This may be more of a bowhunting question in general but I wanted to run it by hunters that use cameras. My #1 has been MIA for about five weeks now,I was getting him ever three weeks up until lately, I guess my question is when do you settle for #2? I have never gotten a buck with a bow and just took my first deer with a bow last week ( a mature doe for the freezer). There is a huge difference between 1 & 2.
We have 6 bucks on our hitlist. I would have no problem shooting a #2 or lower at any point. The way our farm sets up is that we may have a completely different set of bucks come the rut compared to the summer.
this time of year, any of the "hit list" bucks could be far away from where you have been seeing them.
If you have one deer under your belt there is no reason to be trying to hold out for one particular deer. There are people with decades of experience who can't pull off that feat. My take on a "hit list", if they're on your hit list they should be worthy of an arrow. If you have deer on your hit list you'd pass is it then a hit list or just a list?
If you are "settling" for number 2 or lower than they are not a hit list buck in my opinion they are just bucks you see.
The reason for this question is that I still have a whole week off yet and I am not seeing the rut activity started yet in my area. I have plenty of doe around and a few small buck moving during the day but all the big boys are MIA, could they be at a location where the doe are ready to breed and move back in this area once these doe come into heat. I don't want to sound greedy but I think I would kick myself if I shot an ok buck when I have months of history with some really nice buck. On another side I have never harvested a buck with a bow.
