What's the biggest deer you have passed?

[hoosierhunter]

Well since we have a couple good threads going it triggered this question in my head.

How big of a deer have you intentionally passed with a perfect shot? Not a questionable shot, but the 20 yarder standing broadside.

Mine would be two bucks that both have been right around the 120 inch mark. I was lucky enough to kill one of those the next year which was a awesome feeling to say the least!

[wtnhunt]

Been several 7 and 8 points I have passed up, mostly 1.5 and 2.5 year olds. Try to hold out for 3.5 year olds if I know we have any around. Score on the biggest I have let walk that gave me good shot opportunities has probably been in the 100-110 range, kinda tough to do around here with knowing it is unlikely you will ever see the deer again.

[Doc]

I've passed on a couple of 12 pointers because they didn't have enough sway in the backbone. I have a general rule that a buck is not mature enough until it has about an 10" dip in its spine. If you mentally imagine a straight-edge from the tip of its protruding hip bone to the base of the neck, the dip should be about 8" minimum. That one is about ready for harvesting. If you can count all of his ribs, that is a good sign that he may finally be ready. I kind of also like to see some arthritic limping going on too. On occasion I run across a real trophy that has that "sucked in" toothless look around his mouth ........ another good indicator that he is ready.

[Randy]

Passed this one a couple years ago at 15 yards. It was early in the season, hind sight is always 20/20... LOL

[hoosierhunter]

kinda tough to do around here with knowing it is unlikely you will ever see the deer again.

Yep or knowing your neighbor will pound them if they cross the fence.

[92xj]

One of my buddies had just got back into town from a hunt in Ohio, He had killed a 179" stud and was driving through town. The antlers sticking up above the bed rail. I waved as I passed.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

Biggest with a bow was a 135 inch 10 point last season on opening day. Typical "don't want to end it on the first day" syndrome.

Biggest with a gun was about 5 years ago. I had just shot a buck and was still sitting in my stand when a 145 - 150 inch 11 point walked right by in front of me. Got some good video of him though. Could have legally taken him, but we were trying to work on our management plan for that ranch and the one buck I had just shot was all that I needed to take that season.

[rhine16]

I let a 3.5 year old 8 walk by me at 5 yards last year.... Right around 110". Heavy horns, but not wide. Thought process was that he'd be a pope this year; however, he was shot with a rifle a few weeks later.

[Rhino]

The most memorable one was while I was bowhunting in Iowa back in 2001. A 140 class wide rack 8 point stopped to rub a tree 20 yards from me. It was a wide open broadside chip shot but one of buddies in Iowa told me he had seen a 190 class 5x5 while hunting there twice before I arrived. I saw the BIG one on my 5th afternoon but didn't have anywhere close to clear shot even though he was inside the 35 yard line. I'll never forget that encounter. Shook me up REAL BAD. I recall shaking in the tree the next afternoon when I climbed into the same stand just at the thought of another crack at him. That hunt is probably what sold me on passing some P&Y class bucks while hunting midwestern giants. 2 years later rules were set for passing bucks under 150" for 10 points, 145" for 9 points, & 140" for 8 points on the places we were hunting in Iowa and Kansas.

The next biggest buck I recall passing was 2 years ago in Kansas. I was in a tree about 10 yards from the one where I killed the booner in 2004. I passed the same 145 class 9 point twice during that hunt. Both times he used the same trail passing inside a tree I ranged at 28 yards. Never gave it a 2nd thought knowing the quality of bucks roaming the woods up there. He was right on the cut line anyway.

BTW, I choked & missed 2 up there on those properties since the 2004 bowkill. One in KS & one in IA. Can't count chokes as passes.

[Tominator]

2 come to mind.

First one was a few years ago. Broadside, 15 yards, nice 8 pt. Probably would have been my goal of Pope, but not by much. I ate that buck tag that year.

