Passing on the shot

I have a, what may turn out to be retarded, question. Why do people pass on the opportunity to shoot a "shooter" buck? I've seen and heard people give hunting reports where they aren't seeing ANY deer. Then they finally catch sight of a shooter and pass on it because it's not the one they want. Then they come home with nothing. I'm fairly new to the drawing system, but do you get a refund if you don't fill the tag? I was under the impression that when you draw the tag, you pay for it whether you harvest or not. I realize there are probably situations where you may see a shooter the first day but you pass because you've got 8 more days to hunt, and might find a bigger one. But I don't understand why there are those who are paying big money for an out-of-state hunt, then not filling their tag because they didn't find one with huge horns. They'll say, "I saw a ton of smaller ones, just not a big one..." This is a more common practice in Texas because our deer season is 2 months long, and in many counties you can kill more than one buck, but I don't understand the practice when you're paying a good chunk of change to harvest an animal.

I've made up my mind that, when I go, I'm going to fill my tag to the best of my ability. If I don't see that 30" trophy I was looking for I'm going to, at least, fill my tag on a smaller buck and get some meat for the year. I have to pay for the tag anyway right? Why spend all of that money on a tag and trip to come home with nothing? Maybe I'm looking at this wrong, and maybe it's my inexperience with out-of-state hunts, but I just don't see the logic in it.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against just going and enjoying the camping experience with friends and family. And I'm not one of these people that has to kill something when I go hunting. But if I want to just go and camp, I'm not going to purchase a $350 tag. If I purchase a $350 tag, I'll hunt for the big ones, but not be overly "picky" as to not harvest any meat for the freezer. I'm not intending to start a war on here, and I have nothing personal against those who do this (because you can do whatever you want with your money), but am just curious as to why this is seems to be such a common occurance. Keep in mind I'm not talking about those hunts where you catch rare glimpses of deer, or none at all. I'm talking about those hunts where you have them in your sights and choose not to shoot.
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kchesley
There are going to be many different opinions on this but mine is that I do first look for a big buck opening day or a few days into it and if I see smaller bucks I do like to pass on them to allow them to get bigger. I have never purchased an out of state tag so my tag is relatively cheap so I am not totally bummed if I don't fill it. I Shot a decent 3 by 3 last year on the last day of the hunt after passing on a really small 2 by 2 (horns were barely longer than his ears). I could not bring myself to shoot him because I wanted to allow him to get bigger. My hunt is more of enjoying being out with freinds or family and if I come home empty handed oh well but like I said my tag is a $35 tag and I can deal with tag soup although meat tastes a bit better. Just my 2 cents
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TexasHunter83
"kchesley" wrote:There are going to be many different opinions on this but mine is that I do first look for a big buck opening day or a few days into it and if I see smaller bucks I do like to pass on them to allow them to get bigger. I have never purchased an out of state tag so my tag is relatively cheap so I am not totally bummed if I don't fill it. I Shot a decent 3 by 3 last year on the last day of the hunt after passing on a really small 2 by 2 (horns were barely longer than his ears). I could not bring myself to shoot him because I wanted to allow him to get bigger. My hunt is more of enjoying being out with freinds or family and if I come home empty handed oh well but like I said my tag is a $35 tag and I can deal with tag soup although meat tastes a bit better. Just my 2 cents
 I can understand this scenario. I pass on bucks here in Texas because the our license is cheap and you can hunt deer for 2 months. We can purchase one $60 license and hunt every animal under the sun. I can also understand not shooting young ones. And like you said, passing on a shot early in the hunt makes sense if you're looking for bigger and you happen to be seeing plenty of deer. There is also that element of simply making the mistake to not shoot when you should have; then going home empty handed. It just seems like I've just read alot of reports from guys who are saying they hunted hard for days without seeing anything at all. Then they see a shooter buck the last day or two and decide to pass because it's not "the one." I guess maybe hunting, for me, isn't necessarily all about ONLY hunting the big ones. Don't get me wrong, I DO hunt for the big ones as well, but I don't limit my options to the big ones. I like the hunt in general. I suppose it's possible I might be eating my own words next November...lol
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kchesley
True, true. I will always shoot a "shooter buck" but if the horns are barely longer than the ears I tend to not be able to squeeze the trigger to allow them to get bigger even though there is the possibility that someone else will. I am not a "Trophy" hunter but like to try to get one worthy of bragging about so to speak. I finally got an elk this year worthy of getting mounted so now I need to get a good muley worthy of a mount next year (I didn't draw out this year). But if a shooter buck is spotted I will definately take. Wish our hunt was 2 months long lol. Alot of time to see alot of deer.
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TexasHunter83
"kchesley" wrote:True, true. I will always shoot a "shooter buck" but if the horns are barely longer than the ears I tend to not be able to squeeze the trigger to allow them to get bigger even though there is the possibility that someone else will. I am not a "Trophy" hunter but like to try to get one worthy of bragging about so to speak. I finally got an elk this year worthy of getting mounted so now I need to get a good muley worthy of a mount next year (I didn't draw out this year). But if a shooter buck is spotted I will definately take. Wish our hunt was 2 months long lol. Alot of time to see alot of deer.
 Congrats on your elk! I hope to hunt them some day. I'm kind of working my way up to it. I've got a good Whitetail and a Pronghorn on the wall at home. I'd like to get a nice Muley up there and eventually an elk. I might try to hit up some Axis Deer around the Texas Hill Country before I elk hunt though. We'll see.

