WKP Todd

I have the same philosophy. Since I started filming, I enjoy passing bucks even more. We can kill them with the camera, and let them have a shot at another season of growth. To each their own, but I get a real kick out of letting some very nice bucks walk on by. Something empowering about letting a nice buck walk. Besides, when I pull the trigger - my season is done. Makes me pretty choosy with what I'm willing to end on.

Too many guys have the idea that success means killing something. Some of the best days I've ever had in the woods were only possible because I let slobs walk by. It's amazing what you can learn from a mature whitetail buck when you don't try to kill him immediately. We filmed several encounters with some 4-1/2 and 5-1/2 bucks at close range this year. It was an absolute blast - and no arrows were sent....

I started letting small bucks walk back in Michigan when a spike or forkie was considered a "good" buck. Knowing each buck I let walk by was likely going to be dead by winter, didn't change anything for me. I just knew I'd rather be apart of the solution than the problem. Just imagine what we would have running around if everyone thought the same way.

bloodcrick

I do get enjoyment for letting smaller bucks walk, but i get more enjoyment when i take a big boy. This year was different, i took a buck i would normally pass on because of EHD hitting the area hard taking out mainly the older deer. I still got a rush doing it though, i felt i beat the odds somewhat.

Charlie P

Why would it end your season especially if you enjoy filming so much sounds like you could continue to go out and hunt with your camera anyday you want. Even after the season is over.

live2Draw

I let a giant 8 walk this year. I was on a doe only property and he totted out at 4 pm at about 15 yards and worked a scrap. It was one of the coolest nights in the woods i can remember. I dont know how many times I have passed on shots just because I was having fun watching. I just love the overall experiance. I am only 24, and have been bowhunting since I was 12. I have had some good success and some good failures. Love the learning curve. the greatest thing about bowhunting though, at least to me, is the experiance. To sum up, its not that I feel proud or holy for letting one walk, or shooting one, I really just am completely in love with the whole thing.

MeanV2

I passed more Bucks this yearincluding Whitetails and Muliesthan any season I have hunted (somewhere more than 50 and less than 100) I realize you can NOT kill a big one most of the timeif you shoot the first one that waltz's by, so I pass a lot of Bucks. Some years I score and some I don'tI always satisfy my killing urges taking Does and putting meat in the Freezer because one thing for sure no amount of practice is the same as taking live animals.
No way I wanna draw down on a Big Buck not having killed something for a year and a half or 2 years

Dan

MichaelHunsucker

Jeff,

I get an UNBELIEVEABLE ammount of enjoyment letting less bucks walk, ones that i would have shot in years past. It is a great feeling.

As you know i recently passed a GREAT deer - the biggest one i have ever had a shot oportunity at. Although very few people understand where im coming from, it was an awesome feeling to have that caliber of an animal at less than 15 yards with no clue of your existance. I still do not regret passing on that buck even though i have not seen him recently.

I still have a couple weeks of season left so we will see!

PreacherTony

I couldn't have said it better ....

buckeyehntr5

I love being in the woods no matter if I see zero deer and yes seeing any deer in range still gives me a big rush even if I do not take a shot. Quick story, lastyear I had a 200" gross Non-typical come buy my stand at 20 yds when I was at full draw but couldn't take the shot because of him chasing a doe. That was the most exciting time I have ever had in the woods in the 11 yrs that I have been hunting. Even though I didn't get the buck, the sight of seeing a buck most hunters haven't or will never see in the wild was just as exciting.

The buck was later shot by a hunter in gun season. Grossed 209"

mikemac10

For me I think the biggest buck Ive passed on is a mid 120's 9 pt, which was this year. Ive shot 6 bucks with a bow so far in my life, starting with a couple 1.5 yr old 7 pts, then a 2.5 8 pt, then my first "big" buck to me was a 120's 9 pt, then I got another 120's 8, then last year a 135 9 pt. So after shooting those so far I dont think I would feel real satisfied shooting another buck less than a 120-125, with a bow anyway. This year I had a hard time letting2 or 3120's walk. Looking back on it I have no regrets, the encounters were great and I know letting them go will pay off in the future. Right now I am at the point where I will shoot at a 130's for sure. But maybe If I shoot a couple more in that class I might try to hold off for a bigger one in the future. So at the end of the season I would rather have an unfilled buck tag than a dead buck that I second guess whether or not I should have shot.

m9a9g9i9c

This is something I picked up from earlier similar posts, "we" ( as in most people on HNI including me ) are not the blood thirsty killingmachines some people think we are.
Being outdoors close to nature is important to us, killing that superbuck or filling a second freezer with meat comes in a close second, I think.....

thank you

Frank
Belgium