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Shooting small bucks vs doe deer #6680071
11/30/19 09:55 PM
11/30/19 09:55 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
C
charles Offline OP
trapper
charles  Offline OP
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
About 20 years ago I heard a friend comment that he passed up every buck to allow our children an opportunity. Made a lasting impression and I have followed this logic.

A young buck can never be mature if it is shot. How do you feel? I can get 4 doe, so I do not need a buck for meat. Never walked up to a dead small buck and felt proud.

Fortunate to hunt in an area that allows six deer.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680077
11/30/19 09:59 PM
11/30/19 09:59 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
Scuba1 Offline
"color blind Kraut"
Scuba1  Offline
"color blind Kraut"

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
Personally I hunt for meat not knife handles. So when the opportunity presents itself and it is pithing the legal limits, I take it. I am more likely to pass up on a big old buck than anything else.


Let's go Brandon

"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680082
11/30/19 10:02 PM
11/30/19 10:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 45
holden,mo
T
twild Offline
trapper
twild  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 45
holden,mo
Shoot what ever makes ya happy, hunting is supposed to be fun.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680085
11/30/19 10:06 PM
11/30/19 10:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117
Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
Hodagtrapper Offline
Muskrat Master
Hodagtrapper  Offline
Muskrat Master

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117
Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
Here in Wisconsin depending on your location there may be no doe tags. A couple of counties over may have 3 doe tags per license. We rely on the meat as we eat venison at least once a week or more as hamburger, roasts and steaks. Learned over the past 40 plus years of hunting that passing on a quality shot at a buck or doe can come back to bite you when tag soup is the only menu item come post season!

Chris

Last edited by Hodagtrapper; 11/30/19 10:06 PM.

>>In God we trust<<
Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: twild] #6680087
11/30/19 10:07 PM
11/30/19 10:07 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,477
Iowa
T
trapdog1 Offline
trapper
trapdog1  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,477
Iowa
Originally Posted by twild
Shoot what ever makes ya happy, hunting is supposed to be fun.


Yup!

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680090
11/30/19 10:08 PM
11/30/19 10:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
C
charles Offline OP
trapper
charles  Offline OP
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
Yep, it should be fun!

It should sustainable and ethical. I have no problem shooting doe, but I prefer to pass up a small buck. Most importantly to me, is meat in the freezer.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680091
11/30/19 10:09 PM
11/30/19 10:09 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,540
Champaign County, Ohio.
K
KeithC Offline
trapper
KeithC  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,540
Champaign County, Ohio.
I think the best thing you can do is to shoot any legal deer you want and don't waste 1 second worrying about any legal deer anyone else shoots.

Keith

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680092
11/30/19 10:09 PM
11/30/19 10:09 PM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,834
Michigan
M
Michigander Offline
trapper
Michigander  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,834
Michigan
It depends on your deer population. If you have a surplus of deer taking does in place of a buck is a good idea as the population can handle the does being taken.

Where I hunt (low deer density) it is better off, in my opinion, to take the small buck. The buck will only be a net -1 in your deer population and that is it. Taking a doe not only kills her, but also any deer she would have birthed the next year and the following years.

Last edited by Michigander; 11/30/19 10:25 PM.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680095
11/30/19 10:11 PM
11/30/19 10:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,422
Akron, Ohio
bass10 Offline
trapper
bass10  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,422
Akron, Ohio
I’m with you Charles but I am fortunate to be able to take a young buck easily with a bow or gun. Years ago I realized that I wanted small bucks to grow. My son and I shoot several doe a year for meat. I could care less what and how people choice to hunt and they should care less about how I choose to.


"The more people I meet the more I love my dog!"
Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: trapdog1] #6680127
11/30/19 10:34 PM
11/30/19 10:34 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,664
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,664
Minnesota

Originally Posted by trapdog1
Originally Posted by twild
Shoot what ever makes ya happy, hunting is supposed to be fun.


Yup!

Exactly

We used to get 1 buck and could buy up to 4 more antlerless tags. That went on for 7 years. Now weve had 5 years of 1 deer allowed.

I used to be able to bow hunt, then rifle, then muzzle load hunt. Now I just save my 1 so I can rifle gunt with my 80 yr old Dad. Because Hunting and Family is what matters Most.

So follow the Laws and have Fun with Family


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680170
11/30/19 11:27 PM
11/30/19 11:27 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,392
Green County Wisconsin
G
GREENCOUNTYPETE Online content
trapper
GREENCOUNTYPETE  Online Content
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,392
Green County Wisconsin
we used to get 1 buck tag.

the logic we had was shoot the first legal buck , one would live through he season and that lucky buck would get all the ladies making more new deer.

then we started getting a doe tag if we applied for it this was about 90-92 in 90 I remember seeing 1 buck and 30 doe

by 2000 they were giving out a free no need to apply doe tag.

then in about 2004 we had to earn the buck by shooting a doe first that only lasted for a few years but you could shoot 4 doe earning 4 buck in some parts of the state it was unlimited up to 4 free tags a day

fast forward to 2019 1 buck tag and 5 doe tags for free and have for a few years in the county I typically hunt.

we don't even come close to filling all the tags , get enough to eat for the year and done.

we shoot whatever will make a target of it's self that is worth processing.


