First week.. what would you do?

[mowin]

Everyone wants to shoot a big buck for the area. So for those that can be selective, let's say you have two bucks that are "shooters". 

It's the first week of the archery season. The #2 walks by.  Are you shooting, or are you going to pass because it too early, and you just love the thrill of the chase? 

[Swamp_bucks]

I’m shooting unless number 1 is right behind him.  Still a shooter on the list not going to let it pass.  

[Nomad]

I’m shooting it ,I like a nice long break before gun .

[grampy]

The old saying, a buck on the ground is worth two in the bush......or something like that. Is true.

I've held out for a particular buck. Passed up a couple nice ones. Ate tag soup. One of my best seasons ever.

[SportsmanNH]

After careful thought and debate for about 0.013 seconds my decision would be to :  SEND IT !!!  

[Moho81]

First shooter in range gets an arrow 

[Robhuntandfish]

I send it. Then I use the great option we have of a second buck tag and hunt the northern zone rifle for a buck.  This is always my backup option and I also enjoy still hunting the big woods.  And I tend not to do this very much if still after a bow buck on our property. 

In the last few years I have enjoyed trying to hold out for a big buck.  For multiple reasons.  I get to hunt longer, I like the challenge, I've got more options to fill the freezer with more deer now on our property.  In the view that trophy hunting gets a bad wrap at the same time it gives you more hunting time which is the true reason I hunt, the hunting itself. I've shot bucks early then sit out the rut and I feel like I've missed out on the best time in the woods.  

That being said meat is still #1.  If given a choice that I had to leave meat or horns in the woods, the meat comes out every time.  But being confident these days that I can fill the freezer one way or the other i tend to hunt for a bigger buck. And that doesn't always mean more horns.  My #1 for 3 years has been a 6 pt.  But anything that trips my trigger I will send it.  And if it's the #2 buck on the property I certainly do.  Then I hunt for any buck in the dacks til gun season opens in southern tier.  

Gotta love that about NY. I have a couple of spots in Northern and the best one is an hour and a half drive but that's still feasible.  I used to live on a road where behind my house was southern and across the road was northern.  That was pretty neat. 

 

Edited September 2 by Robhuntandfish

[BowmanMike]

I would shoot no.2 as well and figure out afterwards what to to with the rest of my season. I do like shooting does with the bow as well,so that would keep me in the woods. 

[GreeneHunter]

For me the first week of Crossbow Season " Brown is Down " ... Period !

[Chef]

I would shoot it, I have run far less cams this year for that reason. Having killed a "target buck" that I hunted for two years last season. This year I am going with the shoot what you feel attitude. I have a general idea of what is around but I will draw on the first buck that gets my attention.  I will say shooting a buck on 10/15 last year was great. However I had some great encounters during the rut that were painful. 

[Rusty]

For me it comes down to how I feel in the moment.  If he gets my heart pumping then he gets an arrow,  if I start thinking about wether I should shoot him or not I already know the answer.    

[G-man]

If any of my top 4  bucks  come by 1st day it gets  shot.   Shot my number 4  last year oct 5th  and then had  2 and 3  innfront of me a week later sparing...  they got older ans bigger so hope they show again  this year.

[crappyice]

Thankfully in 3S I can take both...on October 1!

I let  a beauty walk one year since I already shot two does prior to his arrival...while I regret it, my back doesn't...although my back sucks anyway so I guess I regret not shooting! I've since stopped hunting that property and a poacher raped it cleaning out good bucks. I'm guessing "my buck" was taken by him two years after I left him go. 

[Caveman]

Easy answer, I don't have a list of shooters with corresponding rankings. I go and hunt, and if I see something that makes me excited to kill it, I kill it. If it doesn't get me excited, I pass.

 

Thankfully, I am still at a point in my hunting career where it doesn't take much to get my heart pumping. 

[Larry]

I would shoot then hunt does and go duck hunting. I never pass up a shot on a good deer. I always try to put one on the ground then relax and then I will pass on deer.