Button Bucks

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I posted a poll a while back about spike bucks wanting to know if they were just late born fawns or if they were geneticly deficient.  After the general consensus being that they are simply late fawns I started wondering about button bucks.  Same question, really late fawns or geneticly deficient deer that will never be more than a scrub?

I also read somewhere that certain people harvest as many buttons as legaly allowed every so many years, so I guess this will be a two question poll.  Is this a good practice or not?

[joevan125]

Why anyone would shoot there young bucks on purpose is really confusing to me.

[xtrema312]

I never shoot them.  I always though all buttons were just typical buck fawns.  What should they have if they were early born?

[Java Man]

Button buckas are just 6 month old male deer.

[Ken Taylor]

Most places I've hunted, if you are to harvest an antlerless deer, most of the time they (the locals) would prefer you take a female and leave the button bucks grow. Button bucks are just typical male deer of the year  and that is absolutely not an indication as to their genetic potential.

I have shot a few button bucks though, sometimes not seeing the buttons when they are not really visible and sometimes on purpose in very high deer density  areas.

I didn't vote because I don't feel that the questions are worded to give me a precise option. Sorry.

[Don Stokes]

I didn't vote either- with rare exceptions button bucks are just young of the year. They don't grow their first real antlers until the next year.

I have seen one button buck that was a 1 1/2 year old deer, but that's truly rare.

[GAstumpshooter]

All bucks start as button bucks. Most buck fawns born in the spring will be button bucks thier first fall. Most will not grow antlers untill they are about 1 1/2 so it has nothing to do with geneticly deficient but age just IMHO.

[non-typical]

On our farm I shoot button bucks. From the research I have read when the button bucks get to be 18 month olds or there about the does will drive them out of their territory and since the does on our farm are in their resident location their male offspring are not what will be repopulating our mature buck census. If I'm making the best use of the nutritional resources to feed does and the bucks that might be moving into our area it makes sense to me to cull the button bucks over taking does or fawn does.

[Don Stokes]

Non-typical, I'm sure your neighbors appreciate that!

The area I hunt in MO (southwest)is overpopulated with does, to the point that the wildlife department is considering moving the gun season back until after the rut, to protect the bucks and hopefully get people to shoot more does. I'm going up in two weeks for the muzzleloader season to help do my part!

On the other hand, if they move the gun season, that means the rut will be bows only!  

[bowmofo]

I had a button hang around for a few years till he was a nice buck.the neighbor shot him in his third winter. I was hoping to see him go one more year.

[jcar315]

I too am confused why anyone would choose to shoot button bucks when they could shoot does.

The backwards line of reasoning that shows up in regards to "culling bucks" or not shooting does just makes no sense.

I am far from a trophy hunter but if you shoot the 1st legal buck that walks past you will never get an opportunity to take an upper end deer for  your area.

If you want to kill something take a doe....and then take another.

[rappstar]

IMO, every buck deer will probably end up being a really nice buck if they are given enough time.  I mess around and shoot one every now and then....

[K. Mogensen]

Where I hunt a button buck would be considered antlerless meaning that you could possibly take one during doe season. However, I don't see why you would shoot a small button buck instead of a nice big fat doe and get a little more food.

[LCH]

I would rather kill the does that way she won't be able to run off her button bucks. Then they will take up residence there if they have enough food. LCH

[Don Stokes]

Does will run off button bucks when they come into heat. I've seen a button buck try to mount his mama, early in the season. I've also seen a branch-antlered buck repeatedly run off a button buck during the rut when he was interested in the doe.

Many button bucks get shot for does after they have been run off. During and after the rut, young single deer are almost always buttons. I've learned to shoot does from family groups instead of shooting the singles, because so many of them are buttons.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

They just youngens, Plus I'll shoot one or two a year if they give me a broadside shot.

In the wild a true hunter will take the young ones. I feel it is just a part of nature to do so. This doesn't make me a bad hunter and if ANYONE thinks it does, O-well.. It doesn't.

Just because You don't, Don't try and tell me how to hunt and what to take. I am a Hunter, I hunt for Meat, The Young ones are the best eating.

[Brian Krebs]

I have seen bucks with their antlers on in March; and a friend gutted a doe in the middle of September with a fawn in it.

 While we whackem and stackem bucks during breeding seasons - some does go unbred; and they keep coming into heat if they are mature does ( mature is totally a guess - kinda makes sense I think ).

 If you can see the buttons - well you decide.

[Greyfox54]

I feel that button bucks are the dumbest deer in the woods . They are run out of the doe groups and can't hang with the big boys yet . Our state legalized baiting a few years back and the first deer into a bait pile is almost always a button buck . Being antlerless you can shoot unlimited buttons in some zones . We have a good doe population but few good bucks . Can't get big ones if you shoot all the small ones . I've learned to be a little picky . Just my thoughts , not judging anyone else ,  
    Fred

[Stiks-n-Strings]

If you have a button come in with a doe and harvest the doe, the buck will stick around. Otherwise you are just killing off your trophies before they are mature deer.
 I used to have the attitude if it's brown it's down but after mellowing out and growing to understand the real reason I hunt I have harvested two nice mature deer the last two years. And did'n't harvest a buck for four years before then. I seen one this year that was P&Y on several occasions up close but never got the connection during bow season. He is not the one I took because another mature deer presented me with an opportunity during gun season on a diiferent place I hunt and I took him.  
 Maybe the big boy will be an even bigger boy next year if he makes it through all the seasons and I'll get a shot at him with a bow I'm building, Wouldn't that be awsome!
Kris

[Gatekeeper]

Button bucks are the current year’s fawns. They’re not late fawns and they’re not genetically inferior they’re simply 6 months old. All of their body’s energy is going to skeleton and muscle building and at the same time they are trying build up a fat reserve for winter. I never shoot them purposely. That’s one reason for wearing binoculars, so I can inspect the deer’s head as it is coming in. If it’s a button buck he gets a free pass.

 

Originally posted by non-typical:
On our farm I shoot button bucks. From the research I have read when the button bucks get to be 18 month olds or there about the does will drive them out of their territory and since the does on our farm are in their resident location their male offspring are not what will be repopulating our mature buck census. If I'm making the best use of the nutritional resources to feed does and the bucks that might be moving into our area it makes sense to me to cull the button bucks over taking does or fawn does.

I respectfully disagree.

This doesn’t make any sense. The button’s mother will run him off and it will be before he is 1.5 years old. The button will be run off by the following spring at the latest so that she can prepare for the new fawn that is coming. The button buck’s mother will also run off  other does at this time so she can secure a safe birthplace for the new fawn.

If there are a lot of bucks in your area they will also push last year’s button buck away but that doesn’t mean he won’t return someday…that is if he is allowed to survive as a button buck and a yearling. Some studies have shown (I’ve read this in Quality Deer Management or Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine) that buck’s will occasionally return to their birthplace later in their lives. Sometimes they are only passing through and sometimes they will make the their birthplace part of their home range.

If everyone shot button bucks because they thought they were using up nutritional resources, then you wouldn’t have any bucks “moving into your area” because eventually they would all be shot. If you are interested in trying to keep the button bucks in your area the best thing you can do to increase those odds is to shoot his mother.

Every study that I have read says to shoot does to control the deer population and manage the resources in an area. If you are interested in trying to produce a quality deer herd and grow some large antlered bucks, then letting the little guys walk and shooting does is the answer. If you are only interested in meat for the freezer then shoot whatever deer offers you a shot.

Good luck.