Meat or bone

[Steve D]

52 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

This year Im shooting the first doe that steps into a lane. After that, its all about a mature buck. 4 year olds or better at my place. Over at the farm, its any doe that gets into range, bucks later, and only a 3 year old or older.

That is my scenario also. Any decent size doe is a good start.

[ATbuckhunter]

Im a bit of both. I shoot does during bow season, but I try to pass them during the rut for a buck. I dont really see too many bucks in a season so I shoot a lot of does

[Five Seasons]

to shoot a doe early it'd need to be a high probability shot in a stand where I can retrieve without a lot of disruption and even then i'm hesitant because doe are great bait during the chase and rut. I've been wanting to find a "doe only" type of property for a few years to solve this issue, because I would really like the meat early as my freezer is empty. I'm usually fortunate to see doe during gun and then don't hesitate but its never a slam dunk.

[Fletch]

Meat early. I'm not worried about any bucks following yet so its the perfect time.

[johnplav]

2 minutes ago, Belo said:

to shoot a doe early it'd need to be a high probability shot in a stand where I can retrieve without a lot of disruption and even then i'm hesitant because doe are great bait during the chase and rut. I've been wanting to find a "doe only" type of property for a few years to solve this issue, because I would really like the meat early as my freezer is empty. I'm usually fortunate to see doe during gun and then don't hesitate but its never a slam dunk.

I feel the same way.  Ill usually wait on taking does until late in the season.  Ill take out a big old doe early if shes alone and its convenient for me to process her.  This year I'm changing my approach a bit... my first few archery hunts will be on a "doe only" property (rarely see bucks, and those that are around are usually small), so Ill try to put a doe in the freezer then concentrate on a mature buck at my main spot.  

[BowmanMike]

I have never shot as much as i have this summer. I feel very confident in my setup and dare a doe to step out and give me a shot at 30yds or under. I have been watching to many videos on deer ducking an arrow to go further than that. 

I will worry about a buck later. I havent put any cams out,so i am going in blind,but generally there are a few decents ones around. Just a matter of meeting them under the right circumstances. Acorns everywhere this year,so they could be anywhere.

[WWJD_Hunter]

I love venison , so I will harvest a big doe any chance I get. From that point on I will hold for a mature buck. 

[Hock3y24]

Warm days i'm only shooting one of my shooter bucks. if i'm gonna sweat my ass off dragging its going to be for a damn good reason. i can shoot does any day of the week in my one spot, literally can drive up to them, get out and they don't run. 

[turkeyfeathers]

51 minutes ago, Hock3y24 said:

Warm days i'm only shooting one of my shooter bucks. if i'm gonna sweat my ass off dragging its going to be for a damn good reason. i can shoot does any day of the week in my one spot, literally can drive up to them, get out and they don't run. 

Stay out of FSW’s high fence ! 

[G-Man]

Usually shoot for meat but freezer is still pretty full so. Will be bone and fur hunting this archery season

[Cabin Fever]

I tried to answer, regarding bone or meat, but I didn't like the way it made me sound. Thought someone would get the wrong impression. I'll just say it needs to have a nice rack and leave it at that... 

[fasteddie]

A mature doe if it presents itself first . A buck would be great but does are good eating !  

[Steuben Jerry]

Either kind of.

I always want a decent buck and hold off on does to start with. But I do like to break the ice for the season with a bow or xbow if a doe gives me a good opportunity at close range.

[wolc123]

It is always about the meat for me.  I hope to get an antlerless deer up north (October 17-21), to replenish our supply of ground venison.  We will be getting low by then (kids love venison tacos).    An antlered buck on that hunt would have to be a 2.5 year old or older (only because they have more meat than 1.5's).   

My next hunt will not be until crossbow opens in the southern zone, when I will take any antlerless deer that presents a shot, but hold out for a 2-1/2 year old or older antlered (if I still have that tag), until noon on the first Friday of SZ crossbow season (the mid-point for me), after which, a 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will be enough to earn my archery buck tag.   

When southern zone gun opens, once again it will be anything goes for antlerless deer, but I will hold out until Thanksgiving for a 2.5 year or older antlered one.  There will be two reasons for that then, the main one being that I want to be able to hunt deer up North over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I missed that last year, having punched my tag on a big swamp buck at home on opening day.  Of course there is also the fact that 2.5's or older bucks have a lot more meat on them than 1.5's which makes holding out for an older one a smart move for a meat hunter.

