The day after a hunter discovers "hunting ethics" he gets on the internet proclaiming his newfound moral superiority. For sheer annoyance factor they are right up there with exsmokers, dry drunks and reformed whores.
There it is!
Passing on small bucks-opinion.
- Thread starter Kelly Timoffee
- Start date
There it is!
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
If we all follwed this to the letter we would never get the big buck.
!!
Don't matter, I can't seem to get the big ones anyways.
But seriously, I have gotten grief for not shooting anything, "well why did you buy the tag then?" , well................... a piss poor day hunting................... you know the rest!!!!
!!
Don't matter, I can't seem to get the big ones anyways.
But seriously, I have gotten grief for not shooting anything, "well why did you buy the tag then?" , well................... a piss poor day hunting................... you know the rest!!!!
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Do whatever makes you happy, and is legal. If not shooting small bucks is your thing then don't do it. Just don't get doing what you want mixed up with thinking everyone should agree with you. Some people are horrified with the idea that anyone would shoot a doe. Some won't even buy a either ### tag because it costs more and they are actually pure meat hunters and not unsucessful trophy hunters pretending to be meat hunters. Some won't shoot anything that isn't a book contender, and some of the same guys wouldn't list those heads if you put a gun to theirs. Are you somehow more pure than all of them, or just kidding yourself?
The day after a hunter discovers "hunting ethics" he gets on the internet proclaiming his newfound moral superiority. For sheer annoyance factor they are right up there with exsmokers, dry drunks and reformed whores.
Incredibly well said....
Not everyone hunts for horns for the wall....
And a lot of guys try to hold out for a big deer, but when it gets down to the end of the season they simply don't want to go home with an unfilled tag.
Its not like deer are an endangered species........
A couple of years ago, I decided not to shoot anything less than a 4 point. Saw a spike opening day & let it go....... never saw another buck.
This year, after hunting for 7 days straight & only seeing does, the 3 point looked good, so....... he's now hanging. We only have a 2 week rifle season & black powder season only allows us to shoot a doe. Unfortunately, we're only allowed one buck.
Would love one of those trophy bucks though!! To each his own!
This year, after hunting for 7 days straight & only seeing does, the 3 point looked good, so....... he's now hanging. We only have a 2 week rifle season & black powder season only allows us to shoot a doe. Unfortunately, we're only allowed one buck.
Would love one of those trophy bucks though!! To each his own!
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Who am I trying to influence?? Just asked for opions and scenarios. Seeing what else happens in the world.
So you don't like it when they try to influence your behavior?
I could of tagged out on the first day.........but I didn't.
What the hell am I going to do with the upcoming 2 weeks off next week and all this expensive hunting equipment. Everyone in my family hunts (5 hunters) so more than enough meat coming home and there is no pressure at all on anyone to shoot or not to shoot. We all just enjoy ourselves and if a deer presents itself to us and we like what we see it's harvested.
Our freezers are still half full from last year so all is well. My buddy got his cow moose yesterday and I have half of that coming my way.
Just get out there and have some fun and rember road hunting/hunters sucks!
What the hell am I going to do with the upcoming 2 weeks off next week and all this expensive hunting equipment. Everyone in my family hunts (5 hunters) so more than enough meat coming home and there is no pressure at all on anyone to shoot or not to shoot. We all just enjoy ourselves and if a deer presents itself to us and we like what we see it's harvested.
Our freezers are still half full from last year so all is well. My buddy got his cow moose yesterday and I have half of that coming my way.
Just get out there and have some fun and rember road hunting/hunters sucks!
I'm a meat hunter so I prefer the little bucks, they taste better.
You can also look at this way. The little bucks are not good breeders. The mature bucks are the ones that get lots of does with a bun in the oven. So the bigger bucks will produce more little bucks for next season.
You can also look at this way. The little bucks are not good breeders. The mature bucks are the ones that get lots of does with a bun in the oven. So the bigger bucks will produce more little bucks for next season.
1. I will not shoot any doe.
2. I will not shoot a small buck.
3. I've got a stack of tags that I kept, rather than shoot a dink buck on the last day.
The only exceptions I would make is that is if I found a deer that was suffering and had to be put down.
2. I will not shoot a small buck.
3. I've got a stack of tags that I kept, rather than shoot a dink buck on the last day.
The only exceptions I would make is that is if I found a deer that was suffering and had to be put down.
Thank you.......more tasty venison for the rest of us....yum yum yum!
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
If it's taken legal, then it's fine by me. If people want to pass on 3 point bucks because they're waiting for the monster, then that's fine. If people tag the first forkhorn that pops up, as long as it's legal, then that's fine. Different years I have different goals. Could be just to fill the freezer, or I could be holding out for a bigger one. Depends on how much time I have and how much meat I have left in the freezer from the year before. As long as it's legal, have at 'er!
