Opening Day Bucks Could You Pass Them?

[NFA-ADK]

Me and my buddy Chris hunted today up and in stand by 2pm and I saw this two year old as my first deer for the day.  Nice little basket 8 at about 42 yards.  Hope he makes it to next year! 

 

The second 2 pics are from my buddy Chris who passed on a decent 3 year old that was a 4X3 with good body size.  Could you pass this opening day?  He should have jumped on its back, lol.  j/k  I saw about 15 deer, 1 fawn buck, another fawn, 1 spike, 4pt and basket 8 I think most all the others where doe 2 ran from another doe doing a MAA call, lol, I swear I though it was a hunter trying to stop a deer for a shot!  I think our total deer sighing was around 40 combined, pretty cool opening day!  Hope this guys can make it through the season but I have my doubts.

[NFA-ADK]

Double post.

[BigVal]

Real nice buck but yes I'd pass. I enjoy hunting bucks at the end of October and November too much. It'd have to really be something for me to shoot this early. 

[Lawdwaz]

I think your buddy will regret passing that buck..........

[moog5050]

If I think it's 3yrs old or older, I am not likely to pass.  Sounds like a great opener.  

[moog5050]

If I think it's 3yrs old or older, I am not likely to pass.  Sounds like a great opener.  

[Rockspek]

I would not have felt comfortable shooting the one at 42 but I would have gone for the one under the stand because it was my first day out ever bow hunting and he would be close enough to get a good shot for a new guy like me.

[dwallace]

I would have been torn to pass on that 3 year old under the stand but the best time of season is ahead of us!  I had a unique experience last night. It was raining hard so I decided to get out of my stand early because I was soaked. I get to the field edge and in the clover is 2 BIG bucks eating about 70 yards away to my left. I look to my right and about 50-80 yards away 2 smaller bucks are walking along the field edge right to me. I stepped back behind some golden rods and kneeled down and got the bow ready. These bucks came within 10 feet from me. Never saw nor smelled me. They were a 4 pt and a 6 point, maybe 110 pounds. I could've had either one but I passed on them. I have never been that close to a buck and had that experience in 25 years of hunting. It was awesome, well worth it. My heart was pumping out of my chest. As for the big boys, they just stayed out in the field of course too far for a shot. I ended up walking back into the woods and around the other side of field so I didn't spoke them. Good luck this season to everyone!

[Core]

42 yards is a long shot (for some it's unequivocally too far, but not all).

The close one under the stand, what is he waiting, for an elk? That thing looked huge! I guess if he's got a ton of great bucks in that area and no pressure that must change the calculation.

[Dave]

Feel sorry for you guys who have to make such tough decisions. I have to say one of those would be hanging on my meat pole.

Have not had a shooter buck since the 3pt rule is in affect. the 2 years before the change I got a nice 5pt and next year a nice 6pt.

since then nothing. so I am 0 and 3. Where are all the deer???

[Dave]

Feel sorry for you guys who have to make such tough decisions. I have to say one of those would be hanging on my meat pole.

Have not had a shooter buck since the 3pt rule is in affect. the 2 years before the change I got a nice 5pt and next year a nice 6pt.

since then nothing. so I am 0 and 3. Where are all the deer???

[Nomad]

Id take the second one on opening day for sure. That gives me a month and a half to leave the woods alone, setting up for a great gun season .

oh I might go a couple times on weekends to see if any trespassers are lurking around, but mostly I'd be shooting on my range, doing some fall boating and hiking .

[Merlot]

11 hours ago, NFA-ADK said:

Me and my buddy Chris hunted today up and in stand by 2pm and I saw this two year old as my first deer for the day.  Nice little basket 8 at about 42 yards.  Hope he makes it to next year! 

 

The second 2 pics are from my buddy Chris who passed on a decent 3 year old that was a 4X3 with good body size.  Could you pass this opening day?  He should have jumped on its back, lol.  j/k  I saw about 15 deer, 1 fawn buck, another fawn, 1 spike, 4pt and basket 8 I think most all the others where doe 2 ran from another doe doing a MAA call, lol, I swear I though it was a hunter trying to stop a deer for a shot!  I think our total deer sighing was around 40 combined, pretty cool opening day!  Hope this guys can make it through the season but I have my doubts.

