Deer were on their feet this morning with the cold front that's came through. Right after daylight I had 2 bucks come up the ridge by me and work a scrape on the edge of the woods. I seen deer pretty much all morning. Ended up seeing 12 total. 5 bucks, 7 does.
At 9:02 I spotted a doe coming up the ridge. Followed behind her was another deer and I could tell it was a bigger buck than I'd seen all morning. I couldn't move much because the doe was right under me and he was slowly making his way behind her so I couldn't get the binoculars up to check him out. He made it right to me and stopped feeding on acorns under me and I realized what buck it was. It's a buck I said I'd shoot if given the opportunity. He's identical as last year and hasn't gained anything. I believe him to be 5.5.
But in the moment I decided to hold off and watch him go off the side of the ridge out of sight. It's early in the season and I have 1 bigger deer on camera and although I would've been happy with him I would've had some regret too. I've thought about it all day and not once have I thought "dang I should've shot that deer". Come end of Nov or Dec if given the chance again I might not pass him since he's a mature deer.
The 1 buck limit saved his life, because if I had 2 tags I would have shot or shot at him.
I sat there for another 30 mins shaking like a leaf from getting that experience.
This is him in velvet. Obviously he's out of velvet now so a little smaller than the pic but a great deer nonetheless.
At 9:02 I spotted a doe coming up the ridge. Followed behind her was another deer and I could tell it was a bigger buck than I'd seen all morning. I couldn't move much because the doe was right under me and he was slowly making his way behind her so I couldn't get the binoculars up to check him out. He made it right to me and stopped feeding on acorns under me and I realized what buck it was. It's a buck I said I'd shoot if given the opportunity. He's identical as last year and hasn't gained anything. I believe him to be 5.5.
But in the moment I decided to hold off and watch him go off the side of the ridge out of sight. It's early in the season and I have 1 bigger deer on camera and although I would've been happy with him I would've had some regret too. I've thought about it all day and not once have I thought "dang I should've shot that deer". Come end of Nov or Dec if given the chance again I might not pass him since he's a mature deer.
The 1 buck limit saved his life, because if I had 2 tags I would have shot or shot at him.
I sat there for another 30 mins shaking like a leaf from getting that experience.
This is him in velvet. Obviously he's out of velvet now so a little smaller than the pic but a great deer nonetheless.
- a deer 5.5 of that caliber, I'm shooting
