FeelTheHunt,
Without being critical of what you and others have said, I thought I might add my comments to the discussion. What just about everyone else has being talking about is a personal code. They are either describing theirs, or telling you to define and stick to yours. I would counsel the same thing.
In answer to your question, no, I would not shoot that buck. It does not meet my personal code as a shooter yet. If I am going to shoot and tag a buck, I prefer them in the 4 and 1/2 to 5 and 1/2 year old range. I have killed older bucks, but they are few and far between in my area.
I look at deer in my hunting area as an investment of sorts. Like investments, I think a longer term approach is beneficial. Not much invested in a year and a half old spike buck but the long term benefits will never be realized if it is killed. Older bucks (yes, with larger antlers) have a greater return on investment but are riskier to realize as they get older. You need to decide what it is you’re in the game for. Are you satisfied with small, quick returns or do you want larger, long term results for your efforts?
Now, I am not a financial type, but I think the analogy fits. The idea of shooting it now because someone else will get it later seems to be like selling short, getting yours, and getting out, so to speak. If you have a desire to kill a big, well antlered deer, let him walk. I think in another two years he will be a dandy. True, you are running the risk that someone else might kill him, but is killing him now so someone else can’t, really a good motivation?
I think there is a difference between "Trophy Hunting" and "Hunting for a Trophy". I like to hunt for big deer. I consider it a great accomplishment to kill a buck with big antlers and memorialize the experience by availing myself of the talents of a skilled taxidermist. There is no need for me to kill a small, young or otherwise non-trophy buck. I think that if a deer is a shooter on the last day of season, it should have been a shooter on the first day. I do kill does whenever I have a tag for them, but my buck tag more often than not goes unfilled. I hunt with a rifle, a muzzleloader and my bow, and have the exact same preferences for which deer I would kill for each. What is it you are hunting for? Not why are you hunting, but what do want to get out of it?
The sun rises are pretty, the woods are beautiful and I love just being outside doing things away from civilization, but make no mistake, my purpose for being there is to kill an animal. Without this specific motivation, it is simply an expensive walk in the woods. Like many have said, I don’t have to kill something to enjoy the hunt, but I have to be there to kill something to have hunted.
Enjoy your hunt.
OkKeith