First Trip, First Day. Would you?

[Itsintheblood]

No. Not even a last day buck. Not in that country

[Bigshooter]

No

[huntnphool]

 

Negative. Not even a last day buck.

+1, no

[Tbob]

Please don't. I live here in NE Montana, this buck is probably only 2.5 yrs old, pretty common to see these running around in these parts. Mule deer, especially plains mule deer need some time to grow up. The population in mule deer quality would be so much better if people would harvest a doe, most ranchers and farmers I know here, would readily let folks harvest whitetail does.

I did miss a nice size buck last year, but I came home with 2 does and some delish eats!

[jackelope]

I'm not shooting.

I wouldn't shoot on the last day.  He's a youngster.

[Buckhunter24]

Would have been interesting to have a poll. Its definitely not the buck I would go into the hunt looking to shoot but I am pretty certain I'd take him. Would that size mulie be comparable to a basket rack type whitetail?

[Karl Blanchard]

All depends on the level of my freezer. If I had no meat I'd shoot him but not on the first day of a hunt. That caliber of deer can be killed every hour of every day where I hunt in MT. So at the bitter end of my trip I'd take him home if I needed him.

Edit: guess I strayed from the parameters of the OP's question. Looking back on my first trip to MT (not out of state) I'd still say no. Plenty of "MT specials" running around to shoot that one that soon into a trip

[Fletch]

 

[nwwanderer]

Heed DWB, if we all stepped up point rules could disappear and this would be a non shooter in WA.  It is very possible to have a population that would support does for meat harvest and leave bucks to mature and breed all of those does, it is a process.  If we only harvested mature bucks, I know, you do not eat the horns, selection could improve antler size for all those in search of B&C, P&Y bonanzas.

[huntandjeep]

Nope ,  passed alot of those size Deer my first year back there . Looks young .
But judging the Deer  the Washington guys that stay at the same Hotel as me , everyone one of them would shoot a Deer like that any day of the season . As would alot of other out of staters .