From: arlone
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Many years only allowed one deer, so let early ones go waiting for that "big buck". Sometimes I waited too long and ate tag soup that year. Good luck with "the boys"!
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From: Longbow58
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Yes I've been there. Good luck
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From: Jon Stewart
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Every deer last year. I let a lot of them go hoping the grand kids get a poke at them. And I had some with in five yards while ground hunting BUT this year I am going after them.
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From: grizzley21
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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nothing wrong in letting a deer walk by.. you still have a whole deer season to hunt, so enjoy it and have fun..
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From: Dry Bones
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Agreed with above, pretty cool what you get to see when you start letting them walk. I take a lot of pictures of bucks each season. I mostly like to put a few deer in the freezer so no sense in taking a nice buck that someone may really be hunting for. If I get a chance at an old buck I would not pass the opportunity however. But the young and prime guys I usually let go.
-Bones
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From: bigdog21
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Let a lot of them walk, sometimes i am just not in the mood to drag one out. sometime they have fawns with them so they walk besides what would i do the rest of the season.
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From: milehi101
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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It was the first evening of the season and I was in the Mountains south of Denver and had a blind made form a few limbs off a pine tree. It was probably 30-45 minutes before dusk and I hear something coming. It is just beyond the bend in the trail about 15 yard s away and this little doe comes into sight. I draw my bow and take aim and I am looking at her and thinking this is the first day and to soon to end my season and she is really small. I hollered boo and she spun around and hit her head on a tree by the side of the trail and went down. I thought oh no she killed her self when she hit her head on the tree. I let down and slowly approached her and could tell she was breathing and probably had knocked herself out. I waited a few minutes and she starts to come around. I back off so not to cause the problem again and watch her. After a short time she gets up kind of wobbly but looks ok. She looks around and starts to slowly walk away in the direction she came from. I was relieved. Never tried to shoot a doe again.
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From: 4nolz@work
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Rarely usually associated with logistics.
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From: Barber
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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I let more walk then I shoot . I rarely have a hunting trip that I didn't have a deer in range. I like watching them as much a shooting them.
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From: David McLendon
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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The longer that you hunt, the more your attitude and behavior will evolve.
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From: Rick Barbee
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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I used to think I had to kill everything I saw.
As I've gotten older, I find myself mesmerized by just watching the animals
If the mood strike me I let an arrow fly. If not, I just thank the Good Lord I got to be there. :-)
Rick
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From: GlassPowered Hoosier
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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X2 Rick
I wasn't too into killing them. Its fun whenever I do but there's something more than just the killing. It killing was it I'd kill a deer every season no sweat and would have never had used a bow, let alone recurves or caplocks open sights.
My first kill, my first bowkill, and my first muzzleloader kill. Those feel like the only times where the kill was for killing a deer. Anymore I'm too pickly and wil only shoot does too old to make a good mother or a good mature buck 3 or 4 years old. Don't be mistaken the kill is for the kill on them too but my other ones feel almost empty, partially why I only hunt with traditional archery and don't even use my caplock. But my hunting is done on my own property where you see these deer every so often and know the potential of the animals living there.
Hunting on public land I'd be killing whatever moves and is worth packing a freezer. But have never done public land, but I may in the upcoming years. Would like to start hunting with muzzleloader more but I like using a recurve on the farm too much. Messing with another deer community or big game species would push me right on of my management soapbox.
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From: GLF
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Remember where those does were. Come rut thats where the breeding bucks will be.
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From: Desperado
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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I never, ever, ever kill a doe. They are the future of the herd. I get as many doe tags as I can and throw them out. Last year I had 3 tags. While hunting on our property I saw 2 huge doe many times at my stands and just watched them. My buddies continually said man you should shoot those doe....I refused. This spring those 2 doe had 5 fawns..(one had triplets and the other had twins)...Three of those fawns are button bucks. If I had killed those 2 doe last year I would have killed 7 deer for this year. Can't have the bucks if you kill the doe !!
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From: Barber
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Date: 17-Sep-17 |
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Here in Tennessee we have so many does you have to take some. The Bucks around here don't have to hunt for the does. Its very common to see 30-40 does in one afternoon. Our doe limit is 3 does a day the whole intire season. I usually shoot 3 or 4 deer a season, no more than I'm going to eat .
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From: Iwander
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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second all the time
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From: bowhunt
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I would say the vasty majority of deer I have had in bow range I let walk.
