I was sitting in my blind tonight when I saw a couple of deer headed my way. I sat back, picked up my bow, and got ready for them to pass by my screened window. Only one came through, a fawn at 10 yards, likely born in April or early May, maybe weighing in at 80#'s or so. Tonight was the end of the 8th week of bow season here. I think I've only missed 4 nights. I haven't kept an exact count, but I usually pass on taking shots at small deer about 4 nights out of 7. That figures out to 28 times this year which seems about right. Anybody else figure out how many they've let go? :archer:
Where I hunt, the deer population is quite low, and we're limited to one buck tag. On average, I'll see about a deer a day, but I might see several deer one day and none for several days. Anyway, in the first eight days of November this year, I saw five bucks -- two modest 8s, a fairly large 8, a fork and a spike. I passed the fork and the spike. No opportunity at two of the 8 and blew it on the one I was going to shoot. Moved at the wrong time, and he made me. End of game.
Despite some really bad (cold and windy) weather, or maybe because of it, the rut was just warming up when I had to cut my hunt short due to problems on the home front. There's still a month of bow season left, but the older I get ( I'm 73 now) , the less I like hunting in 0 degree or colder weather. I'll get out some though. :bigsmyl:
Probably 15, but killed one on 5th hunt and work has kept me away since... Hunted a couple times in gun season (with longbow) and saw a lot but not close enough to pass many
:biglaugh:
Never made it out, so I cause I passed all of them!
:campfire: :archer2:
All but one so far this year. 🤔
I passed on all does and fawns because EHD has hit my area pretty hard this year. I have passed on 33 bucks that was between the ages 1.5-2.5 year old bucks before filling my last buck tag on November 5th. All 33 bucks was within range of 20 yards. I was more selective than years pass.
I have never passed a legal buck in PA. Though I did pass up a a half doz or so in wyoming.
Some states and places are a lot easier to hunt than others. If you are passing up a lot of bucks, you have phenomenal hunting or a lot of private land. The question is more like "how good is the deer hunting where you are". Because when it's tough, you aren't passing up anything.
Tedd
I wasnt counting but guess I passed around 7 or 8 fawns and their mothers, a few smaller bucks too. Some because I felt it was at the edge of my comfort zone plus it was early in the week during my bow trip. One was low light, the does and fawns, well you can say I'm soft. That and the fawns were so small I didn't want them following their mama getting drug outta the woods. One old doe was really smart and on edge. She had me pegged due to poor stand placement. I've learned my lesson before shooting at alert deer so she walked as well.
All of the doe and fawn I saw in Missouri. Which means about 8.
Here in Texas it's hard to keep count. All but one doe. It's time to start filling tags. The next 5 weeks it will get bloody. Lord willing.
50? Maybe more - punched 3 tags - missed one and hit a small tree shooting at a doe. Not done but getting tired so just another week or two.
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Shot 2 with the stick. Probably passed on 30-40 so far. LOTS of small bucks. Mainly passing them in hopes of helping some buddies fill tags soon. Didn't want to be greedy!
Hunt exclusively from the ground....
Hunt #57 this mroning.
Have taken passes on 39 solid shot opportunities at bucks.
Many more hunts planned for this season.
I'm pretty sure I need to move to Iowa, Missouri or Kentucky...... :biglaugh:
We have age restrictions on bucks. 5+ years old on our ranch and 6+ on our lease.
I know, how do you know for sure the age. It's an experienced guess but we usually are close.
But if you shoot a 3yo ten point there will be a consequence.
Now management bucks bbn only need to be 4yo.
So we pass a lot of young bucks.
I'm sure some don't see deer in their area as often as others. I'm also glad to see I'm not the only one who doesn't feel the need to shoot yearlings, fawns, spikes, and forks. Last week I had one scratching its neck on the side of my ladder stand with me in it. :nono:
19 in 4 days. Had a great 10 with a kicker making for an 11 at 5 yards....the shot never developed....believe me I wanted it to!!!!!
Passed on 5 or 6 small bucks. Passed on all does with fawns, probably a dozen or so. And, passed on all the fawns as well. I saw a lot of deer this year, and had a great time. Hopefully I'll be able to get out a time or two for our late season here.
