Shooter? Doesn't matter now...

Got this guy on my hunting property. Problem is, my 12 year old son gets to hunt this year, and has to be with me at all times. Do I take / not take the boy to this guy's area as it may possibly ruin my son forever? I hunt for meat, but won't hesitate to take a big buck if he pops up.

That would be quite a first deer!

Shoot em!

I don’t know if I wouldn’t.

He would never top it. But let him go for it.

I agree, let him shoot it. And be sure to post pics here once he does.

That isnt a problem. Put the kid on that deer!

Let him shoot it...

heck yeah

Let him at it would be my approach. He might never top it, but I doubt he'll stop hunting because he shot it.

Let him. If he gets it, you'll both have smiles forever

This above! The largest deer I ever shot (body size & rack) was my first buck (1973) at 15 years old. That never slowed my enthusiasm for deer hunting, in fact it probably stoked it! Let him have a shot at it.

I’m not far from you, there’s more big bucks around. He’ll top it someday, let him at it!

Let your kid pick the spots he wants to go and go with him to those spots. Personally the kids I see that get and stay into hunting are allowed to succeed or fail on their own.

Make sure he understands that it could well be a "Once in a Lifetime" Deer, and he may never top it, but he has many years of good hunting to come.

We learned our lesson last year. I decided to let the boys hunt a big buck we had on camera. The neighbor several miles away got him. We decided after that "we" all hunt a buck if it's really big.

Let him wack him a great way to get a young man excited about hunting .

Judging by how his rack has gone down he is smart and you probly won't see him in the daylight. Better let anyone that sees him shoot it.

You the one had the giant beside the feeder and wondered if you should put up a blind?

Yes but we already had a blind in there. I thought the deer might b 160 until after shooting mine then got more and better pics and realized it was closer to 180

Well, we had " the talk " and he's on board. If the buck shows up and is in range, he can shoot. I've worked hard to get him in the proper mindset of a clean shot is the goal, no matter what the animal. He'll be ready.

He’s got back straps don’t he?! BOOM!!!!

Not saying he won't but everyone thinks they are ready going into it. Some stay calm and some lose some of their composer in the excitement. My youngest is rock solid in the moment and my oldest is like me and can get a little amped up. Personally I hope I always get a little bit of adrenaline shot when the moment is about to happen. That's what I live for but it's took a lot of practice to control it. You can preach and teach all you want and adrenaline can make you forget everything you just thought about 60 seconds ago and there isn't anything you can do about it until you have experienced it sometimes.

Let him shoot it. That deer probably won’t be much over 100. Looks like he’s on the downhill slide and needs an arrow or bullet.

Yep, let the arrow fly.

The day that my heartbeat doesn't jump a little bit seeing even a small doe is the day I stop hunting.

This is what I was thinking. I've got all kinds of pics of nice deer that I never even saw while hunting. I wouldn't let the thought of this deer stepping out ruin his chances to take another deer for his first, but if he walks out, absolutely shoot him!

Did you hear what he scored after the neighbor got him?

Neighbor doesn't know much about scores, he said net 165. He had 7"of deduction just on the brow tine which would put him at 172 . Judging from all the pics we had of him his tines on one side were all a bit longer than the other side so I'm guessing him to gross high 170s or low 180s.

Quantity over quality for youth.

Take him hunting. Who knows if you'll even see that deer. Go have fun and have him shoot what HE wants. If shooting a buck with big antlers "ruins" him I guess hunting isn't going to be his thing. Most of all go out and enjoy the time in the woods and don't put emphasis on big antlers. It should be the whole experience of hunting and time with family

He very easily could. That is a nice deer, but NY has much better.

If it were on our farm it would be on the hit list. No sag in the back yet so most likely about 3 1/2 yr old. I would want those genetics out of equation.

Older deer poor genetics I can't think of a reason not to shoot him.

Older buck.
He's done.

^^^^ This

Well, the big one didn't make an appearance on opening day. But, the kid made a nice shot on this heavy-bodied (I know cause I dragged it 200 yards to where I could get the tractor with a bucket to it), 7 point. A little far back but took out both lungs and the diaphram. Very proud dad.

Congratulations to the lad! I'm certain that will be a tasty addition to the family pantry.

Good eating there, is he blind in one eye?

Tell him good job and nice shot......jk

Nice deer, congrats to him.

Good shootin

Absolutely take him

No, used the flash on the camera.

Tell im congrats. Nice first deer. Do a skull mount with him at the least.

Good job
Should eat good

Blind in the left eye or reflection? (I should have read all the replies )

Congrats

Likely the get of that big bruiser!

Great first deer . Memories for ever