Shooting Button Bucks

[Son of Texas]

I've never killed a deer with my bow after a lot of years of trying. Last year I let a nubbin walk all around me and I passed, I don,t think I will let one pass if I get the chance this year, but I'll cross that bridge if I get to it.

[Onestringer]

Since we are talking about button bucks here, from what I understand, button bucks on the 200 acre farm you hunt tend to move many miles by the time they are 4 points next season.  Is that true?

With that said, yea I would probably shoot it, but thats your own decision.  Just remember there is no wrong decison.

[longbowben]

Well said southmdshooter.  

[adkmountainken]

i have not taken a deer with bow yet either, that being said i pass on all "small" deer. just don't feel the need to do that. i have had dozens of chances in the last few years and have passed. hunting hard now, waiting for a decent deer.

[John Scifres]

I had the same choice several years ago. I had switched to trad about 4 years earlier and still hadn't killed anything.  It was pretty early in the season and a little BB hung out under my stand for several minutes offering a number of shots.  I just couldn't do it.  Not because it was a buck but because it was a little fawn.  I would have made the same choice for a little doe.  Later in the year, or if he was a little bigger, I probably would have shot him.  I don't know if that answers your question but there it is.

Early season or later born fawns are too small to kill for me.  It's just not worth the trouble for the small amount of meat you get.

[ChuckC]

What logic is required ?  

There is no logic  only choice.   For every arguement "for" there is an argument "against".

Don't know about you but I am deer hunting.

It is a choice pure and simple.  and it is his (or ours or yours) choice.  

If he has not shot a deer yet, or in a long long time, and worries about whether or not he should take a deer... then shooting whatever walks past might be a good "practice" for when Mr. Big walks past.           and,      as stated earlier,  chosing "the next deer" alleviates the worry of whether he should shoot or not, based upon deer size or age or sex.

ChuckC

[Brent Hill]

As for confidence, if you are saving yourself for bucksilla, you will probably miss the monsterbuck if you have never dropped a string on any deer before.  You don't play in the superbowl without a lot of practice.  I have never seen nor shot such a buck and still lay up at night dreaming of all of my brown ghosts at the lease with envy, horns or not.  But what we do is hard and reguires alot of practice with real targets and real deer that jump, move and turn grown men into children. (I love it)

With respect to management, I have read that you will never know that buck's true potential until after 3 years but that first year deer regardless of gender have about a 50/50 chance that it will not make it through the first year of its life.  That being said, if the buck or doe makes it to year 2, its a fighter and has a greater chance of making it to maturity.  In my opinion, shooting a button buck due to life expectancy has far less effect on the herd than shooting a two or three year old fork horn that has a greater chance of living but has yet to reveal its true potential.  

I now choose to let the spikes pass and only shoot older cull bucks and all the does I can get.  However, you have have been more selective, cautious, and more patient than I ever could have been.  If you want to shoot one, feel free and and know that you did something special regardless of what the realtree staff would say.  Bhill

[BRONZ]

I've shot two on accident thinking they were does.  If you're in an area that you are trying to grow big bucks, leave them alone.  If it had been 14 seasons since I shot a deer, I'd down one in a heartbeat.

[Drew]

Tim, if he was on public land that you normally hunt I would shot him in your situation...most likely he'll be shot during gun season anyway.

Now if it was private land, and he was a late born small button I'd let him walk. I had the following choice two days ago...twin buttons both gave me shots under 15 yards. I passed only because I've seen the bigger bucks there that those two may be their offspring.

What ever choice you make, best of luck...

[oxnam]

14 years!?!  Shoot that deer.  There are a lot of preferences and opinions here, don't worry about what everyone else will think.  
I guarantee, when you get a deer and post pictures here, it will be nothing but congratulations and high fives.  Not one person is going to say, "You shouldn't have shot him, he's not a shooter buck."  
Does, button bucks, and mature bucks are all trophies especially when taken with trad gear.  Down the road, maybe you want to work on building up a heard or putting a trophy on the wall, but put some meat on your table.
Obviously you love hunting, but throw in a little killing and it gets even better.
oxnam

[SouthMDShooter]

ok ill bite.