America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: 330-Trapper] #6680173
11/30/19 11:30 PM
11/30/19 11:30 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,981
Rock Springs, WI
Z
Zim Online content
trapper
Zim  Online Content
trapper
Z

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,981
Rock Springs, WI
Back in 1966 when I turned 12 years old and was legally allowed to hunt here in Wisconsin we (our group anyway)
never thought of passing up a buck. It was rare to see one here and we would travel from Sauk County to the northern
forests, pitch a 16 foot canvas army tent for cooking and then another 12 foot tent for us young guys to sleep in
that my uncle called the nursery. Only the old guys were allowed to sleep in the main cook tent, poker playing emporium, etc.
I truly miss those days, every now and again someone with great fortune would shoot a deer and we would marvel and respect
that feat. I was lucky enough to do it a couple three years in a row and my dad would say to my uncles, hmpf, that boy may amount to something yet.

Zim

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680206
12/01/19 01:00 AM
12/01/19 01:00 AM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 10,726
SW Georgia
W
Wanna Be Offline
trapper
Wanna Be  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: May 2018
Posts: 10,726
SW Georgia
Wow, another advantage to the South. 10 antlerless and 2 bucks, one of the bucks has to have 4pts on one side. Certain places I hunt we have to kill does...30-40 off one place and 60-80 off another. Sometimes if the quota hasn’t been met then deer drives with shotguns are used to thin the population. We’ll stack pickup truck beds full of deer. Some are for personal use, some are given away for free, and some are bartered for next years crops (corn, peas, beans, etc...) None go to waste. Even some processors participate in the Hunters for the Hungry program and deer can be donated.
Most of the time, small bucks are passed on and some even limit themselves to one mature buck...mature being anything 5.5 or older. I don’t know if anyone in the South that “needs” meat to survive. A lot of us just like it a lot, lol.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680217
12/01/19 01:30 AM
12/01/19 01:30 AM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 786
Illinois Livingston county
wwc Offline
trapper
wwc  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 786
Illinois Livingston county
Bucks go first no matter the size as long as their worth butchering we shoot no yearlings of either sex and antler size means nothing I will keep my $500.00 dollar that would be spent for mounting and buy something that puts food on my table or clothes on my back or retains a value before I mount a head on the wall


Your money is not worth my sanity
Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: Wanna Be] #6680219
12/01/19 01:43 AM
12/01/19 01:43 AM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 336
s.e. minnesota
H
Hornytoad1 Offline
trapper
Hornytoad1  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 336
s.e. minnesota
Originally Posted by Wanna Be
Wow, another advantage to the South. 10 antlerless and 2 bucks, one of the bucks has to have 4pts on one side. Certain places I hunt we have to kill does...30-40 off one place and 60-80 off another. Sometimes if the quota hasn’t been met then deer drives with shotguns are used to thin the population. We’ll stack pickup truck beds full of deer. Some are for personal use, some are given away for free, and some are bartered for next years crops (corn, peas, beans, etc...) None go to waste. Even some processors participate in the Hunters for the Hungry program and deer can be donated.
Most of the time, small bucks are passed on and some even limit themselves to one mature buck...mature being anything 5.5 or older. I don’t know if anyone in the South that “needs” meat to survive. A lot of us just like it a lot, lol.


I'm a zone up here that allows 3 bucks no point restrictions and no limit on antlerless deer.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680252
12/01/19 07:19 AM
12/01/19 07:19 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 344
Pennsylvania
C
coalbank Offline
trapper
coalbank  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 344
Pennsylvania
We often have had what we call, Young bucks day.. Sometime during the season a few friends bring thier sons for a day of harvest. The older bucks know where to find and send the young bucks to our young bucks. The young bucks drag young bucks with the older bucks leading the way to the trucks.

So much joy is expierenced on those days. Most have passed the youth age now and those days of the creeks running red,are sorely missed.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680267
12/01/19 07:58 AM
12/01/19 07:58 AM
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 545
Pennsylvania
C
Claypool313 Offline
trapper
Claypool313  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 545
Pennsylvania
Most places in PA you can only shoot two deer. A lot of times based on the population ive observed id feel better about taking a yearling buck than a doe thats been bred or going to be. Wish we had that choice.

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680273
12/01/19 08:09 AM
12/01/19 08:09 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
P
pcr2 Offline
"Twerker"
pcr2  Offline
"Twerker"
P

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
i patterned and targeted the big doe i shot in archery.she would come out and give me a hard time before i was ready to take a doe and lookin for a big buck.she aint stompin that foot at me anymore.

funny is,i sat on my little stool in the same area yesterday and about 1 i saw a big deer comin through the golden rod and right at me.got ready only to have a nother big ol girl sttand and stomp at me. crazy









Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: bowhunter27295] #6680293
12/01/19 08:44 AM
12/01/19 08:44 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
L
Lugnut Offline
trapper
Lugnut  Offline
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
Originally Posted by KeithC
I think the best thing you can do is to shoot any legal deer you want and don't waste 1 second worrying about any legal deer anyone else shoots.

Keith


This is the philosophy I hunt by.

Originally Posted by bowhunter27295
I will shoot any legal buck for meat. The bigger the better. Body size is all I care about. Never ate antler soup.


This also.


Eh...wot?

Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer [Re: charles] #6680300
12/01/19 09:01 AM
12/01/19 09:01 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,313
Firth, Nebraska
jabNE Offline
trapper
jabNE  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,313
Firth, Nebraska
Some of those old foot-stomping super alert does can be some of the toughest deer to get a close bow shot on. Have fun shoot whatever makes you happy and save another vehicle collision while you are at it.
Jim


Money cannot buy you happiness, but it can buy you a trapping license and that's pretty close.
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