Passing on young deer in hopes to shoot older deer?

[MN Legacy]

Well I usually pass on 1.5 years olds in hoping they will make it to 2.5 and than I'll pass on them again. I have taken a few deer that would score in the 110's to 120's. But I would like to get a 125 inch or better. Most years it's 3.5.

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[purebowhunting]

I'm passing 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 yo, and a lot of 3 yo. My goals evolve but right now I'm shooting anything that beats my 5th biggest buck, which is about 120". I set a goal to hit the 700" club, top 5 bucks total score adds up to 700, I'm 13" away so next buck I hope to break it. Shooting deer by antler size seems easier since I feel aging on the hoof is tough.

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[Bowhunter4life]

I like to target the 3 year old class bucks and for my area that I hunt very very few reach the age class of 4 to 5. They do but it's like finding a needle in a hay stack. Finding the 3 year olds are a big enough choir but it can be done. This year with purchasing the Illinois bow tag I wanted to raise my standards a bit and try to shoot an old class deer. I have passed several 2 year olds and one I think that was most likely a 3 year old but yet to see any actual mature deer to speak of. Will see how the next few week go but the wife is running a little low on patients and I have been in the woods a lot this year so not sure on the time I will get to spend hunting as hard as I'd like too but will be there when I get the chance. MO rifle season starts the 14th which is something I don't enjoy as much anymore cause I'd rather bow hunt but family tradition to all get together and hunt so that is gonna eat in to time spent in Illinois as well. Lot is season left to go yet and I'll be at it every chance I get.

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[Huntoholic]

In NC I would get 6 tags 4 of them antlered, so with plenty of tags the first deer I saw I would usually take to fill the freezer, then after that I would try and set my goals of at least a 2.5 or sometimes older as long as they were a big racked six or a nice eight. Depending on the how late in the season it was and where I was hunting would also factor in. In states where I get less tags like NH or Mass I would use my doe tags for the meat and try and save my buck tags for at least a 2.5, but if winter kill was bad the year before and I'm just not seeing them I will be a lot less picky at the end of the season. I have still yet to have an opportunity to hunt Beast style, so once I can get back in the woods that may change my outlook. But as long as I'm having fun and making memories that's all that really counts.

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[Wlog]

i scouted a lot in the post season last winter and spring on public land. The vast majority of property I scouted buck sign was nearly non existent let alone mature buck sign. There isn't a mature buck waiting around every corner. It takes a whole lot of leg work. Some places that look good on a map aren't necessarily good. I let my post season scouting determine what my expectations for a given property should be. Sure I'd like to travel the country in search of big bucks but it's not feasible right now. I'll just keep tabs on as many of the places close to home as I can.

Some properties my expectations are to shoot 2 year olds and some places I feel comfortable passing a 2 year old. If you are holding out for a 3 year old you can't hunt where the best you can hope for is a 2 year old.

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