Lots of places with more deer and better opportunities than mine. I passed on 1 small buck and 2 doe fawns so far. Also passed on a very nice tall 8 point at 11 yards that is the biggest buck I've seen here in several years because I took a nice 10 point the week before and couldn't shoot him.
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This one got passes from me this year.
In a couple years, it'll be another story!
Only got out for 8 sits, passed up a dozen doe / fawn combos and small bucks, shot under one dry doe. Sitting on the ground in different spots each time; only one sit with no deer close by.
Terry...you must have been hunting in western Kentucky
None intentionally. They all eat, there's no such thing as a "dry doe" in the sense that she can't breed (if she can't breed she's ill and would likely die on her own or appear not well), I can't/won't eat the antlers, so if it's in range and legal? I'm probably gonna take a shot. I might "pass" waiting for the one either the larger body or rack in the group, but that's about it.
All of them.......so far.
Passed on a lot of fawns with does and 6 or small bucks. The 2 better bucks were I nice 7 point in velvet and this buck at 12 yards.
Everything without antlers or 3 on a side. I think the does are figuring out that they aren't legal to shoot up here. They'll walk right up downwind and not even care.
Only one that was legal and he only got a pass because it had gotten a little windy for the distance he was at. My tag is for Whitetail Only, had a couple of slam dunk shots at muledeer. Only got to hunt 2 days and they were consecutive days and didn't see a single deer there second day. Wife had hip replacement surgery and I wasn't able to get out again. Season opens up again later this month but not sure I'll bother going, long drive and really crappy hunting in the late season!
My worst year for hunting opportunities in a long time. I have been out bow hunting only three times so far. I passed on seven does and fawns and one tall 4X4, tall but narrow.
With only one tag, I was hoping for a shot at a larger 5x5 that is in the area, but no chance at him yet.
My permit was only good for 7 days on my PHL...that being said, I hunted 6 days of the 7, one day being a total wash-out due to rain. I had either a little doe or button buck, not much bigger than a German Shepherd browsing not 15 feet from me on the ground for nearly a full ten minutes. Didn't appear to be more than 25# of meat on it so I let it pass.
Double post. Sorry.
I passed on a big buck at 20 yards quartering away. I don't like shooting over 15.
Passed numerous does and very young bucks. Also 3 different 8 pointers and a 6 point that were 3 1/2 and needed at least one more year, if they make it.
I have essentially passed on this entire season. I have some health issues and just have not felt like going out. I have only been out for 8 sits with no results. Hopefully, next year will go better.
Didn't get out for archery, so its hogs and possibly exotics, til May 2020. :campfire:
Passed on 3 smaller bucks then shot decent 10 also got a doe early.
Some of the best hunting remains still ahead. Expect many more solid shot opportunities between now and the end of season....hopefully, this afternoon.
I've killed 3 and passed 20 or so so far. Combination of a few small bucks and a bunch of does. I also "passed" 2 others by completely missing lol :archer2:
I've only had three within range, all bucks. First one saw me draw, no shot. Second one I killed. 3rd was a ten point that was too close and won't discuss the outcome there. None got a 'pass'. No does in range yet this season. Also shot at and missed a coyote.
I didn't shoot a boatload of deer that were in range because I was looking for something different. I've killed 9 deer this season (3 with Hope), so I have the luxury of a very full freezer and the ability to be picky now. One place I hunt has special mgmt tags, and any doe there is on the menu. I'll still pass real young ones there too just cause!!!!!
Bisch
Oops! Double post!!!!
Bisch
This year I only got out a few days but still passed up 10 to 12 bucks. I passed up a few of elk but I mainly was trying to get family members shots first. Last year I hunted almost the whole season and it was close to 50 bucks and 1 elk.
