I find myself passing more and more smaller deer.... I don't mind people shooting them, I wont argue a bit. But for me,, like 270 posted im not just in it for the meat.... and I am picking up a pig I bought this weekend and butchering that! lol...
ABSOLUTELY shoot a Spiker if your meat hunting ! Why not ? Its a MYTH that some say spikers stay spikers for Ever ! A buck is a Buck if your a Meat hunter ! jmo RJ
I have killed numerous spikes over the years. Especially while hunting in a different region than my home region. Bringing home meat is usually the goal on those hunts. Typically save a tag for my home region where I will focus on mature deer. I hunt very economically and meat is just as much a big part of why I hunt as is the chase.
I think I’ve only ever shot one spike..whitetail. But I’ve shot lots of forkhorned mule deer. The very best meat buck is a mature mule deer in September early October. So that is my preference. 190lbs or so dressed.
It is well to try and journey ones road and to fight with the air.Man must die! At worst he can die a little sooner." (H Ryder Haggard)
I shot a bunch of little dink bucks when I was younger. Now I find it seems to depend on the contents on my freezer. If I’ve got a moose or an elk in the freezer I pass up little bucks, but if the freezer is empty...... This year I had an antlerless mule deer draw, we already had a moose in the freezer, and I’d shot a whitetail that I gave to my buddy, but another buddy wanted some meat, so a few days before the end of season I shot a doe and gave it to him. If it’s legal, shoot what you want.
oh, and I’ve never gotten a genuinely big buck, some not bad, but never one I’ve wanted to have a shoulder mount done of
Last edited by barry1974w; 01-10-2019 at 07:56 PM. Reason: Add to it
Have shot more than one and likely will again. I much prefer those that shoot spikes over two year old basket four points.........
No spikes or does for me and those that want to fill your boots if it's legal myself I go hunting for the outing and if gonna shoot some thing it"s gotta be worth while
I don't shoot spikes but when I was young I had, I have set goals for myself of more mature deer these days. Taking mature animals excites me more than spikes.