Trophy or good eating?

[horatio1226]

If you had a choice to shoot a doe, a young buck or a big buck, which would you choose and why? Is one better eating than the others? Is the big buck more wiley? Maybe a stupid question, but hey, I'm curious and going on my first hunt this fall. Believe me I'll take whatever I can get, but I'm wondering what the real differences are. Thanks
Brian

[Billy]

To eat I prefer younger does.
 Maybe it's just me but, I think the older ones get a bit "gamey-er".
 That said, when I get a shot with my recurve; I'll decide how to cook it then..    and whatever it is, it will be MY trophy.

[Sharpster]

If I had good clean shots at all three, I'd take the bigger buck of course but, I don't pass up many shots at does either.

The big doe is probably better eating and if she's mature and experienced with hunters, she can be just as hard or maybe even harder to kill than the big buck. Every animal is a trophy as far as I'm concerned.

I relate it to fishing... We all want that 10 lb walleye but, that doesn't mean that we don't want the 3 lb fish to bite!

Good luck this year!

Ron

[Fletcher]

If they all three walked in together and offered shots, I'd take the big buck.  I don't get too many good chances at them.  I quit shooting the small bucks and I'll likely get more chances at does.

I can only make good use of maybe three deer a year, so much of my hunting time is spent just watching; not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Don Stokes]

I pass on the young bucks unless I'm hungry. I prefer does to eat, but a big buck with a bow will always be first choice!

[pdk25]

I'd take the bigger buck.  Not because of pride, although I do think that sometimes it is more of a trophy to take a wily old buck, irrespective of antler size.  I'd do it because I love venison.  Maybe my sense of taste isn't as refined as some, but I've shot a couple that were 6-7 years old and never had a problem with the meat tasting 'gamey'.  The more meat the better for me.  It seems like so much more is wasted with a smaller deer, not that I won't shoot them.  If I'm gonna go to the effort of butchering the thing, I want some bang for my buck (no pun intended).

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Steaks are bigger and more of them on a big buck. Like Patrick, I really haven't noticed any significant difference, other than the size of the butterflies.. From my experience the "Gamey" thing normally comes from over cooking.

[rybohunter]

Big buck without hesitation. I've yet to find one that didn't cook up nicely. I shoot lots of does for meat as well, but cooked right, a old buck isn't very tough meat.

[always89s boy]

it doesnt matter to me id shoot wichever one i had the best shot at

[kennym]

I'd have to take the big one,they just don't come by as often,that may be why I take so many more does than bucks!!

[Onestringer]

It all really depends on how far I have to drag it out.

[Charlie Lamb]

I hunt does for meat. The younger the better!
 Most states have buck/doe ratio's that are way out of kilter, and I try to trim the doe crop as much as I can.

I leave the bucks alone when shooting for food. I save my buck tag for mister big... or more correctly, the best the area has to offer.

[pdk25]

I didn't answer your question fully, earlier.  I think old deer are cagier, whether buck or doe.  Either that, or they've found a strategy that works when the hunting pressure is on that's allowed them to live through several hunting seasons.  It can be very difficult to harvest an older doe at times, especially if she has a bunch of little brats with her with their heads on a swivel like I've seen in the later season after too much hunting pressure on public land.

[WidowEater]

i like eating deer, here in southern mi the deer taste exceptionally good. (crop fed)  ill usually shoot 3 does to 1 buck to try and reduce the buck to doe disparity

[Deadbolt]

I gotta say I've tasted em all from a lil fawn to a wiley old buck and I guess coming from my background I sure blcan taste the difference.

No ur not gonna taste the difference between a 2 and 3 y/o deer but you can tell the difference between a 6month old/yearling to a 7 y/o deer without a doubt!!!

I'd always opt for a big buck but ill never pass a doe!

[SC Bowhunter]

If I had the choice I would take the big buck, only because the opportunity rarely presents itself. Otherwise I would shoot a doe. Very few places in this country that have a proper buck-doe ratio.

Rob

[Stone Knife]

I like little ones to eat, but I normally will shoot what ever offers me the shot I want. A tough old doe is better than tag soup.

[Friends call me Pac]

For eating I like does.  For me any deer with a bow is special for me. I have only taken two with a coumpound.  The first was a big doe and the secound was a spike.  I was thrilled with both of them. This year will be my first hunting with my recurve and if I get a 80 pound doe you bet I'll be proud of her.  If I kill a wall hanger that's just icing on the cake.

I have a nice buck that I shot with a rifle in 03.  My brother can't figure out why I don't have him scored.  My thought process is it is good enough that I got him and can look up at him from my recliner and remember the hunt.  I'd rather hunt a wild raghorn than a tame monster that meets you at the gate.

[James Wrenn]

I don't see many big bucks but if one gives me a shot I will kill it.They have more burger than the smaller deer so it will not be wasted.I deer hunt only because I like to eat them however so if I shoot a buck it is usually only because he was the first to show up and give me a shot. :)I quit hunting for headgear many years ago.

[madness522]

I would take the first doe or older buck that presented me with a shot.  I'm gonna eat it so it doesn't matter which one.  I don't care how hard you try you'll never get those horns cooked to where you can eat them.  In NC we can shoot something like 6 deer a season and if I could I would make all 6 of them does.  Our buck to doe ratio is way off and the big bucks don't usually have to go very far to find a his does.

I would have to say that an old doe is more wiley than an old buck.