In Missouri on this private land I get 2 any deer tags. If I shoot a buck in Sept Oct or early Nov. I have to wait until after gun season to shoot a second buck. I do plan on taking 2 deer this year if possible. Family schedule is a bit hectic with work travel and 4 kids. We have several 2 and 3 year old deer, like lots. My biggest buck, 2 seasons ago was 150, he's on my office wall. I dont hold out for world class deer just not wanting to take small baskets etc.
Actually, you don’t have to wait until after gun season is over. You can bow hunt during firearms season but you do have to have a gun tag to do so. That is usually a show stopper for non resident bow-only hunters because of the price, but if you’re a resident then it’s worth it.
I said I would shoot him. Liking venison has a little to do with it and impressing someone has absolutely nothing to do with it. I’d shoot simply because I love killing deer.
I am non resident but only 107 miles from my driveway to the cabin/land. They upped the price from 225 to 265 a season or two ago, plus on a gun tag I have to buy an antlerless before I can buy a buck tag for gun season. I don't have to shoot the doe but I have to buy the tag - at least that is what the rules were the last time I gun hunted in like 2012 or so
For you being older and wiser it works that way. I know myself when I was younger I wanted bigger and would wait. After I shot a few for the wall I would sit and see and an 8 pointer that wasn't big enough and let him walk. I remember sitting in a tree watching a buck walk away and being pissed at myself, who do you think you are 4 years ago I would have shot that buck and been happy as hell now that deer isn't good enough?
It’s a progression, each person has different expectations each year on what they want to shoot. I have never shot or not shot a deer bc of what I would think a person thought. If I get fired up I shoot, I also like to let deer get older on the props I hunt. Can’t do that shooting every buck I see. I do the same on public and private. I would rather shoot doe and not fill a buck tag than to shoot a young buck. But don’t care what people do as long as it’s legal. I just set up two ground blinds on the farm for my nephews to hunt, I’m pumped to get them on their first deer.
the initial question on the deer was more to do with the off side. If he will be a full rack next year I'd wait, if there is no way of knowing or if thats just his structure then he's on the table. It wasn't necessarily a "is he big enough" question so much as a will he match if given a year. I would love to shoot a monster wall hanger, and I have 2 any deer tags so I can shoot 2 bucks with some different timing built in around before and after gun season - but this land has no gun hunters so I have opportunities to take whatever gets my heart pumping when in the stand.
It really depends on the time of the season and you how many tags you have left. Depends on a lot of things. If it feels right shoot him. If not, let him go.
I was looking at the last 2 years pictures and came across this, think its the same deer he's be a 4x2 for 2 years in a row, I got some more recent pictures of him too, Id shoot him if he walks by 1st pic is a year old other are new I know they are pictures of a screen. sorry not sorry its what I had ability to get at the time
I have a deer like that where I hunt. He is 4 on 1 side and nothing on the other. He was that way last year and he is that way this year. Probably gonna take him out because he wont get any bigger and he maybe messing up the gene pool. Just my opinion.