Im 19 ive been hunting for 10 years now, 4 with a stick and string. Ive killed over 20 deer with trad equipment 2 that made P&Y. And those are the only two bucks ive killed with trad equip. Ive had literally hundreds of oppurtunties to kill everything from button bucks to 10 points but have always passed because they were young deer. I have no problem with people killing young bucks but you will wont be able to kill/hunt big bucks if your shooting them when they're BBs all the way to basket 8s. Last year one of the P&Y bucks I killed I had let go the two previous seasons before.

Now I get it if its your first year hunting and have never killed a deer or something like that, but my first year with a recurve I could have killed a few basket 8s a few times but decided to let him go (not an easy decision) and take a doe, and letting these young bucks go are really paying off now.

Also to better understand my situation I am hunting on 7000 private acres in WV (so our bucks aint that big to begin with) where less than 10 people hunt a year and we dont shoot anything unless hes a mature buck, weve been doing this for 10 years and its really paying off big time.

I understand that things are different if the land isnt managed or if its public land and if you dont shoot it someone else will, but bottom line they cant grow to be nice mature bucks with good rack size if there killed young period.

And for those who said population control SHOOT THE DOES!


For example this is a buck I saw on the property a month ago and he will not be killed on our property by any human. Hes a young deer with a lot of potential, hopefully he can make it till next year so I can have a crack at him in the woods.

Good luck to all this year! Be safe
   
   

[Jerry Jeffer]

I have taken a couple of buttons not knowing at the time of the shot. If I know a head of time, I'll let him walk.

[GrnMtnTradNut]

As a rule I let them walk, that being said doe fawns are in a world of trouble when They come by me I will let there mother walk to get to them, I take plenty of deer for the freezer and only want the best eatin, I know I shot a BB this year and would not have if I could have seen the nubds at 12 yds, but he tastes great, we also let all 1yr old bucks walk on our property here in vt. When I hunt Ohio no bb's and I try to hold out for a 125" gross buck, I only have 10-15 days there and come home without some years but it is my choice. Shoot what ever makes you happy and be proud of it.

[leatherneck]

Tim,

Sounds like you answered your own question by not shooting. Good luck!

Mike

[Tim Fishell]

Thanks again guys.  It is good to see some others perspectives on this.  

For those that wanted more info about the area I am hunting.  I hunt public land that is roughly 144,000 acres in size.  The part that I hunt is 2 square miles with roads to the south, east, and west and private land to the north.

[Longbow rookie]

I wasn't going to post again but after reading many responses I feel I should.  I definitely felt my first deer was a trophy - more importantly it was a trophy to me.  I'm sure an accomplished hunter with multiple P&Y class deer to his/her credit would not catergorize my button as a trophy.  That's ok..it was my shot and I'm proud I made it.

When I shot my first deer I didn't know he was a button...thought it was a doe.

However, that wouldn't have changed the shot I took...I'll explain.  

First of all, to me hunting is a very personal experience and means different things for different people - obviously - and I'm not writing this for approval or disapproval.  I'm writing to explain the instincts that took over when the deer hooked around and presented a perfect broadside shot.

I'd be lying if I said there was a ton of time for contemplation when the deer gave me a shot.  He was 10-12yds. broadside and quartering away.  I felt it was time to draw and shoot.  I did!

My point is that: my instincts took over.  I'm happy with the decision and I fully understand that the decisions and instincts of one are not those of another.

So, again...I say do what you feel is right for you as a hunter.

[BRITTMAN]

I voted no just because we need to take a few does to balance the herd better so we dont need the meat .

Mike

[ron w]

After 14 years ,break the ice and shoot a small deer. Then when a big one comes your way it will almost seem natural. I get excited if there big or little.Get one under your belt then hold out for a big one.

[WESTBROOK]

I'll let'em walk, never needed to shoot anything that bad. I too am still waiting for my 1st with a bow.

Eric

[Soilarch]

The last deer I shot was a button.  The first deer I shot was a button.

I didn't know either was a button when I shot.

I don't beat myself up over it but as a rule I let spikes, buttons or fawns that are with the mother walk. So I voted "let em walk."

I have shot a doe when there was 2 does and 2 fawns, figured the little guys were taken care of...but it's always been a lingering question.  If somebody knows for sure whether or not does will "adopt" fawns PM me so we keep the thread on course.