First Trad deer....

[frassettor]

A button buck (5 month old) walks into range and this would be your first Trad deer...Do you let him walk by hoping that another deer (a older one) will present you with a shot another day, or do you take a shot.

[Eric Krewson]

I had to think back 40 years on that question. I was young, not much of a hunter and seldom killed a deer even with a rifle. I would drop the string on any legal deer, and killed my first whitetail with a recurve about that time. Found this old picture from the mid 70s of my first with a bow. Compound devices hadn't been invented yet.

 

Today I would let him walk but not 40 years ago.

[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.

[joevan125]

This will be my first year to hunt with a stick bow so i will shoot the first legal deer i have a chance to harvest. The place i hunt has a lot of deer and last year i did pass on some does with my compound. I dont think i will be passing on any this year because theres nothing that will help your confidence better than taking game.

[kodiakkid]

I have yet to take my first animal with trad gear. I think I would probably pass him up even so. Just the fact he's in range is something, even though he's a youngin.

[GANGGREEN]

I agree with Kodiak.  I've never taken one with traditional gear and this year it's all that I'll be using.  Even so, it wouldn't be very satisfying to me, in fact, I think I'd feel terrible afterwards.  I'd be even a bit more concerned that it was a button buck than simply the fact that it was a yearling.

Now, on the other hand, I think that there's nothing wrong with someone taking that deer assuming that it was a legal target and was harvested in an ethical and humane way.  For me it's a matter of personal choice and I'd refrain from shooting.

[frassettor]

Keep em coming fellas... Great stuff

[jacobsladder]

It would all depend on how late in the season.... if it was early and i had plenty of hunting time..i'd pass...if it was late and had no venison..i'd shoot.

[L82HUNT]

I have passed three yearling already this year,  but i have taken a bunch of deer. But if you have not taken a deer yet with trad gear you should drop the string on any legal deer.  Most places deer numbers are pretty high, so taking your first deer no matter what it is wont hurt anything.

[Kenneth]

I killed a little button the 1st day here this year because I thought it was a doe. If I can see the buttons then I'll pass, but if I know it's a doe and it still has a few spots on it then it's fair game if I don't have meat in the freezer, if the freezer is well stocked then I hold out for mature does or bucks.  My first priority no matter what I'm hunting with is meat but I don't like killing young bucks though.

[GMMAT]

If YOU choose to shoot it....I'll help you drag it....take your photos and congratulate you on your trophy.

But.....I've killed enough whitetails that a BB doesn't trip my excite-o-meter.

Follow YOUR heart.  I voted he walks.

[jsweka]

I met my goal of taking a deer with trad gear in 2005 - an old doe with my Great Plains recurve.  My new goal is to take one with a bow I built myself.  I started making my own longbows from Bingham kits about three years ago. Since that time, I simply haven't had a good shot opportunity at a deer.  So I would not hesitate to shoot a button buck if a good shot presented itself.  It all boils down to your personal goals and what you want to get out of your hunting season.  If I drop one with my longbow this year, maybe next year I'll set my goals a little higher.

[jwmartin629]

My first bow kill was a button buck 8 years ago with a compound. I just got serious about hunting with traditional equipment last year. I have killed 5 with it now. I have shot close to 50 deer with the bow over the past 8 years. I still get just as excited when a button buck comes in as when an 8 pointer comes in. If he's close enough, I'm shooting and if I kill him he is a trophy to me. If it's brown I'm trying to take it down. The meat is also so good and tender. I'm a hardcore trophy hunter and any deer is trophy to me, if they have spots, pick one.

[varmint101]

First one? I'd kill it.  They taste great.

After that? No.  If I were to kill a yearling it'd be a doe.

[John3]

I too let "this years" deer walk already this season... But have killed more than my share of deer.  If it is your first go ahead and shoot it and be happy.

JDSIII

[freefeet]

I think of it as an animal should chose the hunter, not the other way around.  I'll take whatever animal offers me a chance to take it, i don't see it as my place to be judging the worthiness of the animal in question.

[straitera]

Timeless distinction between hunters w/enough kills & newbes. The temptation to kill your first is too great for most (myself included). After these many years no contest, he walks.

[JAG]

Over thirty years ago, I let the first deer walk, while hunting with a bow.    
It was EIGHT YEARS before I got another shot at a buck!  

[joevan125]

This is a great topic and its good to see how other hunters support each others decision. I think its pretty cool that the guys who have made the switch to trad archery consider any deer a trophy.

What is it about these stick bows that makes a ordinary hunt turn in to a hunt that moves the soul in ways that nothing else can compare.

[Sticks2117]

I'll take em because it will be my first deer with Trad equipment also I don't get that many opportubities to hunt I also hunt public land and don't get that many opportunities at shots so that being said I'll put meat in the freezer given the OPP.