What’s the “Ideal” First Deer?

[Cstie]

Shoot what makes you happy. Lots of practice if shooting bow can easily miss when it’s go time

 

[jrbarnes9972]

Definitely shoot whatever is legal first. But in an ideal world, that would be a smaller buck. A monster buck is nice, but can't always be expected each year following. A doe also tastes great, but there is just something special about antler

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[*zap*]

The ideal is one that dies fast...

 

[dtrkyman]

Whichever one gets in the way! Minus a fawn, maybe.

 

[RCB]

The ideal first deer would be... the ideal deer in general. We're talking about "ideal" here - i.e. the best possible case. The ideal is whatever you think the most perfect buck would be.
Now if you ask "what is an acceptable first deer?", I'd say anything legal that offers an ethical shot.

 

[stafford8788]

Anything that your super excited for in the moment. If you get that super excited feeling don't look back. That's generally how I know. If I immediately pick up the bow without thinking.

 

[Hschweers]

Well, finally got to check the first deer off the list yesterday morning. Was with my girlfriend’s family in MS for the holiday and we spent a couple of mornings out at their small hunting property. I was given the OK to shoot anything I wanted and felt good about (one buck each season doesn’t have to meet any antler criteria - private land. Either sex is legal). About an hour in to the morning I had a small spike walk out and stop broadside at 40 yards. I lined it up and shot. He ran about 25 yards before crashing. My girlfriend’s uncle came over about 30 mins later to help me track and retrieve, and I had my first deer.
It’s not one that people would brag on, but it’s my first and I was very thankful to be able to harvest. Now I have meat for the freezer and a memory I’ll remember forever!

 

[Lowg08]

Congratulations.

 

[Maverick1]

Nice!

 

[TheGDog]

Right on Man! You go thru a lot of thoughts and feelings first time you harvest.

 

[long hunter]

Been hunting white tail deer going on over 55 years, shot a bunch of them, some small, some large, they all are trophies, a few grace my walls, the rest there horns hang in my shop. I hunt for big racks the first three days of the season after that if I want a eater it is the first legal one that comes bye, For me it is not the killing part anymore it is spending time with a old gray faced heavy horned bruiser in his living room matching wits, now some will disagree but I am not a doe killer, but in saying that a old leader doe is one of the most smartest animals you can hunt. Good hunting too all this year.

 

[Pasayten]

Congratulations! That's fantastic man!

 

[Anschutz]

Congrats. I come from GA where you get 2 bucks and 10 does a year. My dad's policy was shoot the first one that walks by. The first one with a rifle was a spike. Second was an old 8pt. First deer with a bow was a spike with one side broken off. My mom said I shot a unicorn but the steaks that little guy made were delicious. I hunt for meat, bigger deer tend to have more meat but that first doe that comes by has more meat than a big buck that never shows up.

 

[TheGDog]

Congrats. I come from GA where you get 2 bucks and 10 does a year. My dad's policy was shoot the first one that walks by. The first one with a rifle was a spike. Second was an old 8pt. First deer with a bow was a spike with one side broken off. My mom said I shot a unicorn but the steaks that little guy made were delicious. I hunt for meat, bigger deer tend to have more meat but that first doe that comes by has more meat than a big buck that never shows up.

Whoa they let you try to take up to a DOZEN DEER? What an amazing luxury!

 

[Anschutz]

Whoa they let you try to take up to a DOZEN DEER? What an amazing luxury!

When you only get 30-40lbs of meat per deer, it takes more than a couple to fill the freezer. My biggest deer body wise may have been 175 lbs. One church did a big doe competition and the girl that won it won with a ~100lb doe. Most I ever killed in a season was 3 but my dad did some population control with the Sherrif's Dept. and shot 21 that year. Most of that meat was donated to a few families at church.

 

[Hackleback]

Dead ones, close to the road are always good. Young ones like yours always eat well. Congrats!