Would you shoot him?

[crappyice]

Damn "Ny hunter"...how'd you answer my question before I aksed it?

[ny hunter]

Hey I mounted a scrawny spike,It was my first deer he spikes are only 6inches but he was my first.

[WNYBuckHunter]

You would really have that buck mounted?

I have a buck smaller than that mounted. It was my first buck, and I always said Id mount my first one no matter what.

[Deerthug]

You would really have that buck mounted?

Where I hunt they don't get that big. Lots of farms around and the farmers put them down to prevent crop damage. My first buck was a 6 and I only mounted the scalp and crown. There are some larger 6 and 8 pts around but rare to see them this big. So yes I would mount him without thinking.

[132 eight pointer]

If I owned my own hunting property and wished to manage it I would say let him go.However I don't and honestly I know during bow season I would be trying to get a shot at that buck. I understand both sides of the shoot / let him walk debate but I am not totally at the don't shoot until it is at least 3 years old yet.I may be getting more selective each year but only time will tell.

[Localqdm]

I'm sorry if that was judgmental. I don't have the 500 bucks to mount a 170, let alone something under 120. I guess to me a mount is more about the deer, but if its about your pride of what you shot and you've got the $, I guess I understand.

Edited October 10, 2011 by Localqdm

[fasteddie]

Personally , I have never had a rack mounted and I have felt good about every deer I have killed with a bow ( except for a BB that i thought was a doe ) . One person's scrub buck might be another's trophy .

I let a spike and a 5 point walk under my stand last year and ate my buck tag but felt good about it . I would shoot that 2 1/2 in a heart beat ! His head gear is out beyond his ears .

[erussell]

Baby, Pass.

[nyslowhand]

On some shows (TX and Mexico high fence) 8-pts are seen as "management bucks", but Lee and Tiffany certainly don't waste their precious Iowa tags on culling out 8-pts, they only shoot fully mature 4.5-5.5+ year old deer.

You're setting yourself up for dissappointment if you follow those TV shows so closely!!!!

BTY - The Lakoskys are far removed from the average hunters!

They're full-time deer managers, outfitters, they truely bait, sell endorsements/filmed hunts and hunt 5000 acres in a prime whitetail region.

That specific deer - "Don't pass on a buck on your 1st hunt that you'd shoot on the last day of the season."

[sampotter]

The only thing the midwest has on NY is genetics and more restricted gun seasons. The debate here is about letting that guy mature, not whether he would ever he would ever grow into a B+C buck. For the guys that say there are no mature bucks in their area: A) they are there- you just aren't seeing them, and you would see more of them if you didn't shoot them when they are young.

If you pick all the low-hanging fruit (less cautious bucks) when they are <4 yrs old, then all you have left are the spooky, smart ones. The midwest, managed-land video hunts are on properties where NO bucks <4-5 yrs old are shot. That way when you get a 5yr old buck that is inherently dumb, hot girls make it look easy to kill them, which it is.

[Uncle Nicky]

My neighbor is an ass....I'd shoot this deer just so he wouldn't get a crack at him.

[Doc]

My neighbor is an ass....I'd shoot this deer just so he wouldn't get a crack at him.

LOL ......

[fasteddie]

My neighbor is an ass....I'd shoot this deer just so he wouldn't get a crack at him.

I don't care who you are , that's funny ! :clapping:

[Deerthug]

My philosophy of hunting has always been - meat first, rack is a bonus.

[WNY Bowhunter]

You're setting yourself up for dissappointment if you follow those TV shows so closely!!!!

BTY - The Lakoskys are far removed from the average hunters!

They're full-time deer managers, outfitters, they truely bait, sell endorsements/filmed hunts and hunt 5000 acres in a prime whitetail region.

That specific deer - "Don't pass on a buck on your 1st hunt that you'd shoot on the last day of the season."

I am very familiar with the Lakoskys...both their show and their backgrounds. They are truely living the "whitetail hunter's dream" (my dream anyways). No, I do not base my standards based on these TV shows set in highly managed midwestern properties. My goal is not to shoot a 170" deer, if it were I am hunting the wrong state. I do a lot of scouting over the summer/fall and I know what my area is capable of producing. There are P&Y class bucks roaming my hunting area and my goal for the season is to kill a respectable 3.5 year old or older buck and I am willing to eat my buck tag if one never presents itself. There will be venison in the freezer at season's end whether it's from a buck that meets my standards or by filling DMPs.

As for the deer in question here...if I pass him up on the first day of season he will still be the same size on the final day and he will get passed on again. My standards don't go down as the season progresses.

[Geno C]

i personally wouldnt let him pass... id take him.

[WNY Bowhunter]

I have really enjoyed getting the chance to see some other peoples' deer management philosophies here guys. Remember, the title of this thread is directed at YOU not me. I figured that a majority of the members on here would let an arrow fly at him. My decision to let this particular deer walk is firm. There is not a right or wrong answer here whether this buck should be passed on. It's your tag, use is as you wish...

Good luck this weekend!!!

[nyantler]

I like the saying .. never pass on a buck you would the first day that you would take on the last... thats a good rule of thumb.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

Nt to go off topic but have any of you guess hunted the verona ny area im new to hunting and looking for tips of the trade from some of you older guess with the know how i need!!

[bushnell]

I would shoot him.

[screamon demon]

I passed on several small bucks last year and that was a first for me. As i get older my philosophy changes.

10 or 12 years ago I had the biggest buck of life walk to 20 yards of me during archery. He was easily 4.5 and had a perfect heavy 8 point rack. Well i missed that goddamn deer by using the wrong pin. an hour later i shot a 6 point. No way in the world would I do that now. I'd hunt that big boy all season. I learned from my experience.

Before cable TV and Internet telling us what a good deer is or is not the deer being talked about on thread was a trophy plain and simple and I would be proud hunter to double lung that guy.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

he gets a pass from me. Not to long ago he would have been down. It helps making that decission if you have seen larger buck walking around your hunting area

[Geno C]

I like the saying .. never pass on a buck you would the first day that you would take on the last... thats a good rule of thumb.

joe i heard that saying the other day for the first time and you can not be more right!

[fasteddie]

I'm getting too old to let those deer pass by . I want meat for the freezer but the buck in the beginning of this thread would not gat a pass from me .

[steve863]

"Would you shoot him?"

Yes, I would aim right behind the shoulder like I do with any deer. I go hunting to hopefully kill a deer or two per season in the limited amount of time I have available for hunting. If I want to go to the woods to only LOOK at deer, I could do that at any time of the year and don't have to wait for hunting season. Others can wait for that monster buck forever if they want. I sure as hell ain't that choosey and I am happy with any deer that I put down.