GMMAT

I just went back and looked at a bunch of '06 trail cam photos.

I may not be shooting any of this year's deer. I honestly thought I would be, though (doe fawns). Thinking about this, logically.....if I could tell it was a doe, positively....why wait 'til she's out of spots?

I'm going to have to do some serious scouting, now. I need to see some young deer heads, and gain a comfort level. I might go up a tree in the morning.

SwampCollie

I have been lucky to avoid the tenth time with archery. But I did make a mistake last year with the rifle....however, it was a group of four antlerless deer....I shot the first one at 190 yards and the second at 180 yards (got confused I suppose). What I didn't know, through the crosshairs of my 4x20 Leupold that sits atop my Win 94 30/30 AI, was that this was the "orphan group", that first deer (the biggest of four, went 55 pounds, the second...which was the button, weighed 45. The other two must have been big swamp rabbits or something like that.

Easiest way to tell is to look at the shape of the face. A button buck will have a short face and a round head.

GMMAT

ALL fawns have a short face.

PreacherTony

Yep

LebeauHunter

I agree with both HuntingGry and Rob/PA, it is easier to tell bowhunting (or really at closer ranges), but there are still times where it is difficult.

But my problems have been at lone deer while rifle hunting, having to make a quick shot at dusk, etc. You may be asking well then don't shoot. That would be fine with me except that we have been trying to thin out the doe herd, forcing us to be proactive in shooting does. In the future if I have any doubt I just won't shoot.

DougE

How many future bucks are you saving if you pass on a button buck and then turn around and shoot a mature doe?

GMMAT

Well......at least ONE!

I'm more concerned about the possibility of additional, future does. If I take her out, this year......I KNOW there's at least one more mouth not contending for food in my woods after I take her. If I didn't have a surplus of does.....I wouldn't be targeting her and her fellow does.

This mentality ('future bucks')seems VERY,.......VERY "old school".

LebeauHunter

DougE,

My friend you are obviously not a QDMA disciple.

I would much prefer to kill any doe than a button buck.

You are correct about one thing. If I continue to kill a lot of does there will be less deer on my property and less sightings, but my chances of seeing a big buck should go up (over time).

GMMAT, that mentality was very prevalent until about 10-15 years ago (and was the one I was taught growing up). If your deer population is low or has not been restored (which is not the case in almost any part of the country, but was common in the 1960-1970s), then I would follow that philosophy.

Germ

A great hunter once said
"I did not know until I rolled him over"

LebeauHunter

Sounds like a hunting trip with Confucius.