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From: ground hunter
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I let a lot of deer walk,,,,,, but I do need meat, but for does, I want younger ones, prior to winter, closer to a road, ha ha
I never get tired of watching them,,,,, I am a so so hunter, just have a lot of time to hunt
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From: ny yankee
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Yes, several times. To me, hunting is not about the kill, although I will take a shot if the situation is "right". It's about the experience. I'm happy just to have an encounter with game and I have let does and bucks walk because they were too young or had fawns. I'm as impressed with antlers as anyone but I'm not out there for antlers. I want a full grown adult for the freezer and that creates a certain set of conditions that don't happen very often for me. Im pretty fussy about when the "green light" comes on.
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From: Babysaph
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I let a lot of them walk unless it's a buck on my hit list or a management buck
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From: Ollie
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I let deer walk all the time for a variety of reasons. Always a good feeling.
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From: Stick in TN
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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It happened to me for the first time last year. Now I'm normally the guy that shoots em as God sends em. They all taste the same...... Last year I let two does walk by while I held my bow in hand. After they left I really wondered what I was doing out there. I ate the next one that walked by.
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From: nomo
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Just as much fun for me to watch them. I only take one for the freezer.
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From: bfisherman11
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I usually let all does an for sure fawns walk. In my area of WI we had some very intensive earn a buck rules that really reduced the deer #s. It is coming back slowly. I have enjoyed over the last few years watching several does living on my place raising fawns. One older doe has had twins at least 4yrs in a row. This year she only has one but another doe has a set of twins. All the fawns but one have lost their spots. The one with spots only has a couple left.
When I first got in to bowhunting I would shoot any deer. As I've gotten older and have more kills under my belt, it is quality (more mature) over qty that I want.
Last year during the rut the biggest deer I saw was a 3x2 1.5yr old deer. I probably passed 4-5, 1.5yr old bucks last year.
Years ago we had more larger bucks in my area, there are some still but now they don't seem to come through my place until the rut. Keeping does on my place seems my only option since my place is only 38acres.
I use trail cams to keep tabs on the herd so I don't pressure too much. I hunted on Saturday but it was a south wind and HOT. I never saw a deer.
I do enjoy seeing deer and choosing what I kill. All that is a part of what I enjoy.
Bill
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From: bigdaddy
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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X2 Rick, I like watching as much as shooting.
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From: PEARL DRUMS
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Done it for years now. I could tag out in two weeks every season if killing was still my game. I have been at stage 5 of a hunter for several years and am settled in nicely. I don't care of my freezer has venison in it or not. Lets face it, 30# of venison doesn't make or break our winter larder.
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From: Viper
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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FM, et al -
I decided that over 30 years ago and haven't looked back.
Viper out.
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From: T4halo
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Did last night. Was carrying an old Pearson Stallion and got to within 20 yds of a small doe. It was fun to be that close and watch her wonder away.
T4
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From: nrthernrebel05
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I let many more walk then I shoot at. Not to picky with the first one (meat deer) but get more selective after that. I don't shoot a lesser buck if I have been lucky enough to get one.
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Funny thing.... Probably doesn't happen to those who are better Hunters than I am, but it always seems as though if you're only allowed one tag in a year, you are pretty likely to get only one shot a year. So sometimes you take what you can get.
But now that I think about it… I guess I "passed" my first animal just the following year after I got my first kill. Just never quite got the shot I wanted at the animal that I wanted, so I was able to let that go.
And really…
In a way, the worst hunt I ever had was the year that I got an elk: I had a cow tag, I had a good shot, and I took it. Season over at noon on the opening day, and then I had about a week and a half of time to kill before my flight home. Should have let my brother take that shot and hunted the rest of the week.
Sometimes, hunting is just too darn much fun to let it be over too quickly!
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From: JusPassin
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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LOL, every year, all the time. I am always amazed when I hear guys talking about not seeing or getting shots. I feel bad they have so few deer around them, or do they?????
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From: dean
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I am a turkey/small game hunter the first two weeks of the season, even when I have doe tags. I could have shot at a nice one on the first day out two years in a row, but I passed. I saw more turkeys this year and the pheasant numbers are up. I may take that shot at a buck earlier this year.
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From: Backcountry
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Sign of a mature hunter. You don't have to kill everything you see.
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From: Widow sax
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I do it all the time I'm a horn hunter at hart. Now and then I will kill one for meat but most of time I just watch them and let them walk. Now and then I will go bang your dead under my breath. Widow
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From: RymanCat
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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YES PLENTY OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS AND CRITTER IN MY CARRIER FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND IN LAST 5 YEARS SEEMS A WHOLE LOT ANYMORE.
JUST DIDN'T FEEL UP TO IT.
BUT NEVER A BIG BUCK.
MANY DOES WALK IN AND WALK OUT AND LITTLE BUCKS.
