What's Your Buck Criteria?

[DB4x4]

1. What are the legal requirements in your state? Can you shoot any antlered buck or are there size/point restrictions?

2. What are your personal requirements? Do you shoot the first legal buck you see? Do you shoot the first buck that gets you excited? Do you wait for a particular size or number of points?

First morning here, had a shot at a legal buck, but passed. He wasn't much bigger, if at all, than the one I shot last year. I have a whole season ahead of me, and I just got access to a new property that I haven't checked out yet. Hopefully my decision pays off...

 

[Spence71]

Breathing? Is that too little of a min standard?


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[Nutterbuster]

1. What are the legal requirements in your state? Can you shoot any antlered buck or are there size/point restrictions?

2. What are your personal requirements? Do you shoot the first legal buck you see? Do you shoot the first buck that gets you excited? Do you wait for a particular size or number of points?

First morning here, had a shot at a legal buck, but passed. He wasn't much bigger, if at all, than the one I shot last year. I have a whole season ahead of me, and I just got access to a new property that I haven't checked out yet. Hopefully my decision pays off...

I think another good queation is, "How many tags do you get?"

Big difference in the thought process on passing between a 1 tag state and a buck-a-day state hunter.

 

[Mitchellfarmer1982]

I shoot the first one that gets me excited and is legal. Our legal standards are all over the board. State regulations for private and some WMAs is 3 on one side. National Wildlife refuges I hunt is if it's a male deer no horn restrictions(and they have some of the biggest deer in the state). A few WMAs are 12" spread or 15" main beam. A few other WMAs are 15" spread and 18" main beams. I get 2 tags here in Arkansas. I usually try to have the 2nd tagged deer be bigger than the 1st. That wont happen this year.

 

[DB4x4]

I think another good queation is, "How many tags do you get?"

Big difference in the thought process on passing between a 1 tag state and a buck-a-day state hunter.

That's a good point. I'm in a one-and-done state, so if I had shot, it was only does from here on out. I can't even imagine having the ability to shoot a buck every day.

Nonetheless, my personal requirement for the past couple years has been:

* If I can tell he's obviously legal at first glance, I'm shooting. *

If I need to stare at him with a scope or binos, I will likely pass. I couldn't tell if this one was legal at 30 yds with the naked eye, so I guess that's why I let him walk.

 

[Hunter260]

In Missouri (most counties) require a buck to have at least 4 points on one side. I personally don’t like this rule because I know of at least 1 5.5 year old 6 point just in my area. I think a much better rule would be the buck must have an inside spread of at least 13”, which is reliably coordinated with a buck being 2.5 years or older. It’s also easily estimated from a tree as the inside of a bucks ears are about 13”.

I try and shoot mature bucks, and my personal goal is pope and young animals (125 or greater with a bow)……… That bein said there’s a couple of 118” 3.5 year olds on the wall that I ain’t taking down…..

 

[TNbowhunter]

1. No state minimum where I primarily hunt in TN. We get two buck tags each year.
2. On private, I’m targeting P&Y-class deer. By that I mean, if I shoot a 120” bucks that got me excited, I’m not regretting it once I put the tape on him. Having never killed one on public before, I’d probably shoot the first 6- or 8-pointer I can. Hoping to take one public, one private buck this year as a personal challenge.

 

[NATHAN]

We get two buck tags. I have never shot a four-year-old. That is my goal. If I get excited, that may go out the window.

 

[Marmuzz]

We get one buck tag. We have a three-antler on one side minimum requirement where I hunt. I’ve never shot an antlered buck (button bucks are basically does to the state, and in my mind too). So I’m taking the first legal, probably 5 point buck, that offers the opportunity.

 

[timbrhuntr]

I think another good queation is, "How many tags do you get?"

Big difference in the thought process on passing between a 1 tag state and a buck-a-day state hunter.

I agree for years I had a any deer tag and would wait until December to tag a doe/any buck for meat and several times right after taking the doe/small buck a descent buck would come through on the same trail ughh ! So I started waiting and going meatless ! Then last year they added a second buck only tag ! Now I can fill the freezer and just sit on the buck tag and hope a big one comes through ! Also trail cams can put the wammy on you to. If you get several pics of a big boy in the area you are less likely to use the tag on any buck you see in range unless you have two tags in your pocket !

