Pass or fail

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Pass or fail

Unread postby WMA hunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 3:36 am

I am hunting a piece of public in Alabama this morning. I have one tag left. An old grey in the face Buck comes right in behind me. First deer I have seen all morning. He is outside his ears and a chip shot at 20 yards with a rifle. The problem is he has all his times busted on one side and his main beam tip broken on the other. I went back and forth but ultimately decided to pass. He looked to have been a 9 point from what I could tell and probably 17-18 inches wide. I am still debating if I should have passed him but I always hear that if you have to think about it then don’t shoot. I am sitting here second guessing that decision now.


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stash59
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby stash59 » Tue Jan 23, 2018 4:24 am

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It's water under the bridge now. Move and either find him again or get on a different one. And look on the encounter as a huge win. Despite not making the kill.
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby WMA hunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 4:27 am

Every deer I shoot is a trophy to me. I just think I wasn’t ready to end my season yet. I will probably regret passing. I have done this before at the end of the season. My freezer gets full and I just want to hunt for the experience
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:02 am

I try to be as honest as possible. A buck with busted off points is not what I'm after. If I want and old deer I can kill an old doe. If I want meat I can go to the store and buy some. I know I'm not alone. Lot of hunters just justify their kill, with age or weight or public or recurve, or stalking, ground hunting or some other justification. I don't do this, I tell it like it is. Antlers first and then everything else in no specific order. Weight age etc.

I have passed many bucks over the years with busted off beams or points. I have also killed a few of those passers the next year and it worked out very well. :think:
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:18 am

he's gota be missing half a rack for me I cant be picky on opportunity's or I eat tag sandwiches
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby JoeRE » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:30 am

Its one of those questions that no one has any business answering other than just for themselves I think....

I have shot busted up bucks in the past and will probably just keep doing it. For me the deer is the same deer regardless. One of my most memorable kills is a half rack. He means more to me than several 160+ inch bucks sitting next to him on the wall because of the pursuit and the challenge it was getting him. If a hunt ends up feeling "easy" to me that usually translates to a lower feeling of value regardless of antlers.

Others will pass them and I am perfectly fine with that decision. I would just ask for the same respect of decision in return...
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby WMA hunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:05 am

If I had been hunting this deer specifically, I would shoot regardless but he was a rut cruiser on a first hunt in a new spot. Also I still have a few days left that I will hunt and I feel confident. Still tho he was a gorgeous old buck and I probably should have taken him. Good news is this is the last hunt on this piece and supposed to start rain soon so he probably just made it to next season.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby johndeere506 » Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:10 am

Stanley wrote:I try to be as honest as possible. A buck with busted off points is not what I'm after. If I want and old deer I can kill an old doe. If I want meat I can go to the store and buy some. I know I'm not alone. Lot of hunters just justify their kill, with age or weight or public or recurve, or stalking, ground hunting or some other justification. I don't do this, I tell it like it is. Antlers first and then everything else in no specific order. Weight age etc.

I have passed many bucks over the years with busted off beams or points. I have also killed a few of those passers the next year and it worked out very well. :think:


I like Stanleys honesty. I feel the same way for the most part. Unless the particular hunt or particular hunt is going to mean more to me, then I may shoot one with broken tines. A tine or 2 doesnt matter to me, but ALL busted up feels different. Its just my opinion on the deer in front of me. No need to answer to anyone else on what you decide you want to shoot.
However, this is Michigan, and we dont get many busted up big bucks because dont have many other big bucks to fight with. Thats only my opinion though, but it works for me.

JoeRE wrote:Its one of those questions that no one has any business answering other than just for themselves I think....

I have shot busted up bucks in the past and will probably just keep doing it. For me the deer is the same deer regardless. One of my most memorable kills is a half rack. He means more to me than several 160+ inch bucks sitting next to him on the wall because of the pursuit and the challenge it was getting him. If a hunt ends up feeling "easy" to me that usually translates to a lower feeling of value regardless of antlers.

Others will pass them and I am perfectly fine with that decision. I would just ask for the same respect of decision in return...


I think the value of the specific hunt you are on can make the difference (with a family member, friend, special property). If you were on the fence then you probably made the right call. When you get a shooter in range, you usually dont have to give it a second thought. Totally your call, maybe he will be bigger and not busted up next year.
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Stanley
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:50 am

One of my most memorable hunts of my life was about 10 years ago. I was hunting a bottle neck with a pond to my back. I had two very nice 10 pointers both 150sh put on a show for me. They went into a knock down drag out fight. The kind you see only once in a life time if your lucky. They were out to kill each other they fought for a long time at about 40 yards from my stand.

They got done and both racks were busted up like mowed grass. They were so weak they could barely walk. They walked by my stand at 20 yards like whipped dogs. I passed both of them. I was in a really remote area and had intentions of going back and looking for the busted off tines. I never did. Never hunted the spot again. I have the memory of the hunt and will never see another fight like that one. I really don't need a busted up rack to hang on the wall. I have the memory itself.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:50 am

Kinda contradicting observation that I did myself this year. The ole if u gotta think about it it's not what u want, as well as the never pass up a deer u will regret. If u get a better one u will feel u made the right decision if u don't it will be a regret. It's a crapshoot but busted tines don't bother me none, everyone loves a fighter
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby ihookem » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:04 pm

If your freezer is full, I just as soon let it go unless it seems so old that it might not make it another year. Shooting it may have been more humane if it were to die of old age anyway. I dont know if it would taste good if it was fighting lately.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby WMA hunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:13 pm

I don’t regret it too much. I would love to get a shot at him next season in all his glory and even if someone else gets him, it will be an incredible hunt for them. I already had a great season and I am really looking forward to next weekends hunt. It was a great encounter at a new spot which boosts my confidence even more.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby wolverinebuckman » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:22 pm

just pulled about the last of my deer out of the freezer, i would have shot. I passed on a young 10 this season, glad i got to keep hunting, but now i'm 9 days away from tag soup for the winter.
Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:32 pm

JoeRE wrote:Its one of those questions that no one has any business answering other than just for themselves I think....

I have shot busted up bucks in the past and will probably just keep doing it. For me the deer is the same deer regardless. One of my most memorable kills is a half rack. He means more to me than several 160+ inch bucks sitting next to him on the wall because of the pursuit and the challenge it was getting him. If a hunt ends up feeling "easy" to me that usually translates to a lower feeling of value regardless of antlers.

Others will pass them and I am perfectly fine with that decision. I would just ask for the same respect of decision in return...


This.

They are your tags to fill, or not, as you see fit.

My best mount is a 6pt meat buck that I shot on one of the few hunts I had with my dad. Not my biggest but my best and it will always be. I could shoot a 200 inch monster buck and that little 6 point antler mount will still be my best.

Bob
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Re: Pass or fail

Unread postby Tim H » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:48 pm

This last season I passed a crappy 8 point that my buddy would’ve shot. In the end I didn’t kill a buck but am still glad I passed him. ;)


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