One too many :biglaugh:
I bought several acres in SE Texas, where there are about as many poachers as there are deer so my opportunities are very limited. We have an antler restriction (13" inside spread) on bucks so immature bucks are off the menu. I have the luxury to hunt almost every day (morning, afternoon or both) so I hunt an average of 7-8 sits per week. This year I have sighted 42 deer since Sept. 29 and passed on one small yearling. Sunday afternoon while sitting on the ground, I had a 1 1/2 year old 7 point come by at 8-10 yds. I had seen him 2 other times and just couldn't make him 13" (12 1/2" maybe) so even if a shot presented itself, I wasn't going to take it. All-in-all, I have had a great season for my area by seeing more deer than ever before and even though I haven't punched a tag, it has been a great season. Shoot straight all.
I started hunting before treestands and cameras and hunting shows. To this day I don't use a camera because I feel like it degrades the deer God placed there for me to hunt by saying, that one doesn't measure up or isn't good enough for me. I still scout by sign and boots on the ground and while small buck have walked away from me it was never because they weren't good enough it was usually because I didn't want to stop hunting. So "hit list", only 5 yr. old buck etc...that's for the private controlled and managed game farms they pass off as being normal fair chase deer on shows. I don't shoot fawns and have antler restrictions in my hunting area so those that don't meet that walk.
I live and hunt in Indiana and we have a one buck rule. I killed a nice 133" 10 pt on Oct 14 and thus spent the rest of the season hunting does. Of course I had a parade of bucks and virtually no does. I "passed" on at least 20 different bucks ranging in size from spike to HUGE 12 pt (8 yrds broadside). It was a fun year. I finally killed a doe on Dec. 22nd. Very fun year.
Quote from: Friend on December 01, 2019, 01:48:44 PM
Terry...you must have been hunting in western Kentucky
Yeah...probably so :biglaugh:
Have passed on 43 solid shot opportunities on bucks in 76 hunts.
Need the deer to get off the nearly total nocturnal pattern...am stacking up many zero sightings now.
Still after them...
Hunting in this area is going through tough times, unless you have your own land or can drive a long way north (it's a big state) most land is posted and public land is the only viable option...and it's not much of an option due to poor management practices and over-regulation. I was able to get out with my bow maybe eight times this year, seeing no deer. The best day (early November, just before peak rut) was when I cut fresh tracks on two different deer, again with no sightings. I considered myself lucky that day.
I do envy those who see deer regularly, in these parts it's not how many you pass on during a season, it's how many you hope to see before you die, lol.
I shot a nice 4 1/2 year old 145# doe early, so I was hunting for a good buck. Passed 29 bucks under 16 yards on my left side with a good shot angle. If they were on the wrong side of me or had a bad shot angle, I didn't count it as a pass. 3 bucks were 3 1/2 year olds. I did a lot of filming, but sometimes questioned if I was nuts. That's the curse(or beauty) of trail cams, you get to see what's out there and what you want to wait for.
Had 19 shot opportunities in Missouri, one of which I took and missed high. I had a good week out there, thanks Kenny!
Home in NH I passed on 9, which is good for the area I hunt.
David
At this time I have 2 weeks left to hunt. I've been out several times in the last couple weeks and these 3 keep giving me shot opportunities but I killed a bigger one early and just really want a doe.
Another look
Let well over a dozen does, and a handful of smaller bucks, nothing too exciting.....also missed 2 bucks, so does that count as a pass...lol
I was picky in October and passed on this 3 and 1/2 year old guy...
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Put two big does in the freezer in November and got picky on bucks again. I have passed on several big does and some younger bucks holding out for a tall 5 and 1/2 year old I saw early in the season. Season closes on 15JAN20 so I hope to kill another freezer doe before then. I doubt I will see any of the older bucks now. They will be everywhere on the sixteenth though!
OkKeith
I've passed every deer in the woods so far those season! :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
2 days left then I'll start hog hunting!
I passed on several yearling fawns and a particular buck that had a fork on one side and a spike on the other. Had him within range at least 3 different times. Kind of wonder if I should have shot him. He ended up feeding the coyotes after getting hit by a car about 300 yds from my stand.
Had 3 encounters within 50yrd with him this year but couldn't get it done. Best opportunity was when I grunted him into 37yrd but just didn't feel good about length of a shot .......... well until he walked off and I placed an arrow in a stomp he was standing in front of. :banghead: