Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Which one would you shoot???

They have the area were our deer camp is so shot out that if you want to shoot a buck
then shoot the first one you see. He will most likely be the only one you see......if you
do see any bucks at all.
I prefer old cry does to eat, but they have them shot down pretty well too. With black bears,
coyotes and bob cats around the fawns have quite a gauntlet to run.
Last years buck was a 2 1/2 yr old and the chewiest I have ever taken.
Hunt on!!!!

GDub, you did not tell us that tidbit!

Yes. Drill the scrub!

That spike, if aged as you say, isn't ever likely to breed anyway - he's just eating food, with no effect on herd genetics either way.

That said, I'd shoot either one giving me first chance, but that's just me. I like to eat.

I like shooting culls, myself, regardless.

If you have low densities and trying to build the herd, or improve antler quality, let the 8 walk.

Correct!
But given a chance, if that spike was 2.5 he would go first.

Neither of them

I don't own any land to hunt on. So if I'm on public land, then I generally shoot the first available deer since I normally don't get the opportunity to be selective with a lot of choices. I'm also lucky to have several good friends who are generous enough to invite me to hunt on either their property or lease every year. At those locations as the guest, I avoid taking the prize buck so I'm often culling some of the more readily available does just to put venison in the freezer. My natural instinct is to shoot the spike since I'm more interested in the meat than the trophy. I just like the camaraderie & being in the woods...

Half the genetics are in the does and they all look the same. Shooting spikes does little to alter the population genetics. Shoot whatever deer makes you happy but don't believe that you have an effect on the future gene pool.

Personally I would shoot neither and shoot a doe to eat.

FWIW

I would shoot the 3 year old spike. We can't do that here but I would if I could.

In your situation I would shoot the spike. On the lease that I hunt on, we are allowed to shoot one six point (and it has to be a nice one) and any other Buck has to be seven or better. No opportunity to shoot anything less than a six point. We are allowed to take one doe.

I'd shoot the spike too.

That study was interesting. I wonder if the results were impacted by the size. Not enough deer harvested to have an impact based upon that large an area.

State programs have lunker share programs so trophy bass can reproduce. Big ranches buy and release breeding stock from deer farms known for antler size. Cattle ranchers pay large premiums for perceived higher quality breeding stock.

Same here.

I’d book a ticket to Montana and shoot this buck…

We are proud of you.

It looks as if only the doe is still kicking.

what caliber is the nice SAko?
Congrats on a nice Mule deer buck!

Gedub,
shoot the spike. wait on a bigger buck than that one if you can.

I will admit sometimes I can't. Ha HA