mistaken doe

[96trigger]

Although I hate to admit it, this year I shot a button buck. It was a case where I hadn't seen much for deer, I hit the grunt call just to see what would happen and I see two deer, the first takes off at a good clip walking towards me. This gave about 30 yards of separation between the two. I let the little one walk by me and never gave it much of a look. I had my gun raised and was patiently waiting for the bigger doe behind to clear into a shooting lane. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the white flag of the first deer go up, he was only about ten yards from me but I knew that if it took off, there was no way the other bigger deer was coming any closer, I swung and shot it, only to find it was a button buck. Needless to say I was actually disappointed in myself. I never took the time to clearly identify that it was a button buck. I didn't have any intention of shooting it or it would have dropped 5 yards from my stand. I knew what my target was, it was a deer, still didn't make that rotten feeling any easier to take. It happens.

[bigbucks]

I've shot a lot of button bucks in my life, I'm sure I'll shoot more. I don't shoot them most of the time, but if we're looking for another deer & a decent sized antlerless deer walks in & it's not obvious it's got buttons, some of the time it will get shot. I think it's good that a lot more people are starting to pass on the majority of the small bucks, but a fawn's the easiest deer to replace & we are out there with the intent of shooting them. If some get shot I don't think it makes a lot of sense to beat yourself up about it. That kind of takes the fun out of the hunt. We can photograph them in May or August or anytime.

[Mark Christianson]

I dont think shooting a button buck is where the intention of this thread was going.

Buttons will be shot by the pickup loads until the end of time. There is no way most people can see those little bumps on their heads unless conditions and distance is perfect.

[96trigger]

Well, at one time, he was very close. Within 5 yards, but like I said, I never paid much attention to him, I was looking at his mother. Never got the chance. It was also the first deer for a party of five, it was a very slow opening morning for us in 3B.

[charliepete2]

I shot a 6 point buck at last light that I thought was just a doe. I was hunting on the edge of a river between a really thick bedding area and a corn field. When I saw the deer in the popple I thought doe, and I must have only focused on the shoulder after that. I was just looking to fill a tag on the last day of an out of state hunt so I was just happy to have something in the freezer.

I've also had the reverse happen. I thought I shot a pretty decent buck from about 5 yards on the ground while it worked a scrape, but it turned out being a small spike (legally antlerless). I think somewhere between the excitement of being so close, the smell of a rutting buck, and movement of the branches as it worked my scent wick I thought I saw a little more than I did. It worked out well for me though. I burned my management tag on the spike and took a 140" 200# 11 point the next day.

[frogtosser]

A few years ago I took a year and a half old buck by bow that had inch and a half spikes that I could not see, and I was on the ground and shot him from five yds away as he walked by me. I could not see the spikes until I was dragging him out of the water he ran into. he was alone walking down a trail before the rut. but at least it was a legal antlerless deer.

[Fishing Freak]

i allway look at the deer really good first to make sure