Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting take him or not?

I agree with Rost; rather have a bunch of does.

Not much thinking involved for these guys. The top one may not be that wide, 20 inches inside? He will score well thou nice deep forks, mass and long G2s. Thats a nice buck.

Both nice bucks!

In Colorado you get either one doe tag or one buck tag. So shooting a doe instead is not an option nor is shooting a bunch of does. If you have a buck tag then either you shoot a buck or have tag soup for the winter.

That is the "reddest" mulie I've ever seen.

To the original question, the buck's a dink.

There are other reasons to shoot. Some of us like heads on the wall, tanned hides, hatracks and so on... its not just about the food for some. But for some it is.

As to only a buck or doe tag- that can make some difference.

I"m limited in CO much the same way for elk. I could draw more but can afford only one trip, and generally I apply for a cow elk tag. All the while acruing points for a better bull tag. Same with mule deer, acruing points. So if I was after meat, I'd be getting antlerless tags for sure. Odds are much higher plus you can't eat the antlers so what are you doing with a buck tag to start with. You have no business shooting bucks, IMHO, if you are a meat hunter.

Jeff

Just me but I don't consider horn hunting or any other trophy hunting valid reasons to kill an animal. So for my purposes I'll just kill whats legal and make sure it gets used. If it happens to have nice horns I'll mount em, otherwise I collect them, date them and visit them occasionally to remember the hunt. They all are special. To me.

That's a shooter. BMT

+1

BMR

He will make a nice mount

Wildlife
Don't take this wrong, we are on the same page, my point is why shoot antlers if you are not going to use them? Make something of them etc..... Leave them for the next guy that might actually mount him/her etc....

I say this - I have a doe mounted shot with a bow that means more to me than my largest buck. It was with memories. This way I get to relive that every time I walk through the den. Same with a caribou, far from the best I saw, but he is on the wall and was special for the circumstances.

So I don't feel that "trophy" hunting is as bad as folks seem to make it. I utilize every bit of meat regardless doe or wall hanger. I look for a big one, but am happy to shoot does all year, and let the little bucks grow.

Room for all of us I suspect. Even the folks on a lease that shot the first 4 deer they saw that were legal. Fawns, nubbin bucks and all. It aggravated me to no end but what could I do. I thought hunting deemed more respect than just a meat slaughter...

Jeff

It's a deer and they keep making more of them. I would put the first one on the wall and in the freezer.

I can't/won't mount every deer I shoot. Killed 4 Sitka's last year, 2 or which I would think 99% of folks that would come to AK to hunt them would mount, I ain't.

If I'm even considering shooting him, shooting a doe instead wouldn't work - the license in my pocket would be wrong.

There have been many years I'd have been quite happy to shoot him and would have - and I'm sure there will be more. I don't spend much time deer hunting - for the most part they are simply an opportunity taken while elk hunting.

Ka-boom! (Now let's get him to the processor and focus on elk!)

I wouldn't pause or question about dropping the first one.

Coyote: I know, I know! I been with you Colorado guys before. Don't give a crap about mule deer....wanna go get those ELK..... and the sooner the better. get those mulies outa the way! Crack me up!!!!

Jeff: Good post, and it really is different things to different people. Ilove to trophy hunt but I LOVE venison, so I'm pretty happy either looking at the wall, or sitting at the table. And the more work you went through to get them, either meat or horns, the more you appreciate them.

Steelhead- its all different to different folks. In your shoes I'd probably be about the same. My thing is if I shoot a buck, its going on the wall or its a cull that needs shooting. If not(and I have the available tags etc.... that many do not) I won't even think about a buck, the meat will all be does.
I relate it to our cattle somewhat, I don't shoot all the young bulls if I want them to be breeders.....in the meantime I can take a cow or heifer to butcher if I need to. And I won't let a runt or inferior bull or cow screw up the herd.
In the meantime I love taking photos of the younger bucks or video taping them. Floats my boat, may sink others...

Jeff

I'd have to shoot him. No mulies in these parts so that looks plenty big to me.

I would have to agree with the others that it�s all a matter of perspective. Since all I�ve hunted is mulies with the exception of a few blacktails and a few island deer I would have to pass him up. On the other hand since my wife has never shot a mule deer I could guarantee you she wouldn�t hesitate and it would end up on the wall.

See,in Alabama we can shoot both a buck and doe per day,soooo i'd have a big skinning job.yeah i'd pop him and her.