Letting deer walk

[ptaylortx]

I hunt in Southeast Texas and my club is made up of mostly management minded members that want to shoot mature bucks. The few that like to shoot anything that moves just happen to hunt adjacent to me.

Over the years I've let numerous young deer with potential walk only to have them ease 1000 yards north or south and get blasted. I've got this buck on camera and would love to see him grow another year or two.

I know his range falls into the area where the master blasters hunt and they have him on camera as well with full intentions of killing the hell out of him. Would you go ahead and take him given the opportunity? I really wouldn't mind getting him with my longbow or having my wife take him knowing he probably won't make it through season. But, I always remind myself I'll never shoot a 140 by shooting 110" deer. Would you gamble on him making it?

[gingib]

Yes because I also hunt small acreage and know this size deer is very common.

Seems you say can't shoot a 140 if you shoot a 110.... but your comments seem to me your the 110 kinda guy

[Stuck]

If you shoot him, you know he won’t make it till next year. And if you shoot him because the neighbors will, you are that neighbor. It’s just like you said, you can’t shoot big deer if you keep shooting small ones.

[gingib]

If you shoot him, you know he won’t make it till next year. And if you shoot him because the neighbors will, you are that neighbor. It’s just like you said, you can’t shoot big deer if you keep shooting small ones.

[chris1911]

you know he wont make it through the year here in ET... would be a great longbow buck or wife/kid deer.

[Pineywoods]

I have the same issue on the small East Tx property that I hunt. I have struggled in the past with the same decision and this is what I've determined... The guys across the fence MIGHT kill that deer if I let it walk, but if I kill it, it definitely isn't getting older and bigger. I don't let the hunter across the fence determine which buck I will go after. It's a shame when it happens but it's just part of hunting low fence on small properties. I have no control over what a hunter kills next door when it's done legally. Not everyone has the same mindset on what to kill and never will.

[rtp]

Shoot what you want and never second guess letting a buck walk. Shoot him if it means something to you......if it doesnt let it walk and see what happens.

[Hoss163]

Yeah it’s hard to swallow neighbors just shooting a decent deer just because they think the neighbors will . If everyone would just realize hey if we let these deer grow to at least 5.5 everyone would have a decent chance to shoot a 140” buck . To bad folks don’t get that.

[STX_Shooter]

I wish I could let bucks walk. the problem is if I did the other hunters would shoot him or the neighboring LF leases would also.

[ethic1]

I wish I could let bucks walk. the problem is if I did the other hunters would shoot him or the neighboring LF leases would also.

You didn’t read any comments did you [emoji2357]


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[Jspradley]

Shoot what you want and never second guess letting a buck walk. Shoot him if it means something to you......if it doesnt let it walk and see what happens.

This right here!

Too many folks get caught up in inches, just do what you think is right.

[ptaylortx]

I haven't killed a mature buck in 4 years. I've passed on these type deer every year. It's aggravating trying to manage East Texas properties for trophy bucks.

[denimdeerslayer]

Your paying money to harvest deer so shoot him.

[Stuck]

Your paying money to harvest deer so shoot him.

That’s not what he said he wants to do. He said he wants to kill a 140, that deer is not a 140. I don’t care if he shoots that one and the rest of his family shoots 3 more just like it, but good luck next year on that 140.

[Stuck]

I haven't killed a mature buck in 4 years. I've passed on these type deer every year. It's aggravating trying to manage East Texas properties for trophy bucks.

Would shooting the deer make you happy? Would he be mounted on the wall to look at and remember for years? If it’s just to shoot, does and spikes taste the same.