hour or so.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Also the shot is very important to me I'm only 24 and I love hunting but I also want to me a good shot so the deer doesn't suffer sounds stupid but I respect what I'm hunting

 

 

 

Nothing sounds stupid about that. You hunt with ethics I bet you will lead yourself to deer. You said you have gotten doe. Hunt were the doe are right now bucks aren't far off.

[fearthebeard]

I'll hunt the does this afternoon thanks to u all

[gfdeputy2]

why you passed on the first deer sounds like the right call as for the second like others have stated it is all up to you to decide what you want to hunt. 43 years old & I still don't care about the size of the rack it is about meat in the freezer but that is me. I can't stand when "trophy" hunters pick on people for shooting smaller deer when they could care less about the deer & only care about the rack. To me it is up to the hunter to make that call! you paid your money just like the next. Nobody should tell you you are right or wrong

go out enjoy what god gave us & take what you feel is what you are after

[Culvercreek hunt club]

As long as you are within the law, set your own standards. Sounds like a perfect call on the first buck. As long as you are happy with what you are doing, don't bother changing it. There may come a time when you want to, but don't let it be pressure from someone else. Good luck out there.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I agree 100% with Culver. I did the same thing. Set my standards to 8 points, right off the bat. Stuck to them and ended up with a basket 8 as my first buck. I took crap from alot of people for letting small ones pass before I shot my first buck. I kept telling them not to worry about what Im doing. Im proud of that buck, to alot of guys hes nothing special, to me he was though. I waited a long time and passed on a ton of smaller bucks. He hangs on my wall, and will always be the most special one on it to me.

[bubba]

I personally look more for deer size than rack size.  I would shot a bigger bodied 6 over a smaller bodies 10 any day of the week.Passing on a bad shot was by far the best thing to do. You will be rewarded soon

[BKhunter]

+1 with everyone above, especially regarding the first deer. Always know what is beyond your target. I hunt for the meat, the horns are an extra bonus. If I don't see anything with a medium to large rack I let it go and am perfectly happy harvesting does with my other tags so I have meat in the freezer and real life experience with shot placement. Like you I respect the animal and do not like it suffering. I hope all my shots are clean kills. Does it happen where sometime they are not? Of course, but that is the nature of what we do.

[Two Track]

It is always better to take a clean safe shot within a distance you are comfortable with.

Anything else could be trouble, or cause regrets for an unintended target.

 

Passing on that one could to a bigger deer later, you just never know.

[covert]

I started deer hunting in '94 and got my first deer (6pt) in 2001 (7 YEARS  ).  I let a LOT of bucks walk waiting for a bigger one before I finally shot mine.

 

This year during bow season I let a 6 walk and the same 5 twice.  The second time I let that 5er go I shot my 11pt non-typical about 20 minutes later.  If I'd shot the 5 I would've been dragging and never would've seen that big one.

Edited November 21, 2014 by covert

[jjb4900]

nothing wrong with shooting a spike....don't let anyone tell you any different.

[NeverSeenNorHeard]

horns never filled my belly

[fearthebeard]

Lol my dad saw a great buck walk under my stand I was hunting another area seen 9 does I'll be hunting that stand all day tomarrow figured he would be there when I'm not but that's why it's hunting

Edited November 21, 2014 by fearthebeard

[ants]

All I can say is don't let other people influence what deer you take. If you have the tags and you decide that you want to take a small buck or a doe ……go for it. Most real hunters will be glad for you  not think any less of you. Good luck.

[greensider]

i think young hunters should take deer regardless of antlers just for experience and hunting should be about food before antlers but in the end it is you hunt end it the way you feel you should