Shot a Button Buck


Stinger-Hunter

Recommended Posts

Re: Shot a Button Buck

I hear a lot of people here talking about shooting a BB by mistake. All I can say is how dare you. You should never ever shoot anything by mistake. Invest in some quality optics and look over animals before you shoot them. Im sure some of you have killed hen pheasnts before or maybe shot a hen turkey, maybe because you werent sure and shot it by mistake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

hoyt19 all I can say in reply to your post is not all of us have hundreds of dollar to spend on bino's and if you can see between the legs at 30yards and spot those tiny nads your better than me, and when your ready to shoot and picking a decent animal out of a bunch fumbling with bino's is not tops on anyones list...things happen way too quick..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

Bottom line...It was a legal deer! I don't see the problem here. If you don't shoot buttons, fine. That your perogative. It doesn't mean its wrong for someone else to legally take a BB. Everyones hunting situations are different. Atthe end of the season on the state land I hunt, I wouldn't hesitate. I want meat for the freezer. Thats the first and foremost reason I hunt.

Congratulate Stinger for making a clean humane kill. Don't bash him because its deer you wouldn't have killed!

Congrats on the button buck Stinger. Sounds like you made a good shot, and you'll have some sweet eating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

My first deer was a button buck, my second deer was a 6 inch spike and my third deer, taken at the start of this season was a doe. I have never personally seen a deer any bigger than that on the public land I hunt. I have seen pictures of 6's and 8's but that is about it. Until I start seeing bigger deer, and more than maybe 1 or 2 bucks in a season, then I'll stop shooting buttons or spikes. All I can say to those who gripe about shooting small deer, come hunt with me for about a month, before long you'll be looking to shoot anything, buck, doe whatever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

All I was simply suggesting was that we all owe it to ourselves and the anmals we hunt to make sure we are shooting the right animal, I have no problem with anyone shooting a BB, as long as its legal, what I do have a problem with was mistakenly shooting one. And I myself am a fulltime college student without hundreds of dollars to spend ok binos, but I make due with what I have. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

Although I have figured out a way to try and identify BB's from a distance, not everyone knows how to at 100 yards..either sex hunts are a prime example of this. I know very few people who can say a doe is not a BB at 100 yards...

My theory? Why I am glad you asked...

If you look at a deer who is looking at you head on..take notice of the ears...A Does ears stand more erect than the ears of a buck...Bucks ears tend to lay more off to the side..to compensate for the horns..even as young as a BB have the ears that tend to lay more off to the side... Try it..start looking at pictures of deer that are on alert..i.e...being grunted at...see for yourselves if my theory does not make sense...

Me personally, I do not chance it...but that is MY pet peave...and I do not condemn those who do not know the theory of Norm... smirk.gif

Have I ever killed a BB?? You bet..several..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

If you look at a deer who is looking at you head on..take notice of the ears...A Does ears stand more erect than the ears of a buck...Bucks ears tend to lay more off to the side..to compensate for the horns..even as young as a BB have the ears that tend to lay more off to the side... Try it..start looking at pictures of deer that are on alert..i.e...being grunted at...see for yourselves if my theory does not make sense...

[/ QUOTE ]

Good tip and I have another, look at the tarsal glands on the back leg. This doesnt work earlier in the year but this time of year a males glands will be really dark compared to a females. Thats the first thing I look for when I see a smaller deer.

Anyways, congratulations on the kill stinger. I think some are getting a little to wrapped up in QDM here, lets not take the fun out of hunting by telling everybody what they should and should not shoot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

I hear a lot of people here talking about shooting a BB by mistake. All I can say is how dare you. You should never ever shoot anything by mistake. Invest in some quality optics and look over animals before you shoot them. Im sure some of you have killed hen pheasnts before or maybe shot a hen turkey, maybe because you werent sure and shot it by mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

He does make a good point. If you are going to shoot at an animal then you better know what you are shooting at. But mistakes can happen!!!! if it is a small deer, give it a better look!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

hoyt19 all I can say in reply to your post is not all of us have hundreds of dollar to spend on bino's and if you can see between the legs at 30yards and spot those tiny nads your better than me, and when your ready to shoot and picking a decent animal out of a bunch fumbling with bino's is not tops on anyones list...things happen way too quick..