Passing that last buck was a mistake, in my opinion. I only say that since it is rare to see a buck that nice on our property. But hey, it's only October 2nd...lots of time.

[erussell]

stop shooting bucks like that one and you will all see big ones.

[ATbuckhunter]

Looks like you had a great opener! If im willing to shoot that deer mid November ill take it first day of the season. Looks like you'll be having a good season. 

[NFA-ADK]

I would have liked almost all these posts IF I could, lol.  Not so sure I would have passed him, he does look like a 3 year old and I could see one of us shooting him with a short shot window.  Because he was directly under the stand my buddy Chris got a good look at him and that was the real reason he was passed.  He is a good 3 year old but will be a real shooter at 4 and this is really what we are going for so this guy is now off limits.  Lucky for us we are in an area that has high population and can pass something like this.  If we actually shoot one of the better ones you will see why we pass these guys.  Fingers crossed, pre rut is close!  This is the same area I saw a brute last year and hope he is still around.  

 

[ATbuckhunter]

16 minutes ago, NFA-ADK said:

I would have liked almost all these posts IF I could, lol.  Not so sure I would have passed him, he does look like a 3 year old and I could see one of us shooting him with a short shot window.  Because he was directly under the stand my buddy Chris got a good look at him and that was the real reason he was passed.  He is a good 3 year old but will be a real shooter at 4 and this is really what we are going for so this guy is now off limits.  Lucky for us we are in an area that has high population and can pass something like this.  If we actually shoot one of the better ones you will see why we pass these guys.  Fingers crossed, pre rut is close!  This is the same area I saw a brute last year and hope he is still around.  

 

Well after you told me the class of the deer they have out in that spot, I might have passed my self.

[The_Field_Ager]

I get little pleasure from killing doe or Bucks under 3. I will if the end of the season is nigh and I need the meat, but the first 2/3 of the season are about the challenge of connecting with larger, wiser Bucks. I pass on smaller Bucks a lot during Bow. 

[NFA-ADK]

We have one guy who would shoot every buck mentioned.  If you shoot all your younger bucks you will not have older deer.  Not that I would not take a good 3 year old with a nice rack but we would rather have 4 or better as our goal.  Lucky for me it is possible in this area if we can get everyone aboard!  Last year 2 good bucks where taken from another area,  hope this one does not have two young guns taken in addition. Restraint is the biggest issue, hard to pass a 20 yard broadside shot on something like this, especially if they pose for you!

PS:  Not all area's will have this age group especially in NY.  I am lucky to have access to such an area!  And I am lucky the hunters are trying to let the young guns come of age for the most part.

[covert]

I would've shot the 2nd one and spent the rest of the season duck/goose hunting!

[Core]

15 hours ago, NFA-ADK said:

We have one guy who would shoot every buck mentioned.  If you shoot all your younger bucks you will not have older deer.  Not that I would not take a good 3 year old with a nice rack but we would rather have 4 or better as our goal.  Lucky for me it is possible in this area if we can get everyone aboard!  Last year 2 good bucks where taken from another area,  hope this one does not have two young guns taken in addition. Restraint is the biggest issue, hard to pass a 20 yard broadside shot on something like this, especially if they pose for you!

PS:  Not all area's will have this age group especially in NY.  I am lucky to have access to such an area!  And I am lucky the hunters are trying to let the young guns come of age for the most part.

The tragedy of the commons is at play, though. On a case by case basis shooting one buck doesn't impact anything measurably; only if everyone holds off will you see the older bucks. And in the case of somebody who doesn't control a large tract of land (e.g. public), avoiding shooting a particular buck because you hope to see the same one two years later is highly optimistic. 

[Larry]

All I’m going to say is if pass on it on the first day then you should pass on it on the last day.

If you shoot it on the last day the you should of shot it on the first.

[nyslowhand]

Ahh, the old adrenaline vs the brain, which will win out? I always seem to set "rules for engagement" for what I want or expect out of the new bow season, a nice older, fat doe and a mature BB. After you've done many hours/days of pre-season foreplay getting ready for opening day, sometimes the adrenaline just overcomes your better judgement. I'm the worst person to give advice on self-restraint, but here goes anyways: In the moment, if it feels good, then do it , but never look back & regret it afterwards! Also, if you do it on opening day, you may be sitting the next 40 days or so with only doe tags. Is that what you want???