IN 6 SITS ALREADY PASSED ON MINIMAL 6 ANIMALS DOES AND SMALL BUCKS. SHOT 2 DOES OPENING MORNING THEN SAT FOR BUCKS HAD MY EAB TAG AND PASSED ON SMALL 8 AND SMALLER 7 PT. IF ITS NOT AT LEAST 18 INCH WIDE AND AN 8 PT WITH GOOD POINTS HE'S GETTING ALLOWED TO LIVE.
I JUST DON'T NEED THE WORK OR THE SMALL BONES. I HAVE SET MY LEVEL.
I USED TO HAVE TO KILL EVERYTHING AND NOW I GOT OLD AND BROKE DOWN SO IF ITS NOT A GOOD SHOT EITHER I AM NOT TALKING CHANCES LIKE I HAVE OVER THE YEARS.LOL
TO ME JUST NOT WORTH IT.
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From: TGbow
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Never have. I guess if I get to that point I will take up bird watching.
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From: shade mt
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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If I already have meat in the freezer I often let deer go.
If I haven't filled any tags yet, I almost never let them go, unless their small.
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From: DarrinG
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Our archery season has been open for 10 days now and I have let 8 adult deer walk by at 12 yards being the farthest, a couple at 5 yards. I'm picky about what deer I take off my property and also picky about my shot placement. It will happen soon enough.
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From: RymanCat
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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Here's another thing everyone should have buck spots and doe spots. You shoot the does at your doe spots where there's plenty and you leave the does alone at your buck spots.
What a way to ruin a good buck spot by shooting your does that's going to come in estrus. And stink up your woods in the process with a lot of scent. You should be able to restrain yourselves as you mature experience teachs us these things. If you don't learn these things but or you don't have anyone to teach you then you won't understand it.
Just like a deer knows his herd so should we with the animals we target to take out and when and when not to.
Its an art just like tracking. When you been on enough animals and arrowed then you can be more selective.
Guys with less experience stop the got to get him attitude and you will be better off for it.
You shoot a doe when a buck is coming in unless you need the doe for a tag or meat and it can screw you up.
Just suggestions.
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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A "small one" at #205..... Now THAT is funny!
Oddly enough, though..... One day I saw a buck coming my way; quick check with the binocs showed a fairly long, 2-pointed beam on one side. I'd been thinking I was going to hold out for a "personal best" but time was short, so.... Screw it. That sucker stops in that opening, he's freezer ballast.
Biggest deer I've ever shot. Body size, rack - either way. Doesn't score the best because he's 2X4. Don't care. Lotta meat on that one.
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From: dean
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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On one of our places is a giant perfectly proportioned doe with a very ong legged fawn. There is also a medium size doe with two spotted fawns about the size of a springer spaniel, I will not want to see her come to any harm either. I will be shooting at coyotes this year
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From: Buglmin
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Date: 18-Sep-17 |
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I've been chasin some monster mulies in Colorado, having a tough time closing the distance. I've been within 60 yards of them several times, just run outa cover. They're huge, high, wide, still golden velvet. Two big four points pushin over 180", the big three point over 34" wide... That said, bulls have been bugling every day, last Friday I let a good five point walk away from me. Had him broadside three steps away, longbow drawn 1/2 way back, bull finally turning to look at me beside the stump. Had a hard time not hitting full draw, but I just didn't want to kill him. Where we were at, it'd of taken me two days to get him out because of all the deadfalls. But I had him, knew it, just didn't want to kill an elk. He wasn't the animal I want... Labor Day morning, my nephew seen the caliber of bucks I'm after, had one of the big four points 30 some yards below me, but all I could see was the top six inches of his back, and I didn't think my arrow would drop into the chest cavity if it cleared the rocks. In the past twelve days, I've passed several smaller four points and three points, two of the bucks solid 145". I've had the time of my life, sittin 60 yards from this group of bucks, watching them, studying them, praying that sooner or lately one will drop down into the timber where I'm waiting...
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From: tso115
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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I've let several go, for the reasons stated above. I won't shoot does with fawns, button bucks (I've taken two during firearm by mistake) and will let spikes go during bow and firearm. If I get to December muzzleloader season (Michigan) and still don't have a deer, then I take the first adult deer that comes in just to have some meat for the year.
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From: Trooper
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Yes, not only does but young bucks too! I'm trying to get back in the "Kill" mode. Hadn't had venison in 2 yrs!!!
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From: Stickbow Felty
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Yes, for the last 14 years. But I still go out every chance I get. I pass on doe's and bucks every year. Come October 1st I will be back out again.
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From: GF
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Of course, if you see a doe with two buttons in tow, you can choose: do you want that doe to run those young bucks out of her territory, where they will face the highest mortality period of their lives, or do you bump off the doe so those youngsters can remain in the safety of their natal territory while they acquire the necessary additional survival skills? They'll have to do it without their dam either way, but their odds of making it are a lot better if they don't have to leave home.
