Let him live or take him?

[PolarBear]

Let's say that you find a really nice older buck during early season in an area where few if any other hunters can get into.  You know that he is the only mature buck in the area and he hasn't bred the local does yet. 

[addicted]

having the confidence in knowing his area and that he is the only buck there i would definately save him for later.

[boneaddict]

IF he is what I am after, he is dead.

[WonkyWapiti]

I think the poll is rigged  , if he's in an area that few if any other hunters can get to him then there should be other bucks in the area as well.  I'm takin him and will give thanks for him all year long at the dinner table.

[bobcat]

Take him and let the immature bucks breed the does.

[bow4elk]

If he's an older buck and assuming he's one of few bucks using that home range, I'd go ahead and take him.  If he's that old, he's already passed along his genes to a number of does over the years.  And taking a mature deer at or just past his prime is a good time.  Cougars will target older deer.  I'd rather have this buck than pass him along to a pesky cat. 

[phishisgroovin]

Musrooms, bacon & gravy with freshly dug up spuds.
Its dinner time.

Another deer will move in, probably already a few in there anyhow.

[270Shooter]

Dump him on the spot

[PolarBear]

I kinda knew how this would turn out.     I spend a lot of time in the area that I am talking about and know every deer in the place.   There is only one mature buck and a handful of smaller, what I would call inferior gene bucks.  Most have goofy configurations, small antlers and probably will not make good breeding stock.  The big buck that has moved in within the past year is not perfect but far superior to the others and might be regressing.  I have decided to let him walk and might try for him during late archery after the rut.  Hopefully he will breed some better genes into the little herd.  I am also tempted to drag a couple of my daughter's friends who are hunting deer for the first time this year and put them on a some of the goofy bucks, cull them out and let the bigger one go for another year.  Who knows.   

[Yummy and Tasty Animal]

i saw on buckmaster's or something that younger bucks around 3 yrs old or so breed more does than mature bucks regardless of how many mature bucks are in the area.  they also said that just because a buck is a monster doesn't necessarily mean his offspring will be monster's.  this info was coming from wildlife biologists...

[PolarBear]

This buck is definitely not a monster but has much better traits than the other bucks.  The smaller bucks tend to avoid him.

[shag]

Done deal

[p-ohana]

wouldn't even hesitate. My rule is the first legal animal I see is going down.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Thats a very vauge topic, do you really EVER know if there is only 1 mature buck in an area...... maybe the only 1 you have laid eyes on.......

[Intruder]

Thats a very vauge topic, do you really EVER know if there is only 1 mature buck in an area...... maybe the only 1 you have laid eyes on.......

If the buck meets what I feel are my standards I'm gonna shoot him. 

+1