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What is it about the horns?

I'm all for making this place more lively. So what do you guys think the big deal is about horns. Why will we wait to kill a buck, any buck, and let does pass us by? We all know the does are smarter. They eat better. So why do we wait for a buck. I see it where I hunt. I've seen guys ooing and ahhhing about a small fork horn in the back of a truck and make fun of me for the doe in my truck. Lol. For the record I shoot and eat deer.

I don't pass on does. I did pass a 40 yard shot on a doe hoping it would close the distance that didn't happen. I might disagree that does are smarter. Some are certainly smarter than young bucks but not a big buck that has made it thru a few seasons. They can be equally as smart and that is the attraction to me to try and outwit one of those while enjoying time in the woods. IMO that's what the extra tags are for and worth every penny.

I agree. Big bucks are smart but still make a lot of mistakes during the rut. I have seen several big old does over the last 10 years that had multiple fawns year after year. They were very smart. I guess I have not hunted enough big old bucks to see how really smart they are because the numbers are not there where I hunt and I do not get to spend enough time on a week or two hunt in the midwest to see their behavior. I had one old doe I named socks because she had all white feed. Her fawns always had some white on them as well. She would pick me out no matter what tree I was in. I gained a lot of respect for her and would not kill her because she always had fawns and I did not have the heart to. The fawns would play around but she would always be looking and trying to wind me. She would walk around my tree 360 degrees until she smelled me. I changed trees all the time and she still picked me out. After about 5 or 6 years I never saw her again. I would like to think she died of old age. But there are a lot of deer running around my cabin with white on them . LOL. Thought I would share.

I shoot adult does every chance i get until all tags are full.......Thats my bread and butter right there...

I hear ha.

I haven't passed a mature doe in 10 years. Due to sickness, new jobs, priorities and such, I simply have not had the time or inclination to hunt and scout like I used too. However, There were times in my life, I wouldn't shoot any buck unless big enough and, I had to be careful about when I shot my does or I'd run out of tags early in the season. I hunted a lot and spent my off year scouting and preparing for the next year.

I was all about the horns. Then switched to all about the opportunity when presented. So far this year, I've been selective again because I had a side of beef in the freezer before season came in. I passed a really nice, young 8 point in the 95-100" range Saturday. I had him at 11 yards with pressure on the string. I enjoyed letting him go too. I hadn't done that in a good while.

That was a long winded response and, way to say its not all about the horns for me. I like shooting deer with my trad bow and my compound. I prefer deer meat to beef. I just got a lot of beef. :^) And, my current preference to letting horned deer walk is dependent on my needs. But, with only three more days for me to hunt before gun season, a doe will not get a pass with two more tags to fill.

First come, first serve an arrow.

I like beef better than deer but eat a lot of deer meat. I have family and friends so I have to kill deer.,

Its in the eye of the beholder. I have shot my share of small bucks and decided i wanted to step up my game and go after the more mature ones. To me I think it is fun trying to figure them out, and how they get so big from being smart and know that they are being hunted. Plus it gives me more time out in the woods. Everyone has there own choice on how easy or hard of a hunt they want IMO. I do shoot does for my meat because I simply love venison and would rather have venison over beef.

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