Would you shoot this deer?
Connecticut
Contributors to this thread:
Would you Shoot this deer? I will say I am brand new to hunting and this would be my first deer. Ideally I would like to harvest something more mature but as this is my first (make all the jokes you want) do I go ugly early so to speak.... thoughts?
I would pass and rather shoot a doe. However since you are new to the sport, shoot what makes you happy.
I can't believe this is even a question.
Of course you shoot it.
Shoot the first legal deer you can, make a clean kill, and be proud of it.
You are already shaming yourself and you are new to this sport. Why do you want something more mature for your first deer? Stop watching the outdoor channel and do what makes you happy. That's not ugly...beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Tobywon, I'm not shaming anything but I do truly believe this is a sport of conservation. I'd much rather take a deer that is older and has already passed on their genetics to the herd than a young buck who has yet to do so. It doesn't have anything to do with ugly or not. In fact if it has an odd asymmetrical rack I'd feel better about taking it out of the gene pool.
Being my first I'd probably lean towards taking it if the right shot presents itself. Just wanted to get the group's opinion as I value everyone's feedback!
My first deer was a small 5 pt..I still get a rush when I think of it..like I am now..ehh excuse me a minute.......
YES! It took me 7 years to get my first with a bow, a spike. Couldn't have been happier. Chances are, that one is not the one you will shoot, some other deer from some other spot will give you the opportunity. Make the shot count, regardless of size or sex. Good luck.
Maybe I was too harsh with that word Ohdeer....lol. I just hate seeing young new hunters get into this sport and think they need to pass everything and kill a mature buck like they do on videos and the TV shows. The northeast is very different. Shooting a live animal with a bow as opposed to a target is very different. Its good to get a few under your belt just to understand what it feels like to be able to get close, wait for the best shot, draw, and make an ethical shot. Genetics are complicated and there is not much you are going to do from a conservation standpoint in CT with regards to genetics. Way too many factors involved. Conservation here is keeping deer numbers to what the land can support. Again, do what makes you happy and no one else. Good luck to you this year on your first, you will never forget how that first one feels.
Thanks Tobywon. It will all come down to what presents itself. Can't wait for opening day!
I myself would pass but I have been hunting for a long time my first was a button buck and I was proud and happy with that deer . When you start shaking when you are about to shoot you will see what its like . Steve
If I had waited until a mature deer came I’d still be waiting. My first deer shot was a 4pt followed by a button buck. Happy for both.
Steve’s right...if he makes you shake then shoot him...if not wait until you see one that does. Just remember you only get one “first” deer so enjoy the moment.
Dude just ask bbb, it took him 16 yrs to get his monster..
if a monster walks in front of you and you get done pissing yourself , shot it..same as if its a small doe..(no no on fawns)..the first is a memory you'll never forget..with time the monsters will come..each time is a learning curve that'll most likely never get easier..who knows, maybe after your first gut job you may decide this isn't a sport for you..either way don't pay attention to the tv shows
Go for it ,you will not forget the deer with a bow .
Puta venison in the freezer first. Then, try a mature deer. I always shoot the first legal deer and then I get selective.
I would say shoot the first legal deer that gives you a shot.
For your first deer, unless it has spots, put it in your freezer. To be brutally honest, chances are you will miss your first shot. There is no way to accurately simulate the amount of adrenaline that will be coursing through your veins when you draw on a deer. You'll do something that will make you look back and kick yourself. There have been very few shots that I've taken where I look back and think I did everything right. There is always something because each situation is different and sometimes that something bites you in the ass. I'll be the first to admit that some of my harvests have been more due to luck than skilled execution. So don't wait for a wall-hanger to cut your teeth on. Missing a spike or a fork horn is a bit easier to take than a nice 8 pointer. At least based on my experience.
Have you shot a deer? I think I'm reading your post as saying this would be your first.
Point blank, shoot the first legal deer you see that you want to shoot!
I would say the 1st few deer you shoot should not have any kind of parameters on them other them legality. If they are legal then let them fly. My 1st deer with a bow was a button buck. I was 13 and felt awful but my parents couldn't have been prouder. I still remember that day.
i have now hunted three years and yet to get one!!!!! i am gonna shoot anything in range.
thanks all for the input!
for your first deer, Shoot the first deer that gives you a good ethical shot. It is hunting. you have to kill deer to get good at it. there is lots to learn ..you need those experiences
The question should be "would YOU shoot this deer?"
Don't go by what anybody else would do. Who gives a rats azz about what others would do. If it puts a smile on YOUR face then drop the string.
Hell, you've got 4 bow tags. Kill your first deer and be proud of it.
Then go kill 3 more.
When you first start out hunting shoot any legal deer that you desire. Anyone who criticizes you is doing so out of personal choice based upon the way they hunt. I've killed plenty of deer over the years and once it became "easy" I decided to only shoot mature bucks. I don't hunt for the kill, I hunt for the "Hunt". The chase is important to me, but that's just my choice. The most important thing is to respect the animal, enjoy nature, and allow yourself to soak in the beauty that God has created. Good luck!
New or not it's the hunters decision to harvest what he or she desires. If you have a good clean shot and the freezer is empty.... need I say more?
When in doubt, ask yourself what you would do if it was the last day of the season and he walked by in range. The first deer I shot was a doe. It tasted delicious that winter and I still enjoy the memories.
Tobyone cooked that venison to perfection! Hey, for some of us it's all about the meat!
Yes. That meat looks like perfection. I got a sous vide this year that I am dying to put to use with some venison
Yes, definitely. It would help build confidence and fill the freezer.
Shoot what makes you happy. Tobywon your roast looks amazing! Perfection!
I feel great putting venison in the freezer before hunting a specific buck. It's not Texas; it's Ct. and sometimes the first deer you see is the last deer you see.
We have a sayin where I'm from....."If its brown its down"...."turn that arrow red ….. Dude" this is Ct not Kansas.
Hunt for the Quality Shot: in no-doubt, first-pin range; broadside to quartering-away angle; not too steep a shot; completely unsuspecting animal, and preferably looking the other way. Not moving.
That way, you’ve minimized the chance for something to go bad.
The trick to Bowhunting (IMHO) is to resist the temptation to ever push your luck. Wait for the Gimme. It’ll come. And the greatest trophy of all is a short, easy recovery. The rest is just window-dressing.