Let'em Walk Or Let One Fly?

[michiganwhitetailRLM]

Well its almost that time of year here in southeastern michigan. I myself think about deerhunting all year long. Anyone from around here can relate to the heavy hunting pressure, wich makes most really good bucks become nocturnal before firearm even starts on november 15. I'm a true and devoted bowhunter but i dont mind picking up the 12 ga. once in a while, enen more so now that im stuck on public land more often. I've passed on some nice deer the last 2 seasons but find myself wondering if it was the right decision. I know the next hunter took that animal and some even smaller ones, while i find myself with a bowl of tag soup.LOL! This year im gonna have to think about taking that smaller 8 instead of letting the other guy have it. What do you fellow hunters think, should i let'em walk or let one fly?!!!

[ka_c4_boom]

iv let them pass every year waiting for the monster buck , if it exsists . this year im taking every thing that steps in my range , out of work and hungry i will not starve or let my family starve

[shotdemducks]

I never pass up a chance to put meat in the freezer for me and my familiy. IMO that is why im out there, magazine deer are great but deer meat tastes alot better than chewin on my regret. JMO

[dougc]

I think maybe you need to check your priorities. Why are you out there hunting? If you're hunting for venison, shoot a doe. If you're just concerned with shooting a small buck so somebody else can't? I'm not sure of that one. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder, so if the smaller buck makes you happy, then go ahead and shoot it. I myself have eaten more tags than I can remember, but the reason I bowhunt is to be out there. I have became more and more selective(with my bow) over the years because I've been fortunate to take some nice bucks. When my shooter walks by, there is no need to think about it. My instinct takes over. If I don't fill my bow tag, I'll pick up my rifle and shoot a doe. Just remember one thing, if you shoot that small buck, he'll never be a big buck.

[SeedTick]

I like having deer meat in the freezer but I would much rather have a yearling if I can get one. I have passed on bigger and older deer with my rifle and bow both because I don't think they eat as good. The worst tasting deer I ever got fooled me though. I thought is was a young doe but that sister was so old she made the gravy tough. I guess my answer would be if that is a young 8 put him in the freezer if not leave him in the gene pool that's what I would do anyway.

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[thomcat]

let it fly,,,, thats my general rule,,,, we have a huge buck @ our farm and its an understanding with all the locals that hunt around our farm that no1 shall kill this deer...... PERIOD.... we know for sure that it has sired many younger bucks with amazing spreads on their antlers,, most are 8 and over...... some are just 2 to 5 points,, they are the 1ns we go for.............. there just as tasty and we can ensure good healthy bucks and does for years to come........

[IL Hunter]

If your shooting for a trophy then it's really your choice and what you will be happy with. If you need to fill the freezer, just shoot a doe. Around here a shooter is at least a 130 and usually its more than that.

[coltsfan]

there is no right or wrong answer.my opinion if your looking for meat shoot the does if you want the rack then shoot a buck that you consider a trophy.some people think that a trophy buck has to score 150 or whatever. to me if it is big enough to make you happy than its big enough to shoot.hunting public land can be tough somtimes you just have to take what you get or be ready to eat your tags instead

[fat_fish55]

Im with most of the other guys on here. If you realy want the meat then shoot does that come by. I would rather shoot a doe than a little buck. f it will be a trophy for you then take the shot. Dont take the shot because you think someone else down the row might. He might get by them so give him a chance. Now at the end of season and you still have no meat and realy need it then its up to you. But i doubt you get more chances at bucks then does.
My first two years bow hunting i told myself i was shooting anything that walks by. This is my third year now and i am definitly gonna be more into managing deer now and letting the bucks go.

[kycatman01]

Well, myself! I will let a buck pass with a bow if it is a small 8 point or smaller. I will always shoot a doe as long as it don't have little ones with it. I (sometimes) will pass on a real big doe because the meat isn't as good. Another reason I pass on a buck sometimes is that I have a friend that I gun hunt with and I have to save my buck tag. I look forward to hunting with him every year. He is a funny man( should've been a comedian). Be your own judge, I am sure you will make the right decision when the time comes. Good luck!!!!!

[bigcatmaniac]

I personally think that anything with a bow is a trophy, even if it is a small doe or a record breaking buck. It is all up to you.

Good luck this year.

[derbycitycatman]

When I first started hunting I was happy shooting anything, doe or small buck. Now I go for does for meat and bucks for trophies. I wont shoot a buck unless I get the buck fever and pounding heart. Any deer is a trophy though.

[ladyfish50]

When I first started hunting, I'd shoot anything. Then, the last several years, I started trying to get either big old does, or a good buck. Last year, I passed up several young bucks & alot of does, hoping, like they say, that ole big boy would come out. Well, big boy never showed up! This year, I'm rethinking that. No, we're not starving.But we do enjoy our meat. And we have alot of extended family members that enjoy it. So we try to get all we legally can. We never have any problems finding someone who's glad to have it.
This year....probably "let one fly"!

[tkyhnt]

I hunt both for food and for the trophy, If it was me and early in the season then that small 8 will walk, now as the season gets drawing to an end he may be in trouble. If at all possible I will harvest does for the freezer as they do make better table fare, and keep my buck tag for a trophy in my opinion. It is up to you but I would not shoot a deer just because the guy down the fence row might. Never know for sure but that guy may be out for the 150+ trophy and let him walk as well. I used to hunt alot of public land and I can understand what you are talking about. Just need to think why you are out there to begin with. If its for a trophy, if you let it fly then that little guy is sure not to get any bigger. JMO

[FishMan]

It makes no difference. what you said will happen every time and your reward for letting a small deer walk is nothing.

