Let 'Em Grow, 'Cause You Never Know

[farmlegend]

On the morning of October 7, I was bowhunting in one of my early-season-only stands, high in a still-leafy White Ash, along a thick travel corridor. Along came a fat, odd-racked 6pt yearling buck. His body language was that of the awkward adolescent that he was. He came right to the base of my tree, and, sniffing my bottom tree step, seemed to sense something amiss. Still, he didn't flee, and remained nearby and well within bow range for a few minutes, before clumsily walking toward a food plot 100 yards away, where he remained probably 20 minutes.

I shook my head, thinking, "my gosh, that is one stupid young buck. I doubt if he'll survive another week, let alone until gun season. He is beyond doubt in the final days of his life. Maybe I should have spooked him on purpose, just to "educate" him".

In early November, from a different spot, I saw him again. I marveled that he had somehow avoided the neighborhood forky-collectors. A day later, he again walked under a different stand location I was in, this time casually tailing well behind a 2.5 year old buck who was nosing after a doe. He came into me again at still another location on the morning of the 11th. I was sure he'd meet a certain demise within the next 4-5 days.

Last weekend, while on a post-season scouting jaunt, I jumped a lone deer in a thicket; I scampered around a mass of shrubs to see if I could get a look at it, as a lone deer in January is likely a buck. I was fortunate to get a good look at the fleeing deer. Guess who?

Who'd have thunk it - Sparky actually graduated through the 2005 seasons, and he'll now likely make it to be a 2.5 for '06. Stuff floats.:cool:

To me, it just goes to show that when we say we can't pass on yearling bucks because we'd only saving them for the "neighbors" to kill, we're sometimes wrong. You never know. But what do we know? That dead deer don't grow.

[Sib]

Good news. :cool: I get a lot of excitement just filming deer. I had a nice formed 6 with mini brows coming in all bow season, filmed him with the video camera each time I could. I collected him on film and when I show pics of the 10 I took, I make sure to include the fact that I passed on quite a few smaller bucks before taking one that was a hunter to me. I think it helps to tell about the deer you let walk, let's people know that there are many more bucks walking around than they think and you don't have to take the 1st deer you see.

I also circulate some of my scouting DVDs of bachelor groups. I'm somewhat amazed by comments from the general public when they see the films. "Wow, look at all those bucks, I've never seen that many at one time" (I have film from this season of 6 antlered bucks together, the smallest a 6 pt). Even guys that have hunted for 20 years seem amazed. I tell them that's not an exception to a rule, but it's the norm and it helps to know a little about deer in order to get those opportunities. Often it's the 1st many have heard of bachelor groups, which is somewhat of a sad commentary, imo.

Bottom line though, it is about passing and spreading the word and creating a little possitive peer pressure. In the immediate neighborhood, there is only one person I really have to worry about, he took a 3 pt and gave me the old "don't want him breeding" excuse. I didn't correct his ignorance, wasn't sure where it would go, but I did pull out my camera and backed up the tape to where the 3 pt was coming in and I said you mean this deer? "Yeah, that's the one, how come you didn't shoot it?" I just said, "he was too young and needed a few more years, just like this 6 pt" and he saw that film, too. He left scratching his head, I'm sure. Later he called to talk to me, but I had headed north and he brought the topic up with my wife. "Sib passes on a lot of bucks doesn't he?" My wife just said that through the years I've taken some pretty amazing bucks and those younger deer don't give him much challenge. That's my baby! Telling him like it is.

The above neighbor is a decent guy, we just have different values when it comes to hunting, I just haven't found a comfortable segue into the discussion. Might go the subscription to QDMA and see if that might enlighten him, but I need to get myself onboard, too as, I haven't join yet.

[Swamper]

Goes to show with education, education, education, and patience...and thinking positively about the fellow hunting population, the small ones can survive with VARs. 4% compounded annually does add up!

Swamper

[NorthJeff]

Great FL!..that's a lot of fun to see a buck you passed and know he made it....too bad many never get a chance to get that feeling! ;) maybe all those attractive habitat improvements are paying off as well..keep it up!

[farmlegend]

The striking thing about this buck is that I would have nominated him "least likely to survive" because of his careless, bumbling, "somebody please kill me" manner. And somehow, there he is in January. I was amazed.

[Backwoods-Savage]

farmlegend, it is good to hear you saw that buck again.

