Would you shoot shed buck in this situation?

[JHbowhunter]

Read a good story and buck history on Bowsite....   Guy had many years of history chasing a big buck, at least 4 years or more.   He always found sheds. 

Fast forward to his final year, he found the sheds together, and decided to hunt the buck anyway, as it had features that would make it easily identifiable.  It was a double drop-tine buck that scored over 200".   

For me - unless I felt the deer was compromised, and less likely than not to survive another winter, I feel the buck earned the right to be left alone the minute he shed those antlers.  I would leave him alone, even knowing a good Taxi would make him "whole". 

If you had same or similar situation and it was the biggest buck of your life - would you continue to pursue him after he dropped?

[FDhunt1213]

I’d leave him be…. Just wouldn’t feel right about it 

[mike033089]

The deer is the same deer technically.  But I feel like it’s not a trophy once it’s shed. I’ve never had the opportunity to trophy hunt yet, one day but not this stage in life.  But I would let it walk.  I’ve heard of guys having taxidermist fix antlers if one broke off during the rut. But to me that’s not the same deer, it’s like plastic surgery on a woman lol. 

[Lunatic]

With sheds in hand I would take him. To me I’m outsmarting the animal, not his antlers 

[BHC]

Once confirmed the antlers dropped I wouldn't hunt that deer, in fact I would stay away...let that deer and all deer be stress free till next season 

[MGHunter66]

Id wait until the next season, if he didnt make it for some reason Id put the sheds on a pedestal as “The one that got away”

[JHbowhunter]

26 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

With sheds in hand I would take him. To me I’m outsmarting the animal, not his antlers 

while that is factually correct, it's just not the same experience to me.  Holding it together when a giant rack is approaching shooting range is part of the challenge - I surmise that when you have the antlers already in possession, it may not be the same feeling...  It's definitely an odd situation to put oneself in.   Also while he could have used his antlerless tag, he did use his buck tag to avoid any controversy

Edited October 26, 2023 by JHbowhunter

[Lunatic]

25 minutes ago, JHbowhunter said:

while that is factually correct, it's just not the same experience to me.  Holding it together when a giant rack is approaching shooting range is part of the challenge - I surmise that when you have the antlers already in possession, it may not be the same feeling...  It's definitely an odd situation to put oneself in.   Also while he could have used his antlerless tag, he did use his buck tag to avoid any controversy

There are many flavors of ice cream. 

[jumpthestring]

Could have shot a big buck, but with my luck he had a haft a rack. so I let him walk.

[Greybeard]

I'll shoot a shed buck for meat if I had no history with it.  I'm done going after a target buck when it drops a side, even if I had the shed.  It won and I'll look forward to hunting it next year.  The sheds no longer belong on the buck.

[WVAhunter08]

No way…..would never knowingly shoot a shed buck, unless he was injured and it was a mercy kill. 

[JFC1]

No way

[Yobuck293]

I wouldn’t shoot him. 

[Tuck]

Would you share the link to story?  Sounds like a good read.  I don't think I would shoot, but who knows.....

[archer36]

He did what makes HIM happy. His actions affected none of us. Why do we have to judge?

Edited October 27, 2023 by archer36