Little Freak-Nasty...

[fasteddie]

Well , this old fart wouldn't give him a pass ! http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/2cents.gif[/img]

The neighbors aren't gonna either...

That's the only thing that bothered me about QDM . I would let the young ones go and as soon as they hit the adjacent property i would hear a Boom , Boom , Boom ! But ..... I have to live with my conscience .

[WNY Bowhunter]

The neighbors won't kill all of the ones that you pass up.  It's a chance you have to take to grow big, mature bucks.  If you give in and put your tag on him you know for sure he won't be around for next year...

[33Canuck]

I would say he is the same buck as well you can see the character develop at the same locations.  His left brow comes off the main beam and hooks in the same manor, there is a chance it is different but I would bet its the same dude and he will be awesome next fall if he can find a hidey hole. 

I respect you for your discipline thats what you need to do to get quality bucks. The dumba$$ mentality that if you pass the neighbor will shoot it is rediculous.  Nobody would ever get a deer older than 2 if that was the case and we all know even in high pressure areas you can take mature deer if you don't think so I would be happy to come hunt your land and leave all the 1, 2 ,3 yr olds for your I will only harvest the mature deer you seem to think don't exist.  I'm not saying don't shoot whatever you want just don't use rediculous reasoning to justify taking younger bucks, harvest what satisfies your trigger finger and leave it at that.

Sorry to convolute your thread bud you got some great bucks running around and I commend your efforts 100%

[Rev Ev]

Some great pics.  I really enjoy seeing deer grow year to year on the trailcams.  GL on the rest of your herd.  You giving "nasty" another year or two or going to harvest him this fall?

[WNY Bowhunter]

He will be getting a free pass from me.  Heck, I'd just like to get a couple more quality trail cam pics of him before he losses his velvet.  He is proving to be very elusive for a young buck.  Hopefully, he'll keep a low profile through October and November so he can be Big Freak Nasty next year. 

[mbucks27]

The farm that i hunt is the same way. We try to pass on the small ones 6's and 4's but as soon as they step over the line boom. It can be very frustrating.  Last year i was hunting about 200 yards down a hill side. I saw a decent buck walking up toward the road but he wasnt a shooter so i let him walk.  As soon as he got to the road and crossed over i hear a gunshot needless to say i was a little frustrated that morning but thats hunting i guess.

[WNY Bowhunter]

It is frustrating.  You just got to have it in your head that some bucks are going to make it and some are going to die.  There will be others to take the dead ones places next year...

[WNY Bowhunter]

I was just thinking; last year I had two 4 year olds, five 3 year olds, and four or five 2 year olds at this particular farm that I watched through the summer.  This year I haven't seen a single one of them!!! I know for sure that both 4 year olds and my favorite 3 year old were all killed.  The rest must be dead as well or maybe they moved to a neighboring farm or something...but dang, talk about frustrating!!!

[mbucks27]

Yea that sucks. Where i hunt if you passed on a 3 1/2 year old buck  you might as well not hunt there b/c there isnt very many of them running around and you would be sitting in your stand wasting your time if you were passing on them when they came by.  Most bucks dont live past 2 1/2 where they are small 8 points.

[33Canuck]

Don't assume they are shot I have a couple decent chunks of ground I manage and haven't been seeing to much this summer but I know they are there last night I took a .5 mile hike to a secluded field and laid eyes on a buck I think I have been after for 5 years now, I have 2 cams in the area but he has avoided all of them.  A couple bucks I have sheds and pics from never show during the seasons you would think they were there but come post season or spring bam the evidence is there they just get smart after 4yrs.  Even heavily pressured ground will sustain mature deer because they are much smarter than the nitwhits chasing them. ;D

[G-Man]

i assumed a nice buck i was after was killed or died of old age 4 years later.. ended up getting him at age 8 1/2 thats why i laugh when everone thinks if you pass young ones the big ones will be just waiting for you.. the older a deer gets the better it becomes at evading and avoiding hunters. they dont remain dumb if they make it through 1  or 2 seasons