First year not killing a buck, how may did you pass


MichiganHunter

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What I'm hunting for depends a lot on the time of year, where I'm hunting, what I've already taken, and my financial status.

When bow hunting early in the season I'm only shooting a mature buck that I'd mount. A 4.5 year old with broken tines gets to walk. However, late in the season I might shoot him if I don't have any doe meat for the freezer yet.

Past few years I'd say I pass shots on 5 or 6 bucks in a season. Some of those 5-6 bucks I'll see multiple times in a season. I may pass on 2-3 different bucks twice in one outing.

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Here in massaachusetts we dont have a lot of options....environmental experts say we have a lot of animals...:( .. I pass on spikes, 4-point, & 6-pointers...

They give out way too many doe permits and most hunters shoot what every walks by...so much for wildlife management...:mad:

I passed on a lot of 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 year olds in Texas ... waiting for the 4 1/2 year old...:D

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Lots! The bottom line is, they stop growing when you kill them. :D

We started QDM in 1991, way before it was even popular around the area. I was still pretty young and had a little blood in my eye yet so dad told me as long as it's bigger than anything you've already shot, go ahead. That way every couple years atleast I was able to kill a buck. Trust me, passing the little ones WILL pay off eventually. ;)

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its really gonna depend on your location as far as passing bucks and sizes go.. here, a 120-140inch buck is a gaint. Our in the midwest its a goodbuck, but not good enough. I passed probably 10-15 100inch and smaller bucks this year. I took 2 last season.. one was a 140inch 9pt and the other was a 130inch 9pt. One bow and one with the ML'er. Now if I lived in Iowa or Ill., I probably would have let those walk. Here in Va normally anything gets shot. QDM is starting to help here some, but its still to many that shoot every 4 and 6pt 1-2 year old in the woods. Ive got some good trail cam pics of some good ones for this year which should go in the 135-145 range. Nothing huge, but nothing small at the sametime for us

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