Questions

[_X7]

[Turkeyboy44]

Privet land no to young and just not something I am looking for. State pine land deer he's dead if I don't take him clubs get him 6 day

[Ms Grit]

No, I wouldn't.  I am both a meat and a trophy hunter.  I have enough meat for now and would prefer to shoot a doe when my freezer needs filling.  I would like to see the bucks in NJ have the opportunity to reach their potential and I have reached a stage in my hunting where I do not feel it necessary to shoot a buck just to shoot a buck.  Now that is ME.  For others, he would be a great buck and I would congratulate anyone who did shoot him.

[MGHunter66]

Would I?....No   Why not?,,, Been there, done that...when I was young. To someone young or old that hasn't taken a buck yet...sure. 

[Rusty]

At this point in my life I would not shoot him, but there was a time that I would have shot him without hesitation. 

[tcook8296]

My bow doesn't even come off the hook. I don't even have to think about it 

[PV216]

I wouldn't shoot him. I try and shoot 2 deer a year. I'll only shoot a buck if I'm going to mount him (euro or shoulder). When I see a buck I wanna shoot, my heart starts pounding and I start shaking. It doesn't have to be a 130 inch deer. Sometimes it's a 110 inch deer. It's just a feeling I get if that makes sense. If he was my only choice, I'd rather shoot a doe for some meat.

[Tarhunt]

No. I would pass on him. I have been deer hunting for 38 years now and I'd rather see someone's kid shoot it than me. My youngest son would definitely pass on him but, my oldest may not. He's only shot just a handful of deer.

[Rusty]

 I'd rather see someone's kid shoot it. 

 

Ditto.

 

The last few years I have gotten more enjoyment seeing someone else shoot a deer than shooting one myself. 

[Axiom]

maybe, maybe not...  Just depends on my reason for hunting that day... If im buck hunting prolly not, if im meat hunting, he's dead...

[LittleM]

Depends on the kind of season I am having and the time I have available to spend on hunting.  Some years, no.  Some years, yes.

[Heavyopp]

Early in the season this year -- No -- Freezer was still full from last year 

 

Today,  Yes -- freezer is getting empty -- deer sighting with deer in range are down -

 

 If that deer gave me a shot I would take it -- there is no recipe for antler

 

My son would definitely shoot that deer  -- Any day -- if given the chance

[not on the rug]

I've been struggling with this stuff lately. Reason #1 for why I hunt is to fill my freezer. Reason #2 is to tag a nice buck. For the past 3 seasons, I've shot a doe nice and early and then turned my attention to some nice antlers, letting countless doe and small bucks pass, but never getting a "shooter" in shooting range. Suddenly it's late season, and now you're dealing with the does being pregnant. Well, if you shoot a pregnant doe, not only are you having to look at a deer fetus while you're gutting it, but you're removing 2 deer from the herd. So I've continued to not shoot late-season does. Low and behold, I've only take 1 doe for each of the past 3 season and run out of venison far too quickly. At this point in time, I'd probably shoot that guy. There is a mature huge-bodied, small racked 6 pointer that I've seen 5-6 times this season who I'm pretty sure is going to eat an arrow the next time he comes within shooting range. Maybe...

[_X7]

Thanks for all the honest answers. Keep them coming.

[Glasswater Outdoors]

As I get older I have really lost the desire to kill deer period. I make every excuse to not pull the trigger or hit the release............ Too far of a drag, not big enough, too warm, too late, blah blah blah.  It isn't that I have lost my desire to hunt but I have lost my desire to kill. I am sure that sounds crazy to most of you but it is what it is. I think being fortunate enough to be able to harvest deer at will in my youth and being raised on farmers permits and shooting deer year round has something to do with it. This year with my 17 year old daughter getting her license and the fact she has really been excited has relight the fire in me. I would absolutely give her the go ahead to shoot him. I recently dusted off the stick bow and that has also kinda reignited the passion for me. Several years ago I had a monster buck step out in front of me in Pennsylvania. ( monster by pa mountain deer standards being a 149 class buck). The deer came out I saw him. Put the cross hairs on the shoulder pulled the trigger and sent him into a pile. As I sat there looking at him from the stand I realized something was different. My hands and knees weren't trembling uncontrollably. I wasn't covered in a cold sweat. My heartbeat was slow and normal. I had 0 signs of buck fever. That was the sign that the thrill was gone.  I am hoping that is all gonna come back as I share the stand with my daughter this year and watch her grow into a hunter. So back to the original question. 20 years ago........Dead, Today I wouldn't even pick the gun or bow up. Has anyone else experienced what I feel?