The first state that enacts a trophy plan for buck harvest will make billions in hunting revenue.

If the law doesn't require it most hunters will never allow bucks to get big.

[FishMan]

let it fly,,,, thats my general rule,,,, we have a huge buck @ our farm and its an understanding with all the locals that hunt around our farm that no1 shall kill this deer...... PERIOD.... we know for sure that it has sired many younger bucks with amazing spreads on their antlers,, most are 8 and over...... some are just 2 to 5 points,, they are the 1ns we go for.............. there just as tasty and we can ensure good healthy bucks and does for years to come........

Great if it works thats wonderful but your big deer will be shot so if he has sired for 3 or 4 years you should take him yourself.
Take him......He has done a great job for you and it would be a shame for him to go to anyone but you. He is your reward for being a good steward of your land.

Good for you

[michiganwhitetailRLM]

I'de rather have a doe with all the fixins on my table than a buck anyday. My curiosity is leaning more towards the possibility of a deer season wher nothing can be taken under 8 points period. We all know about buck and doe ratio, keep it even by giving every buck x amount of does and so on and so forth. If we shot deer with 8 points or more, leaving the next generation to pass on, possibly bigger and better racks. The possibility of a better deer herd or better quality of deer period could lie in the genes of these two and half and younger deer that are commonly taken every year. We see the same quality of deer every year with the rare story or pictures of that monster. I guess im letting'em walk in the hopes of a better deer population in the future coming from the last year or two's offspring holding that really good genes the whitetail have needed here in michigan. I can always put meat on the table, but a true B&C from my neck of the woods would be great!

[brian sax]

It all depends on what you want, like just about everyone has said, if you want meat go ahead and take one, but if you want a trophy then dont. To me its ok if i dont fill a tag, A good example was a few years ago while turkey hunting it was the last day of youth season and we only had 3 hours to hunt left and i had a couple birds come in range and i decided to pass, knowing what time i had left i still passed. So on the last set up of the day i shot my heaviest bird to date. You never know and what can happen, and if it turns out you dont get that big buck oh well, that kind of stuff is what you keeps coming back year after year.

[mangus]

i like deer hunting. i like the challenge of the kill. every kill is different and being able to retreive my harvest makes the hunt. does walk until after the rut, they are my best buck bait. as long as i got room in my freezer i will let them fly.

[Scott Daw]

I know your pain, I hunt public land here in PA & the only reason why I've been seeing bigger bucks is due to the antler restrictions. Originally the state motto was if its brown its down, spike, fork or what ever. Now I've seen some dandy big 8's and one larger but cant get a good look to count them all (been chasing him for 3 yrs now the nocturnal turd). Nothing wrong with shooting a legal animal. shoot what you think is right not what others think. Do you want meat in the freezer to feed the family? or a rack for the wall to show off? Im practical, Im a meat hunter, if i have the shot I'll take it.

[michiganwhitetailRLM]

The meat in the freezer comes from my harvesting of does. I must admit that my trophy so far was a 4yr old doe, but it was my first deer with a bow . It was on state land and she looked me sqare in the eye from 6yrds away, broadside and i was sitting on the ground. We know how smart them old girls can be, and im very proud of that hunt!!!! I was also impressed that a deer lived to be 4 on heavily hunted stateland. My second best would be a 9 point also taken from state land. The buck didnt have a big rack, but made up for it in body mass.

[223reload]

Ithink every one should do what thier instint tells them to as for me ive never had the chance to shoot at anything big so ive allways shot the first legalbuck i see till last yearN.M. changed legal bucks from fork on one side to three points on one side i guess the game dept thinks horn are edible too i dont know if or when ill go deer hunting here again

[weasel]

It makes no difference. what you said will happen every time and your reward for letting a small deer walk is nothing.

The first state that enacts a trophy plan for buck harvest will make billions in hunting revenue.

If the law doesn't require it most hunters will never allow bucks to get big.

Fishman is dead on the money here.

If he's a nice little 8 or 10 point and sticks his head out, if you don't shoot him someone more than likely will. A buck is tremendously lucky around where I live if he's alive after 3 years.

I have video's of alot of 120 to 130 class bucks that were on my farm that would be true trophy's in another year or two if they would just stay here, but, as soon as they venture off my property there's someone there waiting on them.

[Blue Duck]

I have done it both ways. I usually wait for a good buck the first half of the season and then turn to meat hunting......

[metalfisher]

I do not know how many tags you guys in other states are allowed.

Here in Arkansas, we are allowed 3 deer. I took 2 bucks last year with bow and let 7 does walk. I still have deer in the freezer.

So, this year I am going to change my hunting. I will stick the first legal deer that comes by and give it to the "Feed the need" program. The deer will be used to feed hungry people.

Then I will stick the next legal deer and give it to the land owner of my lease.

My last tag will be for that big 8 point I jumped up 40 yards from my stand last weekend or the big 12 I saw last season.

I never considered giving a deer to the "feed the need" program, that may not be the exact name of the organization, until this year. I thought about the deer I let walk and my 3rd tag, then wondered if I let someone go hungry.

If you guys have multiple tags, consider taking the first legal deer and donating it; then wait on the big boy.

Robert

[ripleyhunter]

U Can't Eat The Rack!!!!!!