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From: Backcountry
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Seems like we target the best breeding stock to kill, deer and elk, unfortunately.
The large matriarchal cow elk are the ones that ensure the herd's survival. I've violated this myself in the past.
I've also had the opportunity to pass on a cow elk with a calf tagging behind. And I don't regret that I did.
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From: dean
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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One beautiful day last year, I was feeling pretty good and decided, nothing dies today. I took a few stump shots on my to a rare clear flowing stream,(at least for this area) and watched the day pass by. I watched the pheasant patterns, saw deer here and there from my wide vista, watched the eagles feed their young, and watched nice big walleyes swimming in that small stream. Fall Walleyes will go into small clear streams from the dingy muddy main river to feed on the millions of minnows that live in the clean water. While the walleyes were chasing the chubs and minnows, a blue heron came in and let the walleyes herd them right to him.
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From: indianalongbowshoote
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Do it every year, I usually pass up quite a few before I kill 2-3.. don't have to kill every deer I see anymore..this year I may even fish more then I deer hunt as I still have a bunch of deer left over, if I do it will be the `1st time in 27 yrs that I have.
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From: John Horvers
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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I live in Northern California . Out here it's spot and stalk and pulling that off, getting in close enough for a shot is the hunt for me these days.
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From: Carpdaddy
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Date: 19-Sep-17 |
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Yes and no. I like to shoot them with my phone camera sometimes. Last year my wife said she didn't want to see any more pictures, she said you can't eat them!
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From: stykman
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Date: 20-Sep-17 |
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Had a six point come to my stand this morning and actually sniff the ladder. Never knew I was there. Never spooked. Let him pass. Waiting for his daddy to show up. Still early season with plenty of time stand time to come as I'm retired. Of course, daddy might not cooperate but that's always possible. Fortunately for us New Jerseyans, there are multiple tags - archery, muzzleloader, shotgun, winter bow. Feel sorry for you guys who are "one and done".
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From: Red Beastmaster
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Date: 21-Sep-17 |
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Nope. Shot opportunities can be years apart here. Don't ever pass one up.
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From: Sailor
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Date: 21-Sep-17 |
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Where I live it is bucks only if you are lucky enough to draw a tag and then it can be years between shot opportunities. I hunted 18 days last year and saw one fork horn buck at a distance.
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From: GF
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Date: 21-Sep-17 |
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".... it is bucks only [and even then, only] if you are lucky enough to draw a tag ...."
I think a LOT of guys should paste that on their bathroom mirror so they could think about THAT one every day.
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From: Dogman
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Date: 24-Sep-17 |
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The older I get the less I kill. Two young does will keep me in meat for a year and I've lost interest in antlers. I mostly enjoy a good book and watching deer.
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From: Fiero Furry
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Date: 24-Sep-17 |
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I let the Old Timers walk and doe's with yearlings still on the milk, other than that I look for the one with the biggest "football roast" on 'em.
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From: woodsman
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Date: 24-Sep-17 |
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I still want to... and I still do.. when it suits me.
But..Over the years I find that I no longer have to....
Chris
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From: GF
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Date: 24-Sep-17 |
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Still and all...
This conversation sure beats the hell outta the one on the main page about spotted fawns!!!
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From: HALFCAWKT
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Date: 24-Sep-17 |
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I let the biggest buck I've ever seen walk. Had him in my sights, and decided he had lived this long, so had earned the right to go on longer. Half the county was after him for three seasons. Nobody ever got him. I would have at least made the sports section, if not the main front page, if someone had tagged him. I was 14 at the time, I'm forty now and don't regret it a bit. His healthy descendants populate those hills to this day.
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From: shade mt
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Date: 25-Sep-17 |
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came home from work one evening during archery season there was 3 doe in the back yard, could have easily shot one out the upstairs window. I border thousands of acres of state forest.
I have no interest in shooting one within sight of the house, There are deer right behind the house in the woods often, but I'd have to be deathly ill before I'd hunt there.
So if they are close or within sight of my house they are safe.
neighbors hunt there, I'm just not interested.
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From: spike78
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Date: 25-Sep-17 |
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Here in MA with about 10 dpsm My game plan every year is shoot the first for the freezer then nothing but a nice buck. After all these years that game plan never happened as I was lucky enough just to tag one deer if that. With the deer population here I would much rather shoot a spike or four point then a doe.
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From: Stix
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Date: 25-Sep-17 |
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All the time. The kill is actually the least favorite part of the hunt to me. In fact, this season I had a doe traveling with a fawn pass me by at 15 yards. I was getting a kick out of just watching the maternal interaction and hearing the subtle communication.
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