Even though I shot a young one the same night, I passed earlier last week on a small buck.
I'd rather every doe I take be a big old barren moma but don't happen a lot.
I prefer 2.5 and up year whitetail, either sex.
Now that I have some meat, I would pass on another young one, but that's just me. Even when I need the meat I hate shooting young deer.
I've only a few larger bucks in the area I have to hunt now so will probably shoot a smaller one later in season but till the pre rut kicks in I just dont want to shot a buck unless its pretty mature.
Regardless of the size of the buck I end up shooting, I am tickled to death. I also realize that passing up smaller ones could easily make the season end without one but that's hardly a disaster or uncommon LOL.
While I would LOVE to shoot some big old hog buck and do look for sign of such, I've found I can only wait for pre rut and the rut to have much of a chance of one coming around from other areas by me.
A buddy of mine habitually shoots bigger bucks than I do, in a better area and will go without a buck before shooting a young one, period.
In a great area showing signs year after year of big bucks around, I would probably do similar.
As is, with only one buck tag for the entire season, regardless of weapon, I try to hold out for something 2.5 years old or older till gun season starts. After the first two days of gun season and I'm still bowhunting I have hard time refusing a "gimme" shot on a small frame buck.
Hunting from the ground, with out a "blind" per se, I don't have any problem being proud of any buck or doe, regardless what my wheelie shooting family thinks, LOL.
Old, stuck in his ways, bullheaded ol fart anyway.
The day a tape measure is needed to tell me if I had a good season or not wont ever happen.
Meat wise, I can't tell the difference in quality if properly aged so the size of the animal "preferred" is the bigger the better .... for ME.
Whatever else others prefer is totally acceptable to me too. Everyone has his own set of goals and likes and dislikes and I tip my hat to anyone who sticks to his goals, even if the opposite of mine if that is what he enjoys doing.
God Bless.