Rethinking my decision to pass on a buck

[gledeasy]

Opening weekend has come and gone for Utahs general rifle season. All year I've been hunting a few specific bucks, which I haven't seen since shedding velvet.

Opening morning I spotted a buck that got me a little excited. After watching him I realized he was a buck that was with the original bucks I'm chasing. Being a 3x3 and early morning I decided to not pursue.

Now I'm sitting here at home and rewatching some video from earlier in the year with the other bucks wondering what was I thinking? He's bigger framed than one of the other bucks on my hitlist, but as a 3x3 and not seeing him much I just never gave him much thought.

Anyone else currently living with some hunting regrets? Good news is, maybe the big ones are starting to show up again for me. Guess time will tell if I made the right decision.

Good luck out there!

 

[Hnthrdr]

You made the right choice in the moment, I think big 3x3’s are neat I chose not to chase one last year… turned out that I never saw another buck remotely close to his class, it’s an opportunity hunt and he was a nice deer but like you it was opening day so I passed, I would have probably shot him later in the hunt, but I’m not too bummed that he got to run around some more.

Do you have pics of this 3x you passed on?

 

[Oilcan]

I’m a little hesitant to post this but yes I have , many times. I am notorious in our group for passing Deer I shouldn’t, Not because I’m looking for something bigger but I just hate for the hunt to end too soon. I passed this buck last year, spotted him at first light opening day, had him at 350 yards for 30 minutes. After looking at the pictures back at camp I instantly regretted it. I have to add where I hunt. They are not pressured and usually do not get pushed out of the area unless it’s by our group. I found him two more times, but was not able to get harvest him. It was not a total loss I was able to harvest the Buck in my photo.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I’m a little hesitant to post this but yes I have , many times. I am notorious in our group for passing Deer I shouldn’t, Not because I’m looking for something bigger but I just hate for the hunt to end too soon. I passed this buck last year, spotted him at first light opening day, had him at 350 yards for 30 minutes. After looking at the pictures back at camp I instantly regretted it. I have to add where I hunt. They are not pressured and usually do not get pushed out of the area unless it’s by our group. I found him two more times, but was not able to get harvest him. It was not a total loss I was able to harvest the Buck in my photo.
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Oilcan! My dude! That is a great buck! But I get it I hate it being over so soon… but wow, I mean the other buck you got is nice too but that buck carries his mass to his tips and his main beams are fantastic!

 

[Q_Sertorius]

On the second or third day of rifle season last year, I passed on a slim-bodied yearling whitetail 2x3. He was at 150 yards, slowly walking right to left across a saddle, as I walked up the ridge. I decided he was too skinny and used him for practice shots with the set trigger (empty chamber) until he was gone. I still regret letting him walk by.

Just kidding. I don’t regret it. My credo is “No Ragrets.”

It’s not worth worrying about what you could or should have done. You got to go hunting. You made a choice. The only thing you can change is the next decision you make.

 

[gledeasy]

You made the right choice in the moment, I think big 3x3’s are neat I chose not to chase one last year… turned out that I never saw another buck remotely close to his class, it’s an opportunity hunt and he was a nice deer but like you it was opening day so I passed, I would have probably shot him later in the hunt, but I’m not too bummed that he got to run around some more.

Do you have pics of this 3x you passed on?

Not a great pic


For reference, this is the last buck in the pic

I’m a little hesitant to post this but yes I have , many times. I am notorious in our group for passing Deer I shouldn’t, Not because I’m looking for something bigger but I just hate for the hunt to end too soon. I passed this buck last year, spotted him at first light opening day, had him at 350 yards for 30 minutes. After looking at the pictures back at camp I instantly regretted it. I have to add where I hunt. They are not pressured and usually do not get pushed out of the area unless it’s by our group. I found him two more times, but was not able to get harvest him. It was not a total loss I was able to harvest the Buck in my photo.
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I don't think I could have passed that one lol, but the buck you got is awesome. This area I'm in is highly pressured. By now, I think I've put in around 15 days. Many of which have gone without even seeing a deer. I'm trying to stay positive though. My target buck, I haven't seen since Sept 1. There's just too many possible spots he could be at and got to get lucky picking the right one. The good news is that this 3x3 I hadn't saw since Aug 22, so there's hope.

The only thing you can change is the next decision you make.

I like that sentence.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Okay haha now that I’ve seen him I would have a bit of regret… he has a massive frame! Very cool buck

 

[RockAndSage]

Opening weekend has come and gone for Utahs general rifle season. All year I've been hunting a few specific bucks, which I haven't seen since shedding velvet.

Opening morning I spotted a buck that got me a little excited. After watching him I realized he was a buck that was with the original bucks I'm chasing. Being a 3x3 and early morning I decided to not pursue.

Now I'm sitting here at home and rewatching some video from earlier in the year with the other bucks wondering what was I thinking? He's bigger framed than one of the other bucks on my hitlist, but as a 3x3 and not seeing him much I just never gave him much thought.

Anyone else currently living with some hunting regrets? Good news is, maybe the big ones are starting to show up again for me. Guess time will tell if I made the right decision.

Good luck out there!

"Never pass up a buck on the first day you'd never pass up on the last day."

The only exceptions to that are a little meat buck at sunset on the last day to fill the freezer, or if you've absolutely got to have a monster you know already is in there, and nothing else will do.

But those are decisions you usually make before the first day. During scouting season, after you've gotten a good idea of what "good" is for an area.

 

[Hnthrdr]

"Never pass up a buck on the first day you'd never pass up on the last day."