After Thanksgiving weekend, the 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will once again be in trouble, if I still have a buck tag, unless the freezer is already full of antlerless deer and an archery buck.     

[turkeyfeathers]

4 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

It is always about the meat for me.  I hope to get an antlerless deer up north (October 17-21), to replenish our supply of ground venison.  We will be getting low by then (kids love venison tacos).    An antlered buck on that hunt would have to be a 2.5 year old or older (only because they have more meat than 1.5's).   

My next hunt will not be until crossbow opens in the southern zone, when I will take any antlerless deer that presents a shot, but hold out for a 2-1/2 year old or older antlered (if I still have that tag), until noon on the first Friday of SZ crossbow season (the mid-point for me), after which, a 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will be enough to earn my archery buck tag.   

When southern zone gun opens, once again it will be anything goes for antlerless deer, but I will hold out until Thanksgiving for a 2.5 year or older antlered one.  There will be two reasons for that then, the main one being that I want to be able to hunt deer up North over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I missed that last year, having punched my tag on a big swamp buck at home on opening day.  Of course there is also the fact that 2.5's or older bucks have a lot more meat on them than 1.5's which makes holding out for an older one a smart move for a meat hunter.

After Thanksgiving weekend, the 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will once again be in trouble, if I still have a buck tag, unless the freezer is already full of antlerless deer and an archery buck.     

Thanks for the short version response 

[TreeGuy]

BONE ! Dad always puts down some slickheads to fill the freezer.

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[Jeremy K]

1 hour ago, wolc123 said:

It is always about the meat for me.  I hope to get an antlerless deer up north (October 17-21), to replenish our supply of ground venison.  We will be getting low by then (kids love venison tacos).    An antlered buck on that hunt would have to be a 2.5 year old or older (only because they have more meat than 1.5's).   

My next hunt will not be until crossbow opens in the southern zone, when I will take any antlerless deer that presents a shot, but hold out for a 2-1/2 year old or older antlered (if I still have that tag), until noon on the first Friday of SZ crossbow season (the mid-point for me), after which, a 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will be enough to earn my archery buck tag.   

When southern zone gun opens, once again it will be anything goes for antlerless deer, but I will hold out until Thanksgiving for a 2.5 year or older antlered one.  There will be two reasons for that then, the main one being that I want to be able to hunt deer up North over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I missed that last year, having punched my tag on a big swamp buck at home on opening day.  Of course there is also the fact that 2.5's or older bucks have a lot more meat on them than 1.5's which makes holding out for an older one a smart move for a meat hunter.

After Thanksgiving weekend, the 1.5 year old, 3" unicorn will once again be in trouble, if I still have a buck tag, unless the freezer is already full of antlerless deer and an archery buck.     

Sounds like you might have to use the brakes on the truck this year.

[Swamp_bucks]

Wife told me today shes short staffed and has to start working two weekend days a month starting october plus a bunch of ot.  So it went from hopefully a doe then hold off for a 6pt or better to anything above the ears for a buck.  And probably any doe minus a fawn doe. Time will be limited again this year from the sounds of it.

[BizCT]

Bone
Bone
Bone

“Wow, that backstrap on my wall brings back memories!” - Said No One Ever!


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[steve863]

Meat.  I will shoot the first deer that comes within range and I have a tag for.  No matter if it's a doe, fawn, BB, spike or 12 pointer.  I will not be waiting around and passing up deer just to get useless bone.

[LET EM GROW]

First doe that presents a good opportunity i will attempt to harvest, while waiting on a respectable buck .. But i also want to pursue coyotes more this year, so deer season may take the back seat.. 

[land 1]

i will wait to temps come down, to shoot a doe dont want to have to rush around and butcher the same day, any 2 1/2 yr old buck gets shot

[DanD]

Given I have 2 little ones now and my hunting time is highly limited, I'm shooting the first two legal deer that have some size to them. I need 2 deer to feed the bottomless pits so our grocery bills stop increasing so fast. I could care less about bone....for now.

[Nomad]

Bone. If you look below the bone you’ll find it comes with meat too !

wife and I only eat two deer a year, and frankly that’s plenty . Can take a doe anytime in gun if it comes down to that .

[518BowSlayer]

Usually I'm all about the meat but for the first time ever I'm only looking for a wall hanger buck. But that's only because my freezer is already stacked with moose meat!

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