Burning that trophy tag early

[Tx.Fisher]

I can’t say that I regret shooting this buck the second weekend of bow season, he scored 136, and I was excited to get him

I saw this buck on thanksgiving weekend and just had to watch him. I don’t know what he scored, but I know he was bigger than 136. This was years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tward1604]

I hunted a total of 6 minutes this year. I'm super pumped about the deer I killed. But, it is weird being done with deer season for the year

[Aggie PhD]

It is a weird feeling to be done early, especially since a lot of years I don't shoot a trophy on our lease. 2 out of the last 3 years I have been done by thanksgiving. Then time for does and hanging out for the rest of the season

Still have a tag for a mgmt deer, or on a place that is a 3 buck county. But I am saving that for harvesting when the kids are with me

[SabreKiller]

I've eaten my share of tag soup before while holding out for the big ones that I've had on camera. I keep holding out every year, but I'll take a cull at the end of the year if I can't get a big one.

[AntlerCollector]

I know my lease has good bucks show up in December. For me personally I always shoot them early, and have no regrets. I've killed most of my trophy deer in October. The deer at that time are not run down from the rut. They don't have busted antlers from fighting. I get big healthy deer early. Sure I've seen some great ones show up late as well, but I shoot what makes me happy. Can't kill them all.

[let-um-grow]

Yeh, I have the same internal battle every year with our allotted MLD buck tags. Ended up eating a few last couple years due to hedging so this year didn't hold back. Then it happened, the week after both I and my wife got bucks (out of tags) my son has to pass on his first opportunity for a buck bow kill on an east texas stud!

[Big pig]

Only once have I regretted passing. Wanted my girls to have a shot at a monster. He disappeared. But several times I have wished I had waited. Not the size of the antlers, just younger than I thought. I seldom shoot bucks now. Few does and lots of pigs.

I try to remember with one tag you can’t kill a huge deer if you shoot a nice one early.

[ACCURACYINC]

I killed my trophy on 9/30 and am happy as can be with it! I have seen some great deer since, and the rut is bringing in new deer now, but I'm happy with the decision to shoot early.

[jshouse]

Never pass on the first day, what you would shoot on the last day.

I like "never shoot on the last day what you passed on the first day."

[44mAG]

Yep I know that feeling. Having young kids has made the decision easier for me. The part I hate most is decreasing the amount of times I am in the woods waiting for that big buck. Every year, I have two or three "shooters" out of my resident deer. If I get a chance with one with my bow in October, I take it. I do think about waiting though to kill a "bonus buck" and to keep my resident deer untouched.

[popeandyoung151]

It’s nice hunting in a 2 buck no restriction county!

[DRT]

Never pass on the first day, what you would shoot on the last day.

Usually this is great advice.

Gary

[PEC]

I will shoot the 1st thing that I like in the 1st 30seconds of legal shooting time opening morning and never think twice about it. If you like the animal...shoot it...if you don't then... don't shoot. But I have never hunted a "specific deer" I just hunt, if a deer steps out that gets my heart rate up then I kill it if not then I show up tomorrow and give it another go.

[sambo73]

Y’all are spoiled! I haven’t SEEN an over 13” on my lease since 2013 LOL!

Jason.

I am right there with ya!

[No-Tox]

I hunted a total of 6 minutes this year. I'm super pumped about the deer I killed. But, it is weird being done with deer season for the year

I know the feeling. This year I put in more work on the deer hunting side of my property versus the duck hunting side. Lots of tractor work for the dirt, spraying to kill weeds, planting seed, replanting seed, replanting seed (finally got rain), fertilizing......then on my first sit had a buck come busting out of the woods after a doe. I saw big body, big horns with a split that looked like one of my target bucks so I shot it. It is certainly a nice deer but it wasn't any deer that I have on camera and the original target buck hasn't shown back up on camera, so I'm satisfied with the kill. However, it seems anticlimactic with the amount of work I put into things for it to be over in the first morning (in AR county).
My son has only one sit so far this season because of schedule so he will still be able to get after some and I have some good bucks showing up as the 2nd rut may be just around the corner. I'll be putting in the time with him.