Yeah 2 months is a good amount of time to hunt. You can hunt pigs and some other small (varmit) game year-round. Amazingly enough, even with that amount of time, there are lot of hunters (like myself) who can't find places to hunt. I think 97% of Texas land is private land; so you either have to pay good money for a private lease, hire an outfitter, or just happen to know someone that let's you hunt. Every now and then I get lucky and hunt with a friend, or will be able to fill a management tag for someone. My nice buck, on the wall, I actually got to kill on a place I was hunting for free. I killed it the first year I hunted the lease. The next year the landowner let another hunter on, who screwed it up for everyone. He killed everything he saw and the landowner finally said that NO ONE was going to be hunting the property; so needless to say I have no where to hunt deer right now. It's been bad because I love it so much and I think I'm starting to have withdrawals. I've been supplementing by hunting pigs and geese on my father-in-laws farmland... :thumb
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kchesley
I understand that. My wife is in the Air Force and we were stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio for 4 years. I didn't hunt any of those 4 years due to I had no clue where to go and didn't know anyone who had land I could hunt. I could not wait to move back to Utah. Good posts and good luck in your future hunts. (Oh and thanks for the congrats on my elk) That was my main goal this year because I prefer elk meat over deer meat anyday. In some hunters eyes here in Utah they would pass on him looking for a bigger bull but in my eyes to be able to harvest a good looking 6 by 6 for my first bull or any bull thereafter I was stoked.
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TexasHunter83
"kchesley" wrote:I understand that. My wife is in the Air Force and we were stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio for 4 years. I didn't hunt any of those 4 years due to I had no clue where to go and didn't know anyone who had land I could hunt. I could not wait to move back to Utah. Good posts and good luck in your future hunts. (Oh and thanks for the congrats on my elk) That was my main goal this year because I prefer elk meat over deer meat anyday. In some hunters eyes here in Utah they would pass on him looking for a bigger bull but in my eyes to be able to harvest a good looking 6 by 6 for my first bull or any bull thereafter I was stoked.
 I couldn't handle not hunting for 4 years. I'd lose my mind...lol I've never head Elk meat but heard it's really good. Maybe one day...Good luck to you as well! And tell your wife thanks for serving!
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ABert
The definition of a "shooter" buck varies from hunter to hunter. For me, a shooter buck is one I do not have to put optics on in order to tell if it is a buck.

