Let Him Walk or Take the Shot - that is the question

[Buck154]

  I hunt for mature bucks plain and simple. 4.5 or older.. I can only eat so much venison myself as my wife don't like it. Typically I will and have to shoot a few doe for management reasons on the propertys I hunt. So plenty of venison for me and for 2 uncles that don't hunt any more.  

  Have nothing against someone taken younger deer if thats what they want to do and gets their blood pumping. Have to start somewhere. I have shot my share of small bucks when I was young. Have to learn some how. 

  I do hunt one private land, township park hunts and State Game Land. Have taken mature buck on all. Oldest was 8.5 years old.

  

[hvnj]

For me it’s simple. If the buck doesn’t get my heart rate up when it walks in front of me I don’t shoot.   I’m fortunate that I’ve had some good success over the last few years.  A buck I would have shot 3 years ago now I wouldn’t consider.   One deer will last me a year and I don’t especially enjoy the killing aspect of hunting so if my freezer is full and it I’m not feeling it that deer gets a pass.  

[jumpthestring]

If your just starting off shoot any deer you want. we all have been there in the beginning. once you get more experience you can pick and choose. i will not shoot any young bucks and i am happy to eat tag soup.. Hunting to me is all about the outdoor experience. i don't need a trophy room and have nothing to prove to anybody.

[Deerhunter]

3 hours ago, FeniQuest217 said:

I love hearing the stories and seeing the harvests, but there's always the comment hunters make that i find so intriguing - "I've let bucks walk before" . Now upon reading that you may have taken every shot you've seen but my question for this thread is to what makes you consider letting them walk if you have? Is it too high a risk a shot? is it too far? is it 'just because'?  Presently at one of my stands my friend got an 8 pointer the other day but they also saw a spike in the area. I asked him if we see the spike Monday do we take him? Be nice to let him grow a rack. He brought up a great argument - hunters in NJ don't think that way. Someone else will get him, especially on public land.  Just wanted to hear some chatter on this. 

So many feel pressure to shoot a deer that "scores" xyz. If your new to hunting and want to shoot a doe or small buck and that makes (you) happy , do it. Do not worry what others think. After you have killled  deer ,you will  eventually  start  deciding you wont something  better, that may be a bigger deer  or  a bigger buck.  Do what makes you happy.

[the truth]

I have no antler or age standards, not in NJ at least. It’s my money and my tag and I’ll burn it on whatever I want (legal of course). If it gets me going in that moment or scenario, I’ll shoot him. But I’ll only ever shoot a deer because I want to shoot it, and it makes me happy. Never cause “someone else will if I don’t”

[Roon]

Meat is meat, if you're not looking to stretch your d$&k or gap your vagina, reference from another post.

Shoot what puts food on the table.

This guy at 10 yrds walked to be shot by someone else, hit by a car or hopefully give me another chance next year.

If you don't pass them you never know what could be AND, if you pass them you never know

[Farmshine]

I think the more time you invest the more choosy you get. I bought a small piece of land 7 years ago and I started my own little version of QDM. I’ve passed on a few 8 pointers over the past few years and me my son and my dad have killed a few decent ones. For me I know right away. My blood starts pumping or it doesn’t. I can go a year without getting one. I need to shoot a certain deer to satisfy me. And I try to accomplish this on my own little slice of land. So I manage my expectations.


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[AtcoJG]

I think everyone's situation is different. It's not fair to apply private property standards to a guy who only gets to hunt a handful of days a year on state land. Honestly it's insulting to measure a persons hunting ability based on this unlevel playing field. As long as your responsible, courteous, and legal we should be accepting of fellow hunters

 

[rgw]

Not going to lie bow I pass up bucks , buck week I am not picky, if it has bone I am shooting unless I seen something bigger in the area

[Nomad]

I would shoot it. Puts you one buck closer to your 6 buck limit.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Nomad

[tcook8296]

For the last several years, I spend entire seasons hunting one or two bucks.Its bitter sweet shooting the deer Im after because if or when that happens, my season is usually over. The killing part is the part I least enjoy. 

I also strictly hunt my own land, so I try to make the ground desirable to whitetails and other wildlife. 

My wife and I enjoy the wildlife on our property and we make it the best we possibly can. 

Any animal that gets harvested on our property is one less we see in the front yard, the back yard, crossing the driveway etc. 

We enjoy seeing them alive much more walking around the property. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by tcook8296

[Eyesofthewoods]

I’m a hunter so I take my opportunities when the lord grants them.  If I don’t shoot it’s ussually not a good shot or a non legal deer.  I hunt public in NJ and PA and if I pass up a small 6 the next guy is definetly shooting it so I understand that.  As for the spikes I’ve read a lot about how that buck may never grow into a nice racked buck.  At that age they should be 4pts atleast.  Is that true?  I’m not sure , but I know in the Carolinas they take out all the spikes.  Good luck aim small miss small!

[Hitemnasty]

Shoot what you want to shoot but it’s a really bad way of thinking to shoot one because the next guy will! That’s usually a hunters excuse for killing a small buck so his peers don’t rag on him about it. Lately it isn’t really the case like it might more have been in the past(80’s and 90’s) when there was way more hunters out and not many good bucks. Thank social media and TV for more and bigger bucks running around. If it were the case “the next guy will” no buck would get past his first rack. With that mentality you’re also saying every hunter is as good or better than you because they are going to see everything you see. Fact is the majority of hunters stink! Haha
 

I hunt private and public. I spend most of my time on public because there’s bigger deer there and more room to pursue them. I see NJ Deer Classic quality deer most years, connecting with one is a different story but they’re there and it’s ok if I don’t fill my tag. I like hunting and the hunts over when the tag is filled! From the 2017 season till now I’ve punched one buck tag but have seen countless and had opportunities at handfuls of bucks. 

[archer36]

You are asking what's right or wrong. In this situation it's what's right for you. You will have some guys who tout their adherence to only hunting "mature" deer. You will have guys who shoot any deer because it's all that present themselves. Everyone's situation is different. If you hunt a poor deer area and you hold out for a "mature" buck, well you may have an empty freezer every year. If you are OK with that then it's OK. I hunt every season. I spend lots of money on equipment and weapons. I want to USE my equipment. I like to harvest deer in ALL seasons. I like (as well as my family) venison. I hunt areas where Farmers allow hunting to reduce deer damage. It would be unethical for me to only hunt "trophy" deer. Do what's legal and what makes you happy. It's no more noble (probably less) to kill a deer for antlers than for it's meat. 

Do what is good for you without guilt put on you by other hunters.  New Jersey is not a trophy State.  The contention that by passing up young deer, there will be more trophy bucks is BS. It will apply to you in your small specific area especially if it's private land. Me killing deer does not effect a guy 20, 30, 0r 100 miles away one bit. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by archer36

[OldMenRule]

My field time is sadly limited ( work, kids etc. ) as such I tend to take what comes my way. Not to say I don't have standards but compared to some I'm less likely to let something stroll away. I will however always attempt to take the best shot.