Meh. Shoot the first one that comes along that doesn't have spots on it.
The ones with spots are good eats, though!
First tag is for the feezer, next tag is to fill it or have a bit to share around. Third tag is for having a reason to keep going out hunting. Don't particularly care what I use to fill them or in what order.
Then there's the mulie tags over the counter, etc.
Amen on the Ethics and reformed anythings comment.
Cheers
Trev
The ones with spots are good eats, though!
First tag is for the feezer, next tag is to fill it or have a bit to share around. Third tag is for having a reason to keep going out hunting. Don't particularly care what I use to fill them or in what order.
Then there's the mulie tags over the counter, etc.
Amen on the Ethics and reformed anythings comment.
Cheers
Trev
I fill my tags as quickly as I can with small-medium sized deer that make good eating and don't break my back to to get them out of the woods (usually hunting alone, and no ATV etc...). Then I get back to pheasant hunting - my true passion. However, this year I got a serious case of the shakes when I saw (and shot) my first buck (spike), so I guess I'd be lying if I said that antlers don't matter to me - my knocking knees tell a different story... I have a feeling that my views on this may "evolve" over the years as I get more experience (3rd season/4 deer so far) and maybe look for a bit more of a challenge, even if it means that I miss a few pheasant hunts. My hunting partner is currently chasing an absolute MONSTER buck that he has seen on his cam, and I'll admit that I'm a little bit jealous that I don't have a tag left! Of COURSE, last week I was out for pheasant and saw a nice 8-point buck walking broadside on the far side of the river - damned close to slug-range (which I didn't have because no tags left!).
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
This here is exactly what I was trying to get outa this thread, some interesting stories and views on the hunting scenarios, NOT pushing ethics and holier than thou attitudes.
Thanks for the reply!!!
Thanks for the reply!!!
Generally, I look for a tasty doe during muzzleloader season and keep at least one tag until near the end of rifle. It's not that I'm holding out for a big buck, it's because I like to go hunting. Once I'm tagged out, I cannot hunt deer anymore. You never know what you're going to see. Last week, I went out looking for another doe during the end of muzzleloader and flushed 3 grouse in the first 15 minutes. You'd better believe I ran back to the car and grabbed the 20ga. I had a great time shooting grouse and saw no deer at all that day.
Hunting season for me means opportunistic hunting. I come out prepared for whatever might be around in the woods. Hunting grouse is a great way to do some advanced scouting for deer. Sometimes I bring a bag of apples to munch on and I can't say I take too much care to clean up the cores before I toss them in clever places...
Last season I had a rifle and muzzle tag uncut but I got to go hunting every day of the season. That's why it's called deer hunting and not deer killing.
This year, I didn't buy a 2nd doe tag until I'd already taken a doe on my muzzleloader tag. Guess what I saw everytime I went out after that? Spikes and a medium 4x4 but no girlfriends. I've seen the 4x4 more than one occasion and I've patterned HIS behavior over quite a few trips now without spooking him.
Soon enough, that 4x4 will be in my freezer and though he's not a trophy by any measure, I've been hunting him for weeks now and being able to single out that one deer and focus on outsmarting him - getting him in my crosshairs is the thrill of the hunt for me.
On the last day of the season I will likely be in the woods hunting. I'll still have my doe tag and odds are I won't use it. If I happen to see a tasty little thing within range, I'll enjoy every mouthful.
Hunting season for me means opportunistic hunting. I come out prepared for whatever might be around in the woods. Hunting grouse is a great way to do some advanced scouting for deer. Sometimes I bring a bag of apples to munch on and I can't say I take too much care to clean up the cores before I toss them in clever places...
Last season I had a rifle and muzzle tag uncut but I got to go hunting every day of the season. That's why it's called deer hunting and not deer killing.
This year, I didn't buy a 2nd doe tag until I'd already taken a doe on my muzzleloader tag. Guess what I saw everytime I went out after that? Spikes and a medium 4x4 but no girlfriends. I've seen the 4x4 more than one occasion and I've patterned HIS behavior over quite a few trips now without spooking him.
Soon enough, that 4x4 will be in my freezer and though he's not a trophy by any measure, I've been hunting him for weeks now and being able to single out that one deer and focus on outsmarting him - getting him in my crosshairs is the thrill of the hunt for me.
On the last day of the season I will likely be in the woods hunting. I'll still have my doe tag and odds are I won't use it. If I happen to see a tasty little thing within range, I'll enjoy every mouthful.