We hunted the 3rd season in CO this year with the weather way too warm. I saw tons of deer but only three bucks. Passed on a little fork horn and spike in the first couple of days. Finally came across a shooter buck...

for about 2 seconds in the timber. During that time span the buck went behind a rock and reappeared. Something had spooked the buck and it was moving along fairly decently. I had the time to put the crosshair on him but didn't pull the trigger. Not because I didn't want to but because it would have been a low percentage shot.

I know, not quite what you were looking for, but for myself I'll take a shooter buck on the first day just as well on the last day.
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Default Avatar
The definition of a "shooter" is always changing for me. Personally I would like to take a mature deer, and leave the smaller ones to get bigger. As the hunt goes on the I'll sometimes shoot a smaller deer, but it depends on if we have other deer in camp as well. It's not only about the meat in the freezer, and since we all share anyways when we don't all tag out it isnt a big deal.

Another thing for us hunting in Colorado is that we chose to have the deer processed in town before bringing it home. In the past we would just bring the deer home whole and butcher it, but most western states now have laws requiring the meat to be completely de-boned before transport over state lines. So now its easier to just have it done there and have it packaged, frozen, and ready to pick up on our way out of town. That of course adds more cost to harvesting a deer.

Last year I passed on the deer I shot 2 times before finally taking him the 5th day. I saw him opening morning, the second day, and then finally again the day I shot him. He was a big bodied 3x3 that finally walked by me at 75 yards the last time and I decided to take him. I saw probably a dozen smaller deer in those 5 days as well.

Another year I shot a smaller deer only to regret it. I think I was about 18 and had missed a nice buck opening day, only to later find out my scope had been jarred and I couldn't hit a paper plate at 50 yards. I did not see any other nice bucks for the next few days, but my dad ended up getting a good buck. On day 4 of the hunt we did a push and I was posted at the bottom, with a different rifle. I few does got pushed out, and then a big forky which I decided to take. I dropped him in his tracks in the clearing at 200 yards. There was still one other hunter posted so I unloaded my rifle and stayed put waiting for the pushers to make their way through. Sure enough less than 5 minutes later a huge 4x4 comes down the same trail and nearly steps on my down deer. My tag was filled and I couldn't do anything about it, and the other hunter never saw it. That deer still haunts me to this day!
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TexasHunter83
"ABert" wrote:The definition of a "shooter" buck varies from hunter to hunter. For me, a shooter buck is one I do not have to put optics on in order to tell if it is a buck.

We hunted the 3rd season in CO this year with the weather way too warm. I saw tons of deer but only three bucks. Passed on a little fork horn and spike in the first couple of days. Finally came across a shooter buck...

for about 2 seconds in the timber. During that time span the buck went behind a rock and reappeared. Something had spooked the buck and it was moving along fairly decently. I had the time to put the crosshair on him but didn't pull the trigger. Not because I didn't want to but because it would have been a low percentage shot.

I know, not quite what you were looking for, but for myself I'll take a shooter buck on the first day just as well on the last day.
 Makes perfect sense to me. I've also heard the saying about taking a shooter on the first day that you wouldn't pass up on the last... And I can certainly understand passing on a shot because of the low outcome of success; or fear for wounding the animal.
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TexasHunter83
"bh107" wrote:The definition of a "shooter" is always changing for me. Personally I would like to take a mature deer, and leave the smaller ones to get bigger. As the hunt goes on the I'll sometimes shoot a smaller deer, but it depends on if we have other deer in camp as well. It's not only about the meat in the freezer, and since we all share anyways when we don't all tag out it isnt a big deal.

Another thing for us hunting in Colorado is that we chose to have the deer processed in town before bringing it home. In the past we would just bring the deer home whole and butcher it, but most western states now have laws requiring the meat to be completely de-boned before transport over state lines. So now its easier to just have it done there and have it packaged, frozen, and ready to pick up on our way out of town. That of course adds more cost to harvesting a deer.

Last year I passed on the deer I shot 2 times before finally taking him the 5th day. I saw him opening morning, the second day, and then finally again the day I shot him. He was a big bodied 3x3 that finally walked by me at 75 yards the last time and I decided to take him. I saw probably a dozen smaller deer in those 5 days as well.

