Exactly I see a complete difference between shooting a fawn or yearling vs. shooting a 2 1/2 year old..
very well stated....and my shared opinions exactly...sometimes the license people hold makes them feel entitled to killing deer (any size deer), not hunting deer... Many will condemn me with what I'm going to say, but I can see where liberals and tree huggers get their opinions on hunting with some of the pics a grown man who has hunted for years will post on a message board or social media and think he's done something great...practically a fawn or small spike buck....shameful imho
Not every hunter has the ability to take a mature buck, many people are happy with the first legal deer they see.
I personally think a fawn tastes very good. People have no problem with filet mignon? So if you're going to eat it and it's legal I don't see the problem. Just my personal opinion. I have let a 6 point walk this year and I have never killed anything with a bow. That's because I have a nice 3.5 year old 8 point I have my eyes on. I could have shot him and still had a buck tag in my pocket but I have killed many a deer with a gun and I just didn't feel it was right. The neighbors will probably kill him but we have quite a few does and I would kill a yearling or a big doe if they were alone and I was given the chance. I like deer meat.
So just to set the record straight, what is the standard you would apply for every hunter across america? I didnt read all replies either so if youve already stated your standards i apologize.
if there was a standard I don't believe it would be fair to make it a national one.....it would have to be in respect to the size animals that are in that particular region
Just read the whole thread. I believe that any deer killed with a bow is a trophy to me. Fawn, spike, fork, eight, monster, doe...its all the same. I hunt a 40 acre parcel of pine trees. That's all I have access to. No food plots or water. Just passing through deer. I rarely get pictures of monster bucks, mostly 1 to 2 yr olds. Then come rifle season my wifes family hunts the same property with guns and wipes it out. So since I only bow hunt I am not very selective. I get two tags Doe and buck. I filled my doe tag already this season and gun season is fast approaching so I am hoping to seal the deal on something soon. So I guess what Im saying is shoot what makes you happy. I get the same rush from shooting a doe as I do a buck. Knowing that all my practice has payed off that I can place the shot ethically is all I care about. Here are two deer I have killed on the property in the 3 yrs I have been hunting it.
To be honest, the thought never ev ed n crossed my mind that some hunters can't even harvest a doe. I don't believe there needs to be a national standard. My point was more specifically directed at my area. I realize not all people are trophy hunters, but shooting bucks that very young is something that frustrates me. I was aggravated this morning because of all of the things I had seen on social media. I'm not trying to impose anything on anyone. More of a rant than anything. I think letting young deer mature is beneficial to the herd and the hunter.
I know i get it. It is kinda frustrating. I deal with the same thing. But its just like fishing. Some people catch and release and some people keep their limit and have a fish fry. Fortunately we have a decision we can make as long as its legal.when you pay for your license and tag you pay to be able to make that decision. All you can do is root for the 2.5 yr olds.
OK, I live in the Midwest, Central Oklahoma to be exact. Car / deer accidents are high, and still on the rise each year. archery season allows for 6 deer harvested, only 2 can be bucks. I hunt mostly doe, because I hunt for the meat, but, I would much rather see a button Buck, or a fork harvested by a bow hunter, than dead on the side of the road hit by a car. I will shoot a buck of any size if the shot is sure, but mostly I look for doe. If you hunt trophy, so be it, and good luck to you, but to each his own.
As long as they're not shooting it from their truck or within 100 yards of it, I'm okay with it. But that's not usually the case
To put this whole thread into perspective, one needs to read Scott's recent post about his dad. I too embrace the let them go let them grow philosophy... But that buck fawn is the trophy of a lifetime. Two things that really grate me are "he would have been a ____ next year" and the hunter who tries to justify their kill against others expectations (" a decent buck").
This thread has rubbed people the wrong way I believe and that was not the intent. I am thankful though bc it has help put some situations and things into perspective.
I know some hunters that do not care if it's a young buck, mature buck, doe, or even a fawn. To them it's a trophy. Also if a guy (or gal) has very limited hunting time, and are happy with any deer they can take, how can we dictate what is ok for them to kill? I have a buddy that was in the military and he got about 3-4 days a year to hunt here in PA for the 8 years he served. He killed the first deer in range that was legal. How can we judge these folks for their legal choice? To me hunting is a very personal activity. I make decisions on game I take based on my own code of ethics and what makes me happy. If I only shot 4.5 year old 140" or bigger bucks on the PA public land I hunt, I may never tag another buck. That would take all the fun out of hunting for me.
