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Let him walk

ZachMarkus said:
Make no mistake inches of antler isn't what saved this deer. I mean he is going to score less than what I thought originally but I didn't shoot him because the last few years I've been trying to only shoot older bucks and I really think he's a 3.5 year old deer.
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I've had to force myself to totally stop hunting deer like this. I too am trying not to shoot anything younger than 4.5, but no chance I could make myself pass that much bone with a bow in my hand, regardless of his age. I just haven't killed enough deer that size yet to pass one.
 
bowhunterfanatic said:
I've had to force myself to totally stop hunting deer like this. I too am trying not to shoot anything younger than 4.5, but no chance I could make myself pass that much bone with a bow in my hand, regardless of his age. I just haven't killed enough deer that size yet to pass one.
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Nothing wrong with that sentiment. Every hunter has his/her own journey unique to them. I've hunted antlers a long time and have always been careful to not set red line strict standards for myself. It's too circumstantial. Older bucks are my thing because they're challenging and they generally have the biggest racks. Where I'm hunting plays a huge role in what I hunt. If I'm hunting my place in southern Ohio that I own & manage for my ability to kill big bucks, then I am very selective. I know from history what lurks, what my odds are of encountering a big one, and I've only got one tag so I have to make it count. Unless I was comfortable that buck was 5+ I'd let him walk, even though a 130"+ 8pt is a stud anywhere regardless of age.

However, here in TN is a different story. I've lived & hunted here for 9yrs and have yet to see on hoof or cam a 130's class buck of any age. I've killed several 5yr+ bucks and the biggest one was low 120's. If I saw a 130's 8pt in bow range he'd be dead and I wouldn't be concerned about age because the deer is an anomoly that given my history with the area know there's a probability I'd never see one like it again. And with two tags it leaves the possibility that I may see an older buck I want to hunt. On a permission farm where I have no cotrol, the decision would be that much easier. Is it high grading if he's young? Of course it is. But it's my tag my decision and special circumstances call for special decisions. Normally I won't shoot a 3.5yr old. But in that buck's case given the circumstances I wouldn't hesitate. This year my target is a 5yr+ 10pt that even though is the biggest deer on the farm, I wouldn't be surprised if he falls short of 120". Perspective and situational awareness matter, IMO. It's for each hunter to decide for themselves.
 
ZachMarkus said:
Make no mistake inches of antler isn't what saved this deer. I mean he is going to score less than what I thought originally but I didn't shoot him because the last few years I've been trying to only shoot older bucks and I really think he's a 3.5 year old deer.
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👍🏻. That's what I'm trying to do. I run cameras all the time and really study every deer before I shoot. Sometimes I take too long and they're gone, that's ok. The last 3 bucks I've killed were 5.5, 6.5, and 5.5.
 
ZachMarkus said:
View attachment 197488View attachment 197480Hunted this deer on the velvet hunt and never saw him. I stopped getting pictures of him, moved cameras around and couldn't find him. New property so I didn't have a lot to go on. I found a white oak and persimmon tree dropping on the edge of a small clearing in the woods. The clearing was grown up with thick weeds so I sprayed it 2 weeks ago and broke it up and planted it last week. I put a cell cam on it when I planted it but we haven't had any rain so it hasn't sprouted yet but there are acorns and persimmons all over the ground. I got pics of him in the plot the day after I planted, I made my 5th sit on him today and finally saw him. I may have messed up but he didn't look hardly as big as he did on camera and I didn't have long to make a decision so I let him go, really nice buck for the area I'm hunting but he looked like a 3.5 year old on the hoof and 125"-128". Maybe I'll see him again and get a better look but for now I don't regret my decision.
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I always feel wierd saying "great job" on passing a buck, because you definitely should have shot it IF you wanted and it would have been the right decision.

But great job on sticking to your management plans!
 
BSK said:
Different standards for different properties and hunters.
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Makes sense.
There is no one size fits all, and
our views change over time.

For me, the only bucks I want to pursue are those at least 5 1/2 yrs old, and with a rack I'd likely find worthy of a shoulder mount.

So long as there is reasonable possibility of seeing such a buck where I'm hunting, I'm very happy with my personal standard, and am not imposing it on anyone else.

I no longer really care much when, like last year, I go "buck-less".
Totally content in the pursuit of what I'm after, and take plenty of doe for the venison.

I believe it is somewhat a paradigm shift in one's mind, as at some point, many hunters find they truly ENJOY passing up the best young, then the best middle-aged bucks. Maybe it's enjoying the hunting more than the killing.

Maybe I'm just getting lazy & tired of dragging deer out. But I truly do enjoy the hunting as much, or more, now as ever, including when I killed truck loads of deer annually. Today, two or three a year is enough, and they may all be does.

Enjoy the journey
 

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I also think he's likely 4.5 and somewhere between 130-135" based on the angles in the pics. Again, there's no right or wrong answer and probably the right one for you if you hesitated. For me in my area, I would have sent it. Lol…..
 
TheLBLman said:
Tough call for me on his age.
I can definitely say 3 1/2 or older,
but he's very likely 4 1/2.

But so what?
He wasn't exactly up to your standards, but he will be in another year.
In the meantime, pursue another and enjoy the journey.
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Well he could have been up to my standards but in the 30 seconds I had to judge him my first impression was 3.5 and smaller rack wise than what I originally thought and in that moment I had to either draw back and shoot him or let him go. Maybe I'll see him again and things will turn out differently, maybe not.
 

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