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said Vermonthunter....I don't make it a habit of shooting button bucks either as I want them to become antlered. But if I have a tag for an antlerless deer I don't spend an huge amount of time trying to judge if its a button or a small doe or doe fawn. Do not condemn someone for filling a tag with a legal deer. I don't have the luxury of hunting fields where I can spend 20 minutes judging a deer with a $200.00 set of binos. I hunt woodlands and swamps where I may have less than 15 seconds to judge an animal and still make a clean effective shot. Lets concern ourselves with efficient, humane kills more than whether or not "you" would shoot something that someone else does. Congrats on your button buck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

First off...CONGRATS STINGER! on filling a tag. I'm sure it will be fine eating. Second, this issue about button bucks, I have tagged a few in my 25 years of hunting. As for other comments, I shot my buttons while filling doe tags during either sex season, and when you see 4-5 "does" standing together, its a choice of shooting the biggest doe, and at a hundred yards it's tough to see those nubs. If the truth is known, your looking for visible antlers not to shoot at, and when theres a bunch together you don't think about a button being in the mix, especially when you've been seeing racks. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't actually know of anywhere where it specifically states that bb's are illegal. There's alot of states that state bucks have to have a min length, (ex. WV is 3 inches above the skin) but during doe season it happens and they are checked in as a legal deer. Hope I'm correct on my info, if not I apoligize! grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

First off...CONGRATS STINGER! on filling a tag. I'm sure it will be fine eating. Second, this issue about button bucks, I have tagged a few in my 25 years of hunting. As for other comments, I shot my buttons while filling doe tags during either sex season, and when you see 4-5 "does" standing together, its a choice of shooting the biggest doe, and at a hundred yards it's tough to see those nubs. If the truth is known, your looking for visible antlers not to shoot at, and when theres a bunch together you don't think about a button being in the mix, especially when you've been seeing racks. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't actually know of anywhere where it specifically states that bb's are illegal. There's alot of states that state bucks have to have a min length, (ex. WV is 3 inches above the skin) but during doe season it happens and they are checked in as a legal deer. Hope I'm correct on my info, if not I apoligize!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said flyrod64...

NY they are considered a legally antlerless deer until they have atleast 1 antler 3" inches in length. Not illegal to take a button buck with an anterless tag at all. That was EXACTLY my point!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

uglythread.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!

Congrats stinger1, it sounds like a legal kill to me! We have a doe season here in PA, and if you see a deer even with less than three inch antlers, you can fill your doe tag.

Besides, he just might have saved two or three deers from not shooting the doe instead! laugh.gif

So, so what! As long as its a legal kill for the state your in! Ever since AR hit PA, I have noticed some nice bucks running around more and more. But like I said you cant eat the racks. They are nice to have! But you still cant eat them! But, PA has had a big reduction in there deer numbers, and they want more! I only seen ONE deer the first day, and it was my six pointer I just bagged. ONE DEER! I think QDM is killing the heard too much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest KSNimrod

Re: Shot a Button Buck

Congrats Stinger! A deer from the ground is awesome! As for "mistakenly" killing a button buck: As long as you didn't shoot a dog thinking it was a deer it wasn't a mistake! You were DEER hunting weren't you? Anyway, great job and keep at it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shot a Button Buck

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I personally cringe when I see or hear about a button buck being killed. DO I condemn someone for shooting a LEGAL deer, NOT in my control?? (i.e. MY PROPERTY??) HECK NO!. If it is legal, then we as hunters can NOT should not say a word other than congratulations on your harvest and be done with it..OR say nothing at all.

Congratulations on your harvest! I am sure it will be a welcome sight on your dinner table.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too Todd. Congrats Stinger.

Sometimes other hunters assume that everybody gets a lot of chances to put some meat on the table. Fact is, that is not the case. Some of us have the opportuity to look over a lot of deer over the course of the season and some don't. Enjoy the vitals Stinger. wink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.