What Would You Do?

[GarGuy]

Heres the deal. This is a buck that I know well. Last year he hurt his antlers in velvet and was a nice 8pt at 3.5 with a small drop tine. This year he lost the drop but still has a bump where it was but jumped to a 10pt frame. He also put on a big kicker by his brow and one off his left g3. He is a known 4.5 this year. He has broken the tip of a brow, the kicker by his brow, and both g4s.

Now for the quandry. He is on small acreage an goes back and forth to DCNF. I guess he has learned to trick a lot of hunters but remains one of the most killable bucks i have. I dont have a clue how many times i have passed him with a bow and gun. Later this week, I have some friends coming to hunt. I really want to see what this deer does next year but i also know this would be the best deer of their lives and its hard for me to justify telling them to pass him. What would the GS do?

[Spooky]

I understand the small acreage part all to well . 2 of the places i hunt are small 26 and 105 acres. I would let him walk myself. I killed 1 last year on my 26 acre place that jumped from a 135" 8 pt to a 167" 11 . I know theres a chance he won't make till next year but on the other hand its late in the season and he's made it this long. I say let him walk.

[rtp]

I would let him walk. But I understand the other side as well.

[GarGuy]

I understand the small acreage part all to well . 2 of the places i hunt are small 26 and 105 acres. I would let him walk myself. I killed 1 last year on my 26 acre place that jumped from a 135" 8 pt to a 167" 11 . I know theres a chance he won't make till next year but on the other hand its late in the season and he's made it this long. I say let him walk.

Oh, I have already let him walk. Just talking about the visiting hunters? Hard to tell them to let a deer walk bigger than they have ever taken.

[lesson 101]

Being I haven't shot a deer this year. I'd shoot him. But if I had at least a doe in the freezer I'd let him walk

[DeerMagnet]

Kill him yourself.........before anyone else does

[Split Arrow]

I'd definitely let him walk. Think about how excited your visiters would be to come back next year and see how big he is!!

[Shane]

It would depend on who the visitors were and that whole situation.

[deer99hunter]

Easy one for me. If I could see the excitement of a friend or family member killing their biggest deer , well I guess I'd just have to get excited with them . Good luck with your decision, whatever you chose will not be wrong, JMO

[txrdkng]

Yep, it is a bit of a quandary. First, if they weren't coming would you shoot him based on his broken tines? Would you take the risk of letting him walk to get better next year knowing he might hit the ground across the fence?

I generally will not let my guests kill "the big one". I can't honestly say whether I am being selfish or logical but...I put A LOT of work into finding the right deer...find the right lease, spend more of my hard earned money then I should, scout, place set ups, get skunked, etc. Then someone comes out and shoots my biggest deer. Did they spend their hard earned money, suffer the cuts, scrapes and bruises, pass on the deer time after time, etc.? I would LOVE for my guest to get a respectable deer but you don't get the biggest one out there.

I get pretty harsh here. I have people tell me they can't afford a lease. Well, pick up a different sport, save up, whatever but don't ask me to do your funding/work for you.

Man, I sure am getting grumpy in my old age!!!

[BowDude]

tell them he is off limits...

[Mex. Bowhunter]

Very Easy Queston. Not to many deer will give you a chance to get to watch them mature and maybe harvest as a trophy one day. Put him off limets and tell them good luck. The more a hunter get to see what passing a deer like that can do will only make others understand why we do what we do. Good luck on what ever you decide

[woodsman]

I think it depends on the person more than an animal...

If your visitors are mere acquaintances, deer gets a free pass.

If they're good friends, let them lower the boom.

If they can shot a doe or hog, they should be happy if you tell them to let that one walk. Really just depends on their personality--if they're the type to have ill feelings if they have to let him walk and what your relationship with them looks like going forward. Would they be very appreciative of you putting them on a great deer?

Go with your gut, GarGuy!

[Bassbucker]

your place your rules. their hunt is free so they can't say much!

[whitetailfanatic]

if they bowhunt him and get him great but gun hunters ....he gets a pass