2008 for me. I've killed a buck with the gun every year since then, but I don't have nearly as much time to bowhunt as I used to.
Shot a buck, or shot and recovered a buck? :D We'll go with shot and recovered. [h=1]638 dayssince Sunday November 20 2011[/h]a Sunday 1 year 8 months and 28 days from today
2007. 2 different reasons. In 2008 nothing was big enough. In 2009 I wounded a 150's 4 year old buck that lived. It was my 1st ever non recovery of a whitetail in 23 years of bow hunting. In 2010 I hunted that same buck and only him and had him as close as 12 yards twice but no shots. Had other opportunities at 2 other mature bucks but passed on them multiple times as I wanted redemption and was sticking to my plan. Late In the year 2010 this buck got shot by the neighbors muzzle loading. In 2011 I wounded my 2nd deer ever. He was a 5 year old that was lucky to score 115 inches but was the oldest buck that I knew of that we had on this property. He too lived to see another day as I saw him a few times more that year but I didn't see him last year all season. The other bucks I passed on that year were 3 year olds that I wanted to grow another year. I generally don't hunt 3 year olds. So for me passing on other bucks and throw the 2 wounds in there have been my reasons.
There are big bucks in the area. I just can't seem to get on them/ They're mature and smart. I've seen small bucks, but just haven't shot. I refuse to shoot a buck smaller than my last even if it has been years.
Haven't shot one yet. I've been bow hunting for 9 years this year and haven't even drawn on one. I am too picky and have passed on 30+ bucks over those years. I'm definitely overdue and hope to find one this year that "fits my standards".
I have been busy the last couple of year introducing my wife to bow hunting--- playing guide so to speak, and I am picky.. This year I hope to break that 3 year drought. I was on a 15 year streak before 2010
Two years ago I got an 8 point. Last year I passed up several young bucks and missed the one I decided fit my criteria. Didn't spend as much time in the stand as I wanted last year but hope to be in the woods a lot more this season.
It's been since 2010 , A super nice 10 pt when I lived in NY. Since moving back to NH deer sightings in the woods have gone down comparing to NY numbers just not as many deer in NH. And I let the little guys walk now hoping to see them again in a year or 2.
I took a 150 inch buck with a muzzleloader in '08. That was the last one I have taken. The others simply haven't been mature enough. My property is mostly pass through but after a few years of hard work are starting to keep a family of does. Environment played a large part as we have had droughts the last few years that caused EHD and dried up the water source on my property. That isn't a factor this year and it's showing.
This is my first year of hunting, either bow or firearm, so no bucks here. I've got a couple of weeks still to fill my tag. And now I got a couple of spots to try and do that.
I have yet to shoot a buck. I'm going on my third season hunting. I only saw one buck the first year, but I saw quite a few last year since I was in the woods during archery season instead of just firearms season. My goal is for my first buck to be one that I'd be happy putting on the wall. I don't get caught up in a score, but I don't want a six point forkie to be my first. I did see a couple of bucks last year that I would have taken, but one was out of range and the other stopped eight to ten feet short of where I needed him to be. I drew back on him, but never loosed an arrow due to it being last light and I had some spindly tree limbs in the way. There is a buck that hangs in the vicinity of my grandma's property that I would really like to be my first, but if something else came along there or at another spot I wouldn't hesitate to take a shot. I call this guy Sixer... Last year he didn't show up all summer, until I got a picture of him in late September... I had a number of nighttime pictures of him, but only once during the day and he was less than twenty yards from my stand. Unfortunately I was in Indy that day taking the hunter education class with my brother (I had already taken it years ago, but told him I'd go with him so he'd be able to get a hunting license). I make sure to let him know about that from time to time. He's not a monster, but I love his symmetry. I have yet to see him this summer, but I'm hoping he'll show up again soon. I know he made it through last year as I have some pics of him, with a broken tine, after the season was over.
Oct 6th 2008 was my last buck. Cut hair of a big 8 pt in 2010. Passed a huge bodied crab claw 6 pt last year and have regretted it ever since. I'm feeling good about this year. I'm not holding our for a monster this time though.
