Would you shoot?

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Too much stuff in the way.

[KentuckyTJ]

Good call Kodiak.

[straitera]

Not likely. He'll get bigger & leave good genetics if you let him slide a year or two. If it's meat you're after, skewer a doe.

[snakebit40]

It would be kind of hard but I would pass, at least that's what I say when I see a picture of him. Now if he was at 10 yards that might be another story...  

[bigugly1]

Yes

[59Alaskan]

I understand straitera's point, but in my little neck of Ohio the DNR summer doe cull permits issued to farmers have really done their job.  The number of does is way down on the property I hunt.  Right now, I'd rather take a small buck for meat.

All I am saying is regional and even very local differences can alter one's thoughts on this point.

All that said, if I doe offers a shot I am going to take it.  The freezer is empty.

[thunder1]

Wish him well and see me next year.

[Mike Most]

Wilson county Texas he would be illegal, rack not outside the ears......Id let him grow...one of those things....

[dave19113]

Without even a second thought.......

[Dirtybird]

I haven't shot a buck in five years waiting for one that is ripe.  That one will be a great deer in about two years or so.

[Gatekeeper]

No

[JamesKerr]

Heck yea! I am still trying for my first buck with a bow.

[Stumpkiller]

Yes.  In fact, I hope to follow up the blood trail I just left tonight first thing in the morning to a deer very much like that one that stopped by at dusk this evening.  ;-)

And check the guy in my avatar - my first still-hunted deer taken "fair chasse."  Four to six pointers taste great.  They're not all fragged out from testosterone and battling other bucks.    

[Night Wing]

After looking at the very first picture, I wouldn't shoot him. The reason being, in Texas in the counties I bowhunt, TPW (Texas Department of Wildlife) has a....Rule of 13....for antler spread which states a buck's inside spread of his rack has to measure 13" wide or it's illegal.

It really disappoints me when I see a 6 year old mature piney woods buck at 15 yards with 12 points and he's illegal because he has a high basket type rack which won't make the 13" wide inside spread rule.    :(

[YORNOC]

Sure, nice buck for sure. Around here I'm lucky to see one or two like him per season, never mind at a shooting distance.
I need to move to Texas.

[joe ashton]

no doubt about it, shoot.  But then I get 7 whitetail days that are 400 miles from home.  I don't hold out for a bigger one.....

[duboisj]

Maybe.  But not if there's a doe behind him with some TENDER meat.  I would not go back to a restaurant that served me a steak cut from a testosterone-laden bull.  I hunt in order to feed my family healthy, TASTEY meat that you cannot get from a grocery store.  That one pictured is probably border-line for testosterone load in the muscle tissue.  It would need to be butchered and cooked right to be good.

[briarsdad]

If I were still hunting with my compound bow no way. Since this is my first year "attempting" to kill a deer with my longbow and I have screwed up every opportunity so far and every deer I have seen in the last 2 weeks has stayed out 30 yards or more and 20 is my max. I would shoot him this year if he got close enough. I have seen bigger deer, much bigger deer this year but my confidence is at an all time low and I would settle for any decent buck with gun season coming next weekend.

[Huntingnut]

Normally, I would say no.With the way this season is going thus far, I'd be pretty tempted though.

[Autumnarcher]

I'd wait till he wasnt lookin right at me. THen yep, he's toast.