The only exceptions to that are a little meat buck at sunset on the last day to fill the freezer, or if you've absolutely got to have a monster you know already is in there, and nothing else will do.

But those are decisions you usually make before the first day. During scouting season, after you've gotten a good idea of what "good" is for an area.

Totally agree, that old saying usually rings true

 

[highcountrymuley]

I passed on medium sized 6 pt bull first day of 6 pt tag a few years ago that was right near the trail. I spotted him instantly on first morning and got over to him a mile away within the hour. Was staring at him 75 yards away thru some trees. He never knew I was there. Ten min later he kinda disappeared in the waves of the hillside and I panicked- thinking "I shoulda shot!!" I started moving around and found him staring at me 50 yds away to my right. I kicked myself the rest of the long/freezing season passing on smaller bulls. Finally got on a bigger bull last day and lost him at 300 yds in 40 mph winds. Big regret. Oh well. Sometimes u don't want the hunt to end so quickly and you do dumb things. It happens.

 

[BluMtn]

I have hunted for close to 60 years. I am to the point now where if I see I buck that doesn't makes me utter OMG, he walks. If I eat the tag, it means I had a great time looking at the scenery, sitting looking at deer, and just having a great time in the outdoors.

 

[Slickhill]

I always hunt for a big buck. I’m not enamored with score so 3Xs or weak forks are okay as long as he has some age on him and a big frame. But I’ve no problem shooting him the first day, I’ll still hunt with someone else from camp or take over cooking duties, or sleep in and drink beer during the day, or whatever but leaving camp early isn’t happening.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I always hunt for a big buck. I’m not enamored with score so 3Xs or weak forks are okay as long as he has some age on him and a big frame. But I’ve no problem shooting him the first day, I’ll still hunt with someone else from camp or take over cooking duties, or sleep in and drink beer during the day, or whatever but leaving camp early isn’t happening.

This is how I tend to hunt MD as well, I’m a frame or mass over pure score funky bucks or big 3x’s are awesome honestly would love to tag a monster forkie sometime haha I saw one in velvet out side steamboat years ago that was 26”wide and must have been 24” tall one of the funkiest bucks I’ve ever seen

 

[LongWayAround]

I would be rethinking that decision too! It looks like he dwarfs that other buck in the pics but I'm more of a shoot when you get excited guy too.

The one Oilcan passed... No way I'm not shooting!

 

[Macegl]

I have passed two bucks I somewhat regret, both times were opening morning and there were larger bucks I was hunting in the area that I didn’t end up harvesting.

Had I harvested one of the larger bucks later in the hunt I would have no regrets .

Both were interesting experiences, in range, on a solid rest, in the scope, started my breathing and just didn’t squeeze. One of them I remember saying out loud to myself “you’re a moron for passing that deer” as I came off the gun. But both of them still make me smile as I think back on it, so I guess it was alright in the end.

I’ve had a couple go the other way too though, passed an ok deer and ended up with a better one.

Keep after them, there’s still the better part of the hunt left, and the crowds really thin after today.

 

[noisy]

I have zero problems with getting an animal down early and hanging in camp, relaxing, drinking beer, and helping others with their packout. It's the most relaxing feeling to know I'm done and have no pressure! I guess I see hunting as work, and it's nice to have the work done.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I have passed two bucks I somewhat regret, both times were opening morning and there were larger bucks I was hunting in the area that I didn’t end up harvesting.

Had I harvested one of the larger bucks later in the hunt I would have no regrets .

Both were interesting experiences, in range, on a solid rest, in the scope, started my breathing and just didn’t squeeze. One of them I remember saying out loud to myself “you’re a moron for passing that deer” as I came off the gun. But both of them still make me smile as I think back on it, so I guess it was alright in the end.

I’ve had a couple go the other way too though, passed an ok deer and ended up with a better one.

Keep after them, there’s still the better part of the hunt left, and the crowds really thin after today.

You will never find exceptional if you settle for just okay

 

[CJ_BG]

I usually tell people in my circles that you'll only kill the buck you're hunting for.

To break that down I mean that the people not targeting mature bucks aren't usually the ones finding them, and definitely not consistently. The people hunting for a certain size or type of rack aren't going to fill their tag on something else most of the time.

I change my personal goalpost at least 10 times a year. The buck I'm shooting by myself the first day of archery season is not the same size as the buck I'm glad to shoot the last 15 minutes of rifle season with my grandpa by my side. You didn't feel like shooting him then, maybe next time you will, but don't regret it. If you shoot one of the deer you were originally after you aren't going to regret passing him.

 

[gledeasy]

Lots of great stories and thoughts.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not good at judging deer. My focus has been on 4 bucks, one being that 5x4 (which I came close to harvesting with my bow). The season has been fun, but it's been a grind. I've jokingly questioned if it was a blessing or a curse finding those bucks. Like I mentioned, many days not seeing deer and others passing bucks I otherwise would have pursued.

The 3x3 was just not a focus. I only saw him twice previous, and each time was with the biggest buck. I spotted him from 1.5 miles in a great spot. Had I been closer, maybe I would have realized his size more. Still I contemplated doing the deed but wondered if it was just my burnt out mentality talking.

I'm fine not getting a deer. However, after looking at video and comparing him to the other bucks he was with...I have some regrets

I have 3 to 4 more days I'll be out, crossing my fingers lady luck finally shines on me.

 

[RockAndSage]

I have 3 to 4 more days I'll be out, crossing my fingers lady luck finally shines on me.

Good luck getting it done. It probably doesn't need to be said, but...also do everything you can to enjoy every moment of your hunt.