Q_Sertorius
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2024
- Messages
- 83
I shoot the first buck I see every year. Then, if I see a second buck, I shoot it. The only bucks I pass on are the ones that I don't see in time to get a clean shot. A certain part of me is happy when I see a very large buck get away from me before I can shoot (as long as I get another chance at another buck!). It reminds me that it is called "hunting" not "killing" and that our deer are wily prey.
I won't shoot does on my family farm. They are pretty and I like having a large deer population. There's plenty for them to eat on our cattle farm without causing any damage. I want more venison, not more antlers.
Many, many years ago, my dad and I were hunting and agreed to meet up at the confluence of two ridges. Five minutes after we met up, the largest buck either of us had ever seen in the woods walked up about 100 yards away. We looked at each other and each raised our rifles at the same time. I let him fire first with his .50-90 Sharps, but I fired my .25-06 as soon as he fired. The deer went down with one hole in him and only a bit of copper jacket left behind in the wound. Since my Dad's .50-90 and my .25-06 were both using copper-jacketed bullets, there was no way to tell which one of us hit him. I think it is possible that my Dad hit him and that I missed because the deer was already falling by the time I fired, but I know my .25-06 is more accurate than his .50-90. It's the only deer anyone in my family ever felt like getting mounted. It would not hold a candle to any of the deer in this thread, but we have a great memory and a great story to share. And he tasted great! That's all the reason I need to hunt.