Thought I'd let you know we found one side of that little spike horned buck I kept seeing all last fall. Haven't found any other sheds yet but it pleased me to see that little guy made it through season. Looks like he pretty much stayed on our place and he was lucky he did!

[Fletchman]

I pass more bucks with my bow a year than many will ever kill.

Means nothing, the quality of bucks in NW Mi. sucks.

[halfczech]

I believe things are slowly changeing for the better. As far as more hunters passing up little bucks. Where I work there are alot of bowhunters and every monday during season you hear the stories of letting the little ones go. We are not there yet but i believe we are making progress. Glass half full theory.

[davidshane]

FL,

You and I think alike. We both only want to see bucks make it to a point where they are good bucks for the area. Though I feel that most of the yearling bucks I see will not make a second season, I never pop the string on one. Maybe, just maybe, they will!

I wish everyone would let em go and let em grow.

Have a great day!

Dave

[brdhntr]

I've done the same in the past. Each year, my minimum grows a little. This year, I passed on an 8pt bigger than the deer buck I shot here in MI last year. He crossed the property line and I'm pretty certain was shot. However, I have to feel that had I not passed that one young buck the neighbor would have shot a different one. We never saw or heard another shot from that property the rest of season. Instead of 1 less young buck there would likely have been 2. Every little bit counts.

I see and hear of more and more people doing the same thing every year. That is why I think slowly we will get to a better buck age structure with or without mandatory AR's, etc. I know some areas are different, but I think that is becoming the exception. Personally, I saw more deer over 120" in MI this year than any year previously, and saw two that would have went into the 140's. Not too shabby, IMHO.

[Letmgro]

I somehow managed to see 14 different bucks between Nov.14th to Nov.17th.
(bow hunting, rifle hunting, and mid-night trailcam pics) I know for a fact the neighbors got a couple...but at least half will be around for next year.:)

It just seems that every year more little ones are making it through the high-vilosity lead gauntlet.

[SIZE-MATTERS]

Like many of you my minimum age and score has gone up over the years. I now look for a buck thats at least 3.5 years old. In our area thats an exception to the rule, but, not impossible. After season on our farm we have seen 4-2.5 and 5-1.5 year old bucks. Thats with an awesome co-op going in our area. FL i know you've got it tough down there so to get 1 little guy through is an awesome thing. I believe as letmgro does, every year it gets better.

[NorthJeff]

We bought our property in 1999, and every year there is actually noticable and significant changes. We are in a little different situation than a lot of you because we had to build our herd, including number of deer, number of bucks, and age structure.

Number of rubs, number of scrapes, number of different bucks, overall age structure, yearling buck antler development (which is GREATLY noticed when you compare dispersing bucks that come to the property in the fall!), it slowly improves over time. Depending on the area, you will reach a potential at some point, but it's hard to find a property you can not at least expect a 2.5 year old buck to be a realistic harvest objective every single year. We've had our property almost 7 years, and I personally feel our potential is still a few years away...and I've enjoyed every one of the steps of progression along the way. Knowing a buck made it through the season is a GREAT feeling!

[Ed Spin04]

The usual excuse for the less faint of heart for not letting them go is that the neighbors will take them.

Well, several studies using radio collars show conclusively that at least 50% of all protected yearling bucks make it through even in heavy hunting locations. I'm not talking open farm lands with sparse woodlands, where driving deer is a common practice or the super heavily hunted areas of state lands in mixed timber conditions in the upper lower peninsular, while the state land in the UP should qualify for the 50% protection rate minimum.

For private lands, having a sanctuary is usually all that is necessry for the 50% minimum protection rate.


It's a question of how serious one is, or at what stage of manageing deer one is at. Many are just not ready.

[SIZE-MATTERS]

Ed your so right, i passed bucks this year that i would have shot and mounted just 5 years ago. Its a great feeling to let a 1.5 walk and know he made it but the most valuable deer in the herd is that 2.5. and too know just 1 made it is awesome, let alone 4. We used to hear that excuse all the time "if we dont they will" now we hear alot about people passing them. Im glad we hear about people passing them because the results in our area is awesome. Too pass a buck that first time is a hard issue but it gets easier, then as FL has told it is a wonder to behold when you see him after deer season is over.

[MIDUCKER]

I agree with much of the sentiment expressed regarding "passing" on small bucks, but I think we need to be careful about disparaging those who choose not to do so.