Other one was probably the deer I passed on this past year, the "quacking" buck. This buck had a double main beam on the right, and a decent left side. He probably would have grossed around 130 non-typ, I probably would have been banned from that property had I shot him.

[need2hunt]

140's is the biggest i've passed on

[Strut10]

Biggest I intentionally passed on was a 123"-127" 8-pointer at 6 yards. I watched him wrestle with a 2.5 year old 6-

pointer for about 10 minutes at 30 yards. Then they both passed me at 20 yards, came around behind and then walked a road right under me. 6 yards. He was a good 8"-10" bigger than anything I'd ever shot. But my rule is that I won't shoot a buck unless I'm going to have it mounted. He was some bigger, but not "nicer" than the 8-pointer I already have on the wall. I had glassed him well at 30 yards and never even drew on him when he passed by. A guy passing up anything over about 90" around here is probably a fool......................

[mathews4life84]

i passed this guy up twice last archery season at very close ranges! 7 yards the first time and 18 the second time. both out of the same stand. i hope he made it! the one with the droptine i passed up several times during ml season due to breaking off several tines.

[redkneck]

I'm not passing anything much more than a basket rack with a bow. I'd guess in the 100" range or so is my cutoff for the first one (our neighbors shoot anything legal). After that I'll up my standards

Maybe one day when I'm old and crusty I'll up the cutoff to 110"

Rifle is another story. I dont mind letting the 2.5 y/o 8's and 10's walk.

[Ohiobucks]

This size or smaller, I pass........ :drink:

[Rhino]

ROFLMBO at Tom

[m gardner]

Mature mule deer. Twentyseven yards.

[dbHunterNY]

.....probably been in the 100-110 range, kinda tough to do around here with knowing it is unlikely you will ever see the deer again.

....I'd guess in the 100" range or so is my cutoff for the first one (our neighbors shoot anything legal)....

.....A guy passing up anything over about 90" around here is probably a fool......................

Seems to be the pattern around here. I'd pass a 300" non-typical 2-1/2 year old buck, if I knew he'd not get shot by anyone in the next three counties that were looking for him. This is why around where I hunt, shooting close to a 130" deer is a buck of a lifetime. :bang:

[danthehuntinman]

I have passed on a couple deer that were 120's to 130's let one go two years ago that would probably went close to 125 at 6 yrds. That's a big buck for west virginia at least the part I'm from.

[Tominator]

This size or smaller, I pass........ :drink:

Hijacker

[Tominator]

ROFLMBO at Tom

Don't encourage him.

[sureshot]

WIth bow I have passed a few 140-150 class whitetail and I know some 175 inch plus mulies, one my buddy has on vidio, just did not want the hunt to end, with rifle I am sure the one mulie was 190 inch, I let my duaghter try to get him thinking he was a 170 class mulie then when she missed I was vidio taping and there are a few words that could not be shown on tv when he took off lol,whitetail rifle pretty sure I have let a few 160 class walk, never get the monster that is supposed to be walking the prairies if I shoot the first buck, [that is what I say but I do just not want to be done hunting] This year I am pretty sure I will be able to change the bow mule deer, i know there are a couple 190 class mulies running in a pasture along with a compleat monster guys say will push the 220 mark, [chec out pics in bowhunting room under deer I want,]I have the first 6 days off and I have told myself no matter what the deer is unless its the big one no shot will be taken,I know for a fact I will have oppertunity at the other big guys and then end the season with a doe or spike lol!! Oh well thats hunting!!

[AaronS]

With bow, it would be a 3.5 yr old 8 ptr that would've probably scored between 110 and 120.

With gun, the biggest, and most mature, was a 6 ptr. Not your average 6 ptr though. This guy was at least 4.5 yrs old and approaching 20 inches wide. I didn't realize how big he was until it was too late to get a shot. Still kick myself for that.

[toddyboman]

lmao @ Tom!!!!!

[dbHunterNY]

I suppose I didn't answer the question in my last post. I've passed 80-90 inch bucks here in "it's brown, it's down" territory.