Another year I shot a smaller deer only to regret it. I think I was about 18 and had missed a nice buck opening day, only to later find out my scope had been jarred and I couldn't hit a paper plate at 50 yards. I did not see any other nice bucks for the next few days, but my dad ended up getting a good buck. On day 4 of the hunt we did a push and I was posted at the bottom, with a different rifle. I few does got pushed out, and then a big forky which I decided to take. I dropped him in his tracks in the clearing at 200 yards. There was still one other hunter posted so I unloaded my rifle and stayed put waiting for the pushers to make their way through. Sure enough less than 5 minutes later a huge 4x4 comes down the same trail and nearly steps on my down deer. My tag was filled and I couldn't do anything about it, and the other hunter never saw it. That deer still haunts me to this day!
 Thanks for the explanatino and WOW, what a story. That's the famous "unlucky" hunt. Similar thing just happened to a family friend of mine; only with whitetail. He killed a nice looking 9 point on opening day; the next evening a 10 point showed up at the feeder with a double main beam on his right side. It's definitely a unique buck to have hanging on the wall.

I guess my OP is a hard question to answer. There's so many different scenarios to cause you to pass on a buck.
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ridgetop
I feel like you are referring to me personally with your OP. I'm sure your not but it does feel that way. I could write a book about all the reasons I hunt and why I pass on so many nice bucks. So I'll bite.
I'm not a rich person, very much middle class but I've been lucky enough to always have plenty of elk and beef in the freezer. For that reason alone is why I'm not concerned about filling my deer tag every year. Another reason is that my garage wall is covered with small and medium sized 3 and 4 point racks from bucks I've shot over the years.
There is one thing that I can promise you though. A person will never kill "the one" buck that they always dream about if they keep shooting smaller bucks just to fill their tag. You will never kill that giant buck. Never, never, ever.
I have what I call the BB factor. BB is the initials of a good friend. BB was on his way home from hunting on the last day of the season several years ago. Just as he was about to leave the dirt road and enter the highway. He looked over and there was a huge buck standing out in the trees just a hundred yards off the road. Long story short, he ended up getting the buck and it was 33" wide and had 9 points on each side. He would have never had the chance to pull the trigger if he would have taken a smaller buck, "just to fill his tag". Also, My friend CC killed one of Utahs biggest general season bucks last year within the last hour of daylight on the last day.
I personally hate cutting my hunt short even if it is a giant buck just because I love being out there so much.
Hope this makes sence a little. (???)
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TexasHunter83
Hey ridge,

Just to be clear, I wasn't referring to you personally. To be honest I'm sure I've read some of your reports on here, but I've read so many I can't remember whose is whose. I was speaking generally. I can assure you that my intent was to not critize any muleymadness members or their hunting practices; I was simply trying to understand it. Most of the instances I've seen on this have been by watching videos, reading magazines, other forums, as well as this one. Perhaps my fingers typed faster than my brain was working because it just seems like it's not typically a "practice," but rather is different scenarios that may bring a hunter to pass on a shot; one that may present itself to me one day. And I can certainly understand an experienced hunter passing on a shot when he's killed enough deer in his lifetime that simply "filling a tag" isn't a big issue.

BTW, your explanation makes perfect sense. I guess maybe I'm drawing from different experience; or lack thereof. I LOVE to hunt, but like you am not a wealthy person. As much as I love to hunt, I've lacked a place to hunt for the last few years; even whitetail here in Texas. (It's taking it's toll on me. I'm having withdrawals I think.) I guess I'm coming from an angle of a hunter not getting to hunt as much as he likes, therefore has a hard time seeing people "pass on the shot."

