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Dont want to bother anyone... but

5K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  rdrader2002 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, i am also new to this site (Your all thinking "ugh another new kid to entertain") but i dont want to be like the other 100 annoying kids running around the forum. (no offence) Just have a simple question for some of the more experienced moderators... If your hunting deer for the meat only, is it shameful to shoot a smaller buck? People always tell me to let them grow but i just cant imagine an old, tough buck is going to taste as good as a younger one. Just looking for some opinions, and thanks in advanced!
 
#2 ·
For meat only, shoot a doe (when allowed) or a spike. In fact, ALWAYS shoot a spike, unless you're in a club that still lumps spikes in with branched-antlered bucks, which is incorrect but that's a discussion for another time.

Here's the situations when I say it's ok to shoot a small buck (i.e. a 4 or 6 point that is obviously sporting its first set of antlers):

1) You're under 16 and it's your first deer.

2) You depend on the meat to live (if you have a computer and internet access, you don't qualify for this one)

3) It's the last day of the season and your wife has declared a yard-sale on hunting gear if you don't bring something home.

4) Your herd is overcrowded and your authorized to shoot anything you see (if this ever happens, PM me so I can give you my phone number)
 
#4 ·
if your hunting your on land or public land shoot whatever deer you want too. a trophy to some is a doe and others a trophy is only a 120 class or better deer.

is it shameful to shoot a smaller buck? absolutely not. if that makes you happy shoot it the first chance you get. and yes meat from a young buck should taste a little better than a buck that is 3-6 yrs old.

personally for me now i let the small bucks walk and wait on a doe to show up when im hunting for deer meat. plus eliminating a doe helps keep your deer herd in check..

there is no right and wrong way in choosing between a big buck or a small buck. if your on your own land or public land then the decision is strickly up to you. now if your in a club please pay attention to your club rules.

and welcome to the site.
 
#5 ·
thanks for the advise so far, i think im leaning towards a doe now... but we all know what its like when a nice big buck stops up to your stand! i have to say i wouldnt hesitate to shoot. anyway, thanks for taking some time out of your day to answer a young hunters question
 
#8 ·
first off if you have a tag and and a license shoot whatever YOU WANT other peoples opinions are just that opinions.If its a legal animal your well within your rights.I personally hunt for meat and could care less bout racks,aint found a way to cook em yet.I like to shoot does cuz we got so many they hand out the tags pretty liberally.Any deer you take legally by any legal means is a trophy DONT LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE.Now get out and hunt:boxing:
 
#12 ·
your wife has some tips used by no doubt the old timers that cooked venison alot. i have heard a few of them. but alot of young hunters and their wives dont know them if they were not passed down. you think your wife would tell us some stuff she does to the meat to get some of the gamey taste out. if you could make us a new thread titled somthing like "How to make an old buck taste great" myself and others would greatly appreciate it.

i have heard the one about soaking it in milk over night. i did that with a roast from a mountain buck one time and could not tell that it helped. your wife do that?
 
#14 ·
Yeah Mr. Signman you got it. Just think about the number of deer that fall victims to vehicles year round. Some are trophys and some are not. But nobody can decide what their going to kill with their vehicles it just happens. Before this lady told me not to shoot the does because they are the mother deer but a couple days later she hit and killed a doe with her truck. I said "what I can't harvest a doe hunting it but you can run one over and kill it". I don't know if this post makes sense to anybody but thinking about that weirds me out. Anyways, Lever think of this if you do shoot a smaller buck you give that big breeder buck another day to run the country side making more deer for us right. And more deer for that dumb lady to wreck her vehicles with. LOL
 
#15 ·
"In fact, ALWAYS shoot a spike, unless you're in a club that still lumps spikes in with branched-antlered bucks, which is incorrect but that's a discussion for another time."


I used to follow that same rule myself until I saw a study by Dr. Deer and Charlie Alshiemer that blows the myth about spikes completely out of the water. They studied a herd of bucks, half had spikes as a first set of horns and the other have had forks or better for their first. Not only did both classes grow to impressive sizes but two of the spikes grew the largest racks later in life. I'll try and find the info and put a link here.
 
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