I don't know that it is any less ethical to shoot a 1.5 year buck or even a yearling deer than it is to shoot a deer because it is a "trophy". Choosing to kill an animal is a very personal decision. So long as it is legal and the animal is legitimately used for food I don't believe that we as a group should disparage that decision. I have decided to "pass" on small bucks and I have at times decided to shoot 1.5 year old bucks. I have also shot 3.5 year old bucks. Honestly, I am more proud of some of the smaller bucks I've shot either because of the difficulty of the hunt or some particular adversity that I overcame as opposed to how "big" my deer was.

[SIZE-MATTERS]

Absolutely MIDUCKER its my choice. Mine alone. I have never told anyone of our neighbors,nor will i ever, what too shoot on his land, just what we choose to, or not too shoot on our side of the fence. But on the other hand i grew up listening too these same guys talk about how they wanted too shoot a big buck. Then we start our QDM program and now they resent us for shooting big bucks. Its my choice too pass these deer not theres, i dont tell them what too do, the results speak for themselves. In other words dont complain about not shooting a big buck if your not willing to do what it takes to grow one. FL its still the best feeling to see him again.

[farmlegend]

I can see that a couple posters (including one whose post was deleted) seem to have utterly missed the point of this thread. The point was not that it is good and noble to pass on yearling bucks, or that hunters that do pass on young bucks are better humans. If you really want to slay Sparky, go knock yourself out.

The point was that you never can tell which buck you pass on may be one that survives the hunting season. It may be a gangly, awkward adolescent that you'd swear may as well be wearing a blindfold and smoking a cigarette. So, the rationale that you ought to go ahead and shoot that little buck, since your next door neighbor will just kill him if you don't, is simply a rationalization, and a self-serving one at that.

But what we do know is this: dead deer don't grow. And that antlered juvenile delinquent you pass on just may be a late bloomer. One lucky late bloomer.

You're right, SM, I got a kick out of seeing that young buck in January.

[mill_time]

There is an awesome feeling of satisfaction on passing a young buck. I can relate totally to what farm legend is saying. I have passed on many, many young bucks in the last four years. The satisfaction of knowing that you could have, but you didn't, is a reward in itself. I have also learned a great deal by sitting in my stand without buckfever watching these young deer do their thing. It is an awesome learning tool. Not only that, You have that pride and anxiety of knowing that the buck you just passed may come back next year and give you the ultimate rush. Great post.

good hunting.:)

[Huntergrl13]

You should always let them grow if they r small.....

[WOODS]

dead deer don't grow.

Ive shot my share of 1 1/2yr olds and I was happy as all get out at the time. But its even more exciting passing on them, knowing he might be there next year. Then when you do get that mature buck it makes it all the more gratifing. I may not be able to prove that was the buck I passed a few years back but I like to think so!

[Andy]

not trying to one up any of you, and I do realize I might be in a different scenario hunting private land in Ohio.....i just had to share that my brother really took us to the next level last year. It was the last day of muzzleloader season, basically the last real great chance on the year to score on a buck (we don't hunt much after the late ML season). Neither of us had filled our buck tags and I chose to film my brother instead of going out and I'm glad I did. What made it even better was my wife joined us for her first deer hunt ever! So we went to our box blind to get away from the weather and see what was cookin on the bean field. We weren't seeing much but with about 15 minutes of daylight left, 2 does came trotting into the field and behind them was a beautiful buck, just bounding into the field. Now don't ask me why, but the 2 1/2 year olds around our place are just huge! They have great body weights and their racks are seriously studdly for their age. I killed a 2 1/2 in 2001 that scored 127 as an 8 point and 2 years ago my brother killed one with 5 or 6 inch browtines that scored 122 as an 8. Well back to the buck at hand....I immediately thought shooter and Ray was on him, but after talking about it and letting him make his own decision about the buck, he opted to pass! He passed on what I consider to be a 130 inch 8 point with 5 inch brows....and I also believe he was 2 1/2 years old. I got about 10 minutes of footage of this guy and for it to be the last chance on a buck for my brother and him not take that buck.....well let me just say that his decision has really resonated within me this offseason and because he did that, I will be even more pickier than I thought I was going to be this year! I really believe we have gotten over the hump of shooting stud 2 year olds! Im really happy about that. A side note, my wife has watched enough video with me that she even knew that wasn't the one we were after that night, and she commended my brother for not shooting him. She's great!
andy