Passed on a solid one today.

[TheLBLman]

Lot of years I wouldn't have hesitated but did decide to give him a pass. Hopefully next year. When I climbed down you could smell him at the base of my tree. . . . . Fun hunt this afternoon for sure. Just need something a little bigger.

IMO, it is often a greater learning experience, more enjoyable at the moment, and more rewarding LATER, when you pass up a "nice" buck on a particular outing.

About the ONLY actual hunting strategy you can "plan" and up your odds for getting a larger antlered buck is to NOT shoot a smaller antlered buck BEFORE either a larger antlered one comes along, or the one you pass can have another year to become what you're after more.

I've personally been amazed at how often I almost shot a particular borderline buck, but didn't, then a few minutes later that better one came along.

State of mind . . . . I asked myself if I wanted to stay out till midnight tracking, gutting, dragging and eventually hauling to a processor for a deer I've killed several times before. Plus, he's got tremendous potential I thought but needs one more year.

THAT, TOO!

Also, I suspect the 2-buck limit has done much to lean many hunters thoughts towards letting more top-end young bucks walk?

When the limit was 3 or more, fewer hunters were as willing to let a "nice" buck walk (never mind they had a wall full of "nice" and similar ones)?

 

[Hookem]

Nice looking buck. Hope you see him next year

 

[Harold Money jr]

I'm glad that you took good pics of him. That's a good substitute for killing and makes the story better. You could tell people that you passed a real good buck but, here's a pic, they can see for themselves that he in fact was very nice.

 

[Bone Collector]

Lawd have mercy don't let him walk under me.

I think I would have shot him, but I know you have a good place with a lot of land, so he very well could make it until next year and will be a stud.

 

[oldmanelrod]

Went out this afternoon and with a southern wind had a good spot in mind. I call it my chinkapin spot. Sure enough fresh sign so I climbed a tree about 2pm. Bout 4 a 2.5 year old 10 pt showed up. Fed and bedded 20 yards from me for about 15 minutes then got up and walked away. Spindly and no mass but maybe good in a few years.

About 6pm here comes a bigger deer. Walking straight to me I could see he was outside the ears and more mass. Good body size. I'm thinking a 3.5 year old. Lot of years I wouldn't have hesitated but did decide to give him a pass. Hopefully next year. When I climbed down you could smell him at the base of my tree. He had walked right up to it and sniffed a little then went back to munching acorns. He's stnking already. Fun hunt this afternoon for sure. Just need something a little bigger.

View attachment 116037

Hope you get to see him next year.

 

[TheLBLman]

Another aspect to letting a "nice" buck walk:

Let's say another hunter kills "the" buck you let walk.

You may still have saved the life of "a" buck (maybe many bucks)
because of several reasons including . . . . . .

1) That "other" hunter simply killed the one you passed INSTEAD of a different buck;

2) That "other" hunter may hunt less or quit for the year after his killing "any" buck;

3) That "other" hunter may now raise his standards regarding a "shooter" buck ongoing.

4) Best of all, maybe other hunters in your group, or neighbors on the adjoining property, may also be incentivized to pass up more young bucks because they believe they are more likely to survive, as more and more hunters are giving those young bucks a pass.

Meanwhile, if our attitude is "if I don't shoot him the neighbor will", then we ourselves are as much the problem (in not growing more older top-end bucks), as maybe that's why the neighbors feel the same way about us?

My rule of thumb is to expect @ half the bucks I let walk to be killed by other hunters before the season ends, which is a far better survival rate than if they are not allowed to walk by the 1st hunter who has an opportunity at them.

Take what makes you happiest, but realize there can be as much or more satisfaction in letting one walk as in not. Especially the case when either you or a friend gets that buck a year later. Especially the case when an older, larger antlered buck comes along behind the one you just passed.

Happiness is having something for which to look forward.
Every buck you pass continues giving you more for which to look forward.

 

[Mike Belt]

You win! You don't shoot them any bigger or older if you shoot them whenever you see them before they get there. Good deal!

 

[Headhunter]

let this one walk a couple years ago. That year I passed on 11 bucks over 130" and 8 of them were killed.

 

[Dbllunger]

let this one walk a couple years ago. That year I passed on 11 bucks over 130" and 8 of them were killed.

Definitely a nice one there! Tough to let em walk but it's what I wanted at the time.

ps Where you by any chance in Sportsmans Wharehouse last Thursday? Early afternoon. I was there looking for some shoes and thought I saw a guy walk by that looked like you based on memory from some fishing pics in the past. Didn't want to walk up to a complete stranger and ask if he was a Headhunter. lol

 

[Headhunter]

I wasn't there last Thursday. I was today at lunch.

 

[mossyoakmantn]

You won the battle, very successful hunt

I judge the success of my hunt by the wildlife I see and not what I shoot. Good job on holding out. That's true discipline

 

[Headhunter]

Definitely a nice one there! Tough to let em walk but it's what I wanted at the time.

ps Where you by any chance in Sportsmans Wharehouse last Thursday? Early afternoon. I was there looking for some shoes and thought I saw a guy walk by that looked like you based on memory from some fishing pics in the past. Didn't want to walk up to a complete stranger and ask if he was a Headhunter. lol

And bummer, would have liked to have "stolen" some rockfishing spots from you. I talk to Randy all the time in there, he is a great guy and now Sam is in the hunting/gun area. Finally someone there who has a clue. Several good people, helpful, work there for sure though.

 

[DeerCamp]

When you realize you have already won the battle by getting within bow range of this hoss, you don't have to pull the trigger to feel good about it.

If you see him again next year and get a shot, it was the right decision.
If you never see him again after this year, it was still the right decision (for you).