First Trad deer....

[Molson]

Completely depends on where I'm hunting.  The property I hunted yesterday for opening day is a tree farm in the urban zone. The landowner called me a week ago very upset over the damage to her trees and complaining about the deer being everywhere.  There are some great bucks on this property but I usually just hunt does (antlerless) here because it keeps the landowner happy which keeps me hunting this great place year after year.  On this property, if the deer doesn't have horns or spots and I've got an antlerless tag, I shoot it.

To open up the season, I shot the smallest little guy I've ever shot.  No horns, no spots, so he got shot.  My top limb hit a tree branch on the shot and threw my arrow off.  The Griz 190 hit him way back and cut the artery under the spine.  He went about 30 yards and fell over.  Just perfect for the crockpot or barbecue and by far some of the best tasting venison you can get.

 

I could dang near carry this guy out in my Arrow Master quiver!

I say make up your own mind for your own reasons on what deer you shoot.  Doesn't matter whether it's the first deer you ever shoot, or your last.

[frassettor]

Molson
 

Had my share of youngins as well, they are tastey!

[Wary Buck]

Each of us has such a different set of circumstances.  Places to hunt, time to hunt, quantity and quality of deer, etc.  Any legal deer taken ethically, even a young one, needs no apologizing over.  

While I'd not knowingly shoot a yearling (because I hunt a lot, and in pretty good areas), I think there's nothing wrong with it and have congratulated and pounded the back of numerous students at school who showed me the picture of their first and it was obviously a young one.

[WESTBROOK]

No thanks, I'll let'em walk.

Eric

[mscampbell75]

This very thing happened to me last Tues. afternoon.   Got to my stand and settled in as it started to drizzle rain.  No more than 5 minutes later, a deer came into my bait pile.  Noticeing right away it was a smaller deer.  Deer was oblivious to my presence.  Noticed it was a button head and just could make out spots on bottom half of its hams.  I practiced picking my spot as to where I would aim if it were a shooter.  It hung around about 15 minutes and the walked off in the direction it came.  

The way I see it, I will have another chance (God willing) to take my 1st trad deer.  It wasnt worth taking the young deer just to give myself the satifaction of saying I took my 1st trad deer.  Taking my 1st traditional deer, in itself doestn really mean much to anyone else except for me.  For me it is a personal challenge.

Just my .02 cents.

[wollelybugger]

I am shooting a homemade self bow so it would be great to shoot a deer with it, any deer.

[BowHuntingFool]

I was shooting the first deer that came by, missed a couple Does and then killed a 1.5 year old buck last year for my first, I would of been just as happy if it was ANY deer as I worked hard for it!

[Son of Texas]

I have yet to kill my first deer with archery equipment compound or Trad I've let a few young ones walk, but this year if I'm blessed with a chance I'm going to take it, then I'll be more selective. At this time in my traditional career I feel the need to get my first one. It's not that I have to kill something I've killed plenty I want to prove to my self that I can. I hunt with my Inlaws and they think I'm crazy when regular season starts and I continue to hunt with my bow.

[GingivitisKahn]

I voted 'pass' which is *probably* what I'd do assuming I noticed the head gear.  I'm not promising anything tho.  :-p

[buckhuck]

I voted shoot.  Last year when I stepped into the woods for the first time with trad gear I felt like a kid again trying to kill my first squirrel.  The desire I had to take something with that old recurve was very profound.  That was a great feeling to me and an even better feeling once I shot my first trad deer.

[nonamesleft47]

When I hunted traditional about 15 years ago I passed up several deer including button bucks then the few times I did get a chance at a nice buck I miffed because I wasn't experienced.  An injury took me out of the game and I switched to a wheel bow.  My first deer with it was a yearling doe.  

I've killed a bunch of does and button bucks with a compound since then.  Now that I've taken up traditional again I would be proud to see my broadhead heading for the sweat spot of a button buck.  In fact I wished I had my recurve with me tonight when two bb and 3 yearling does played under my stand for 45 minutes.  If I am lucky enough to get one with my recurve it's hide will hang on the wall right next to my booner.

The only way to gain experience is to get experience.

[JPS]

Personally I hate trophy hunting. Thats about the best venison you can get. I would rather shoot 2 of those than a tough old buck just to hang up his head and complain about the tough meat. Nothing wrong with shooting a nice deer like that. Any wild predator would choose the yearling over a big buck as well. Nice one

[ThomastaylorIII]

Drop The String, You will allways remember the first one, if you dont want to then wait, it really depends on how and where you hunt. I see deer all day long sometimes, if its been that kinda year i would tell you (if you were with me) that it was up to you, but more deer will probably come and there is allways tomorrow.

However, if it was my first trad deer all over agin, id still drop the string on him.  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Since everyone is different all I'll say is.... Do what feels right to you, sometimes getting the monkey off your back ASAP is a good thing. For me it dropped the pressure and made me more relaxed on all my other hunts.

Not let anyone tell it's bad to shot young'ns... Sometimes, but more then others, Mother Nature takes out the Young & Old..

Take You first deer, Everything after that is only going to get better. I'm a meat hunter so it's all good to me.

[Bill Carlsen]

I killed a button buck last Friday on my property. I think if it had been a doe I would have passed on it simply because during the rut the more does around the better the buck hunting. In any event, I still have 2 deer tags and a moose tag. The moose hunt will take a 10 day bite out of my deer hunting and we had no venison in the freezer. Here in NH the herd is very healthy and not very dense so any legal deer is probably going to be shot at if it gives me an opportunity. In any event, my Special Archery tag allows me, actually requires me, to shoot an antlered buck. I can take another anterless deer during the firearms doe season and I also have the option of buying a WMU M anterless tag so that really boils down to 3 tags left if I buy the M tag. Can't have too many deer in the freezer even if they are not trophy caliber.