Once again, my intent was not to offend or speak about anyone specifically; especially on Muleymadness. Trust me, I do not want to burn my bridges to the wealth of knowledge in this forum... :not-worthy
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ridgetop
Hey Tex, all's good. I was just messing with ya.
I admit, I have been very lucky. In 30 years hunting in Utah. There has been only one year that I didn't have a tag in my pocket and that was by my choice. I was in the middle of building my first house at the time.
I hope better luck comes your way.
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derekp1999
I hope to some day be confronted with such a situation! But as for now, I cannot say that I have ever passed up a shot. I have been mentored in my hunting endeavors by my grandfather and his philosophy is to never pass up a shot... ever. Granted we have spent the last 30 years hunting an area where we have not been fortunate to see a high number of what most would consider "mature bucks", and with his increasing age his hunting tactics over the last several years generally take him no further than a few steps from his mode of transportation. His definition of a "shooter" is a legal buck, and he does very well year after year.

I had high hopes two years ago as I ventured away from the roads a bit, made a couple trips to scout during the summer, maintained a couple trail cameras, and was encouraged by what I had seen so I was hoping to pull the trigger on something bigger. I ended up shooting, but was unable to recover, what I would consider a "huge buck" for the area (probably a 22-24" 4pt). This year I was again hopeful, but circumstances were such that a little 2pt right off the side of the road fit the bill as a "shooter." I still had that unrecovered buck in mind from last year, I messed up my sights during a range session, burned through all my bullets trying to get it right again, decided to try a new bullet since I was having to completely re-sight in anyway, I was unable to take enough time to get the new bullet really dialed in, the weather forecast was terrible, and I hadn't harvested a deer in 3 years so I was just wanting to get some blood on my hands. I tinkered with passing on this little buck for several seconds, but he fed leisurely and offered me a 20 yard broadside shot ten minutes into legal light... ultimately I determined I could not pass & he brought a much needed boost of confidence to take into next year and I was able to sit back and enjoy how the season played out for the rest of my family.

I have always hunted as a resident, so all my tags have been inexpensive in comparison to a non-resident tag and I feel like I have gotten my money's worth even when I haven't filled my tag. I'm hoping to get into the game in states other than UT, and I'd bet that when the price of tag goes up that I might feel differently.

The nice thing about hunting is that nobody pulls the trigger for you. We can all have our own agenda every time we go out and depending on what frame of mind we are in we get to determine individually whether or not to pull the trigger.
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I hunt for meat not trophies. I've always shot the first buck I've seen but that's always been on a general season unit. If I had a limited entry tag for deer or elk I'd raise my "standards" a bit. Of course I'd like to shoot a massive buck or bull but I'm not going to be picky. I've been hunting elk for 13 years and finally took my first elk this past season which was a cow so if I ever do get a bull it's going to be a trophy bull in my mind whether it's a 400" or a spike but that's just me. Some guys draw tags and tell themselves they won't take any buck under 200" or a bull under 400". The elk tag I've been putting in for all my life, my buddy drew out on his first time ever putting in as well as his first big game hunt ever and came home empty handed cause he wanted a 380"+ bull cause that's what other guys told him he should expect out of that unit. And when he told me he had multiple chances to take 340-350" bulls at close range and passed on them I wanted to deck him right in the face but he's much bigger than me so I didn't haha. I see guys post pictures of their buck or bull that they took on a limited entry unit just happy as can be with what they got then have guys criticize them about the size of the rack, and how they would have held out for something bigger, and that was a waste of a tag. If you look through your scope and see antlers and your heart starts pounding out of your chest and adrenaline starts rushing through your body then I'd say it's a shooter. Shoot what makes you happy, not others.
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I agree, shoot what makes you happy. I get criticized frequently by my friends for not shooting something. I haven't killed a deer since 06, I've shot at a few really nice ones in that span but just haven't connected. I had a pretty awesome tag in AZ a few years ago and shot a big 3 point the last night of the hunt just to fill the tag and quite honestly it felt hollow. I'd been holding out for something bigger and the opportunity never presented it's self. So after that I decided that I wouldn't shoot something just to fill a tag. And like Ridge I usually have plenty of meat in the freezer so that's not an issue if it were I would have no problem dumping anything legal.
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