Passing on small bucks-opinion.

Kelly Timoffee

Kelly Timoffee

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Here is one that may cause a stir , I know it does with people I already know.

Get my doe or antlerless tag filled almost always closer towards the start of the season, you know the nice meat animal type.

I don't believe in shooting another doe or small buck just because you bought the tag.(our buck tag is an either ### tag). Some folks I know will shoot whatever they can on the last few days just to get one. My thoughts are let the small bucks grow and harvest one that is prime or past prime.

And if others are gonna ask, I hunt for both meat and trophy.But usually don't get the trophy.

Anybody else out there think this way???
 
If I want extra meat,I buy a supplemental antlerless tag,but I won't use my tag on a small buck.I keep my either ### tag until the last minute,and beyond,in the hope that the right buck will come along.
 
I think that's a fairly good plan from a game management standpoint. I would do that If I could spend a lot of time out and especially if I had my own piece of land to hunt on. Since I travel and dont' have a lot of time for the Deer hunt its mostly a meat hunt without too much regard for age. (Ive always taken a pass on Bambi in the past)
 
If I can't get bigger than I have..I won't shoot...unless I get chance to take my kids..then I will..just to give them some experience
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Here is one that may cause a stir , I know it does with people I already know.

Get my doe or antlerless tag filled almost always closer towards the start of the season, you know the nice meat animal type.

I don't believe in shooting another doe or small buck just because you bought the tag.(our buck tag is an either ### tag). Some folks I know will shoot whatever they can on the last few days just to get one. My thoughts are let the small bucks grow and harvest one that is prime or past prime.

And if others are gonna ask, I hunt for both meat and trophy.But usually don't get the trophy.

Anybody else out there think this way???
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100 % and my hats is off to good work
 
I shoot my 2 supplemental doe tags to fill the freezer. General buck tag is held out for something better than I already have. Last several years its hung on the xmas tree!
 
that skinny horned 1.5 year old deer deer can become a monster if given the time and age to grow.

let'em go let'em grow.

i dont shoot young bucks just to fill my tags i can get 3 doe tags and fill the freezer with some fine meat.
 
Doe, little buck, or large buck it's all a matter of what you are out there for. As long as it follows a solid conservation plan and the deer population is not suffering then what really does it matter.

We all love to shoot the big one but some like to simply take a deer regardless of size. It is your personal choice and one is no better than the other.

For me I might just fill my regular tag on a good doe. I've filled the doe tag already and my hunting time is running out very fast due to commitments and a little extra meat in the freezer doesn't hurt.

What we need to avoid the meat hunter/trophy hunter/ who is better debate all together.
 
i shoot the first doe i see and than i hunt the bucks, last two days ill take another deer doe or buck. I like the horns but love the meat.
 
We mostly get only one tag in Ontario and it is a buck tag over the counter. You have to apply for a draw to get an antlerless tag. For this reason we usually shoot what we see (assuming we have a tag) until we have a couple/few hanging. We average 6-8 deer for 10 guys every year. We have plenty of deer around, and could easily take our limit if we hunted hard.

I hunt for meat mostly, trophies are nice, but I can't eat horns.
 
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.:p
 
Dogleg said:
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.:p
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He he he..... That gave me a chuckle. :)

Thanks,

Chizzy
 
Dogleg said:
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.:p
Click to expand...

Do whores ever really reform??..lol..I agree with the rest..
 
Meat and fun are my primary hunting goals, a big buck is the dream and goal but the last weekend of the season means it is time to fill the tags and try again next year. I have shoot mainly small bucks in the 120s and 130s, not always by design but hey "They're good eating", and our farm always seems to hold bucks in the 150s and up every seaon they just hide from me.
 
Actually, if you are trying to "improve" the deer herd you need to shoot small bucks and quite a few does. You must not shoot big bucks.

There are three things needed to grow big antlers: genetics, nutrition, and a proper buck to doe ratio. No genetics = no big horns. Genetics come from big bucks left to breed.

Nutrition you can't do much about, but it must be there.

Proper buck to doe ratio ensures the passing of only the best genes. Too many does = chances for inferior bucks to breed and bad genetics get reproduced.

So you should shoot any small, inferior bucks no matter what their age, but let all the good genetic bucks grow older and breed. You need to thin the does to the proper ratios so only the good genes get reproduced. That is, if you want to improve the herd.

If you are trophy hunting, like the old trophy hunter saying goes: if you want to shoot a big buck, don't shoot a little one.
 
In my region there is no doe season unless you are lucky enough to get a draw.

The start of the Mule deer season is 4 point or better (or as the Americans call them 8 point) and then it's open to any sized buck for awhile, the back to 4 point of better.

For me it's not about the size of the antlers, it's about the meat in the freezer. Yes smaller bucks have less meat but it is very good meat. Personally there is no comparison to the meat of a young buck to that of an old buck.

As for a conservation standpoint that might be true but then some areas have weirder hunting regulations. One area for example has an open season for moose but Calves and Immature Bulls only.
 
Nothin wrong with takin a young buck.

Leave the youngster with the nice rack and let him grow...

take a cull buck...big fork horn or 3x3 or such.

more meat on a young buck than a young doe and better meat on a young buck than an old doe... an they come with built in loadin handles ;)

an if ya get a chance at ol mossy...knock him on his arse :D
 
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