To shoot or not to shoot, that is the question.

[eyehead]

I'd be waitin on the Booner all season long......Like others have said. There are alot of P&Y's out there(if your in the right area and it sure sounds like you are) booners on the other hand are really somethin special. A guy can go a loooooooooooong time without having an oppurtunity at one....if ever. Take advantage of it and go for the big guy!!!!!

[koonie]

I only gave the rough score to give them an idea of the size of the one, compared to the others. I more than likely will not enter another deer in Pope and Young, but I would do it for Boone and Crocket. Didn't mean to get you thinking I only cared about score.

My main point was that I have a few nice bucks running around but one that is heads over the rest. I don't know if people would have gotten the gist had I just said that.

I guess I knew what you meant. My reply sounded a little preachy. That wasn't my intention at all. Just post the pictures when you get your buck.

[surewood]

It would be hard to pass on a 130, but if I saw a 170 in the same area from time to time I'd go for him. I'd obsess over it. If a shot one the smaller ones I'd think about the other deer the rest of the season. Maybe even the rest of my life, thats a mature smart deer. Deer of a lifetime for most everybody.

[Iron Cowboy]

I don't measure bucks by what they score P&Y or B&C. That means nothing to me. If it's big enough to shoot who cares what it scores. That's just me though. I don't need somebody to tell me it's a trophy because it scores x inches. It's strictly in the eye of the beholder. I think too many people get hung up on what a deer scores. Just my opinion.

Good luck! Be patient and take the one that gives you the best shot. It'll be a trophy no matter what.

I'm with you koonie. not really worried about impressing anyone (myself included) and dont like tag soup. I love them backstraps though

[iceman1603]

I think it all depends on where you are in your hunting career. Like some of you, my cousin for instance has been whackin deer for nearly 30 yrs. With a total of 102 deer under his belt he says he is in the "the trophy stage" of his hunting career. The times of "brown is down" is over, at least for him. Granted he will put a deer in the farmers freezer who owns the property if asked. Other than that he has his size requirements and he wont shoot for him self until he see's the deer that meets those requirements. As for my self, I have my own size requirements as well but I am no where near the trophy stage as of yet.. So yea Id let one fly at the 130.

[jdon]

You are asking the question therefore I think you should wait. If it was a no brainer to shoot a 130 you wouldn't ask. And really how will you feel if you shoot a 130 before rifle season? First thing you'll say to yourself is "what if". The next thing you'll say is "wow he would have been a pig next year" You are very fortunate to have a target buck- go after him. The feeling of success is the ultimate.

My advice would be try the first week or so if the wind is pristine and if you don't get him you have to wait til around halloween go to his home and whack him. You have to wait. You have to wait. You have to wait. It is one of the toughest things to do but it really works. Everyone thinks these big boys move all over heck during the rut. I believe the big big big bucks wait for the does to come to them. I have seen it. The does want to be bred by the biggest buck in the woods-it is nature, and they know where they live becuase they interact with them everyday. Go get that booner!

[matthothand]

Make this your dream season. Everyone that says to hold out til some time in October is not helping. It's either all or nothing. Typically November is your best month anyhow so to drop your standards before then is a bad idea. In your case, I'd only hunt the big one. If you don't shoot a buck this year because the one you want doesn't step out I'll tip my hat to you for having a better season than the guy that shoots the first thing he sees just to get his buck. I've eaten tag soup. It's usually $160 per serving... But it's actually pretty good. The thing is- after eating all that tag soup the horns taste even better.

[eyehead]

I've eaten tag soup. It's usually $160 per serving... But it's actually pretty good. The thing is- after eating all that tag soup the horns taste even better.

LOL....I like that one.

[archerystud]

I would wait personally. However I've got 3 nice ones on the wall now but none of them are huge. If you put a 150 in front of me now I'd have a tough time waiting for Mr B&C.

[Gordie]

personally I would wait for the chance for a buck like that. But have always been told that if its good enough for the last day of the hunt then its good enough for the first day of the hunt and thats from a man that didnt care to eat the horns or the tag

[crazyfishinut]

I have the perfect solution. I will come out and take the 130 while you film. If the booner shows up we can thumb wressle for it! Sound like a plan!

[bigbucks]

Definitely think it's where you're at. I've not shot a buck over probably a 100", something like that, in nearly 30 years of deer hunting. I've only seen a few bigger than that. If I get a good shot at one that's over that I'm flinging an arrow. If I don't I'm not shooting a buck.

[james_walleye]

If it makes it easier trigger i'll stick that big boy early in the season. Then you don't have to hesitate on the 130"er.

[DoubleLunger]

Personally i wouldn't shoot a 130 incher. Would rather wait til he's 140 or more and just harvest does for the freezer.

[96trigger]

I'm gonna hold out as long as I can. I have my sights set on 3 bucks, and 3 bucks only at this time. All the others, although very nice bucks, don't meet the standards that I am at now in my life. If it is not one of the three, I am going to pass for now. All those other bucks made it through last year, so maybe they'll make it through another. Thanks for all responses. I actually used them to make up my mind. Thanks again.

[james_walleye]

Hey trigger how far do you think you are from where I am out there? I have a camera up toward the property line to the east by a stand, if i get anything worthwhile on it i'll let you know.

[96trigger]

YOu are not far, the really big guy that I was after last year is closer to you than to me. Good luck, if you get anything let me know. The bucks I got right now are staying pretty tight to their home location. Hopefully the big guy gets kicked back over, but sounds like there are are couple of guys our here that are going to make a big push for him this weekend. Might not be unwise to be in your stand if you can. I am busy this weekend so I am out.

[james_walleye]

Well the stand that i have that looks the most promising is the one i got toward the east property line. The problem is its looking at this point like the wind is suppose to be SE and that isnt good for that stand. I'm not sure what i should do. Has that big guy been showing himself?? Morning or evening the best you think?

[96trigger]

hard to play the wind out there. I never can tell where the deer are going to come out. Most of the time I try and get the wind blowing in the field, but when I do that, thats where the deer are. The big guy hasn't been seen for awhile. He was being seen pretty regularly in August but hasn't been seen much in Sept that I have heard. If he is back to his fall pattern I know where he is and I have two stands waiting to get him. If he is not, I would say that he has moved more towards you. I have not gotten him on camera yet. Last year, he just showed up about a week before the rut and tore everything up. Hope he does that again this year.