 

[Hossmiller]

I shoot the first one that gets me excited and is legal. Our legal standards are all over the board. State regulations for private and some WMAs is 3 on one side. National Wildlife refuges I hunt is if it's a male deer no horn restrictions(and they have some of the biggest deer in the state). A few WMAs are 12" spread or 15" main beam. A few other WMAs are 15" spread and 18" main beams. I get 2 tags here in Arkansas. I usually try to have the 2nd tagged deer be bigger than the 1st. That wont happen this year.

I have hunted Arkansas for the last 26 years(from the time I was old enough to tag along with my dad) and I will say the 3 point rule has improved hunting tremendously. Prior to the 3 point rule, on public land it was uncommon to see deer bigger than a 6 point harvested. Most public land deer camp meat poles were loaded with spikes(you couldn’t shoot does at all unless you drew a doe tag). For me I will fill the freezer with does(AR gives you 6 doe tags now) and try to wait for at least an 8 point to use my buck tags on.

 

[mattsteg]

I think another good queation is, "How many tags do you get?"

Big difference in the thought process on passing between a 1 tag state and a buck-a-day state hunter.

Also availability of doe tags and population levels. A man's gotta eat.

No APRs here, I personally hold off for whatever looks like a "nice" 8pt or better and take does for meat.

If I am rifle hunting up in my family's traditional hunting grounds (buck only harvest, short season, low deer density, legal party-tagging, split and share the harvest) the agreed-on standard is a lot closer to any legal deer (and success rates aren't high, although the proportion of decent bucks has been even with such an aggressive harvest)

 

[Chimney7]

I’m in Pennsylvania, Wmu 2b. Pa is a one buck a year state, where I am it’s a three up rule. Meaning the brow tine doesn’t count as a point.

That being said, I’m primarily a meat hunter and I already have one doe in the freezer this year with 3 more tags. This is my second year archery hunting, 25th year hunting, and I started out last year saying I was dropping the first buck i get a shot at, which I did. I shot a nice 8 pointer that I was happy with.

This year as I get further down the rabbit hole of chasing down big bucks, it’s going to be a game time decision on whether to dump one or not. I’ve got 3 nice 10 points, and 2 nice 8 points on trail cameras by my house this year. I really want to connect with one of the 10s. Being new to this trying to get within 20yards of them thing, I don’t have high hopes, but I feel as though I would be a little disappointed to take whatever legal buck walks in front of me first if it’s not a ‘biggun. But on the other hand this is still new and exciting to me so I don’t know if I’ll have the discipline to let one walk.

It’s all so confusing and fun at the same time. I love this archery stuff!

 

[elk yinzer]

PA, one buck tag. 3 pts a side AR where I mostly hunt.

October part of archery season roughly 120"+. I kinda hate being done before the rut.

November archery season that slowly eases down maybe 100" around halloween then partway into rutcation 90 or 95"+. Not actually sitting there measuring when I see a buck, just a general sense where my standards are at and how they get lower as it gets closer to closing time.

Last couple days of archery and into rifle season depends how I'm feeling year to year. By then anything legal is usually in trouble.

Late season I would probably want to shoot something bigger. I feel kinda bad for the poor deer surviving the orange army like they don't deserve get taken out. But I haven't had a tag in late season in around a decade.

If I lived in a multiple buck tag state I would handle it entirely different. I would probably take the first fat little buck I see for that prime pre-rut venison. Then hold out for something a little more than decent for that locale. The last 3 bucks I've kilt have all been late into the rut and tough... burger and sausage quality. Then I gotta kill another doe to get enough meat.

 

[Hossmiller]

The last 3 bucks I've kilt have all been late into the rut and tough... burger and sausage quality. Then I gotta kill another doe to get enough meat.

I agree with your train of thought elk yinzer, knowing how rut crazed bucks taste, I don’t mind just shooting does and holding out for a decent buck. I really like those yearling does that you can cut the grilled back strap with your fork.

 

[CajunSlinger]

We get 2 antlered tags, 3 doe tags, and an either sex tag. With that many I’m not to picky for my 1st buck. No antler restrictions in regs either.

Have a 4 day hunt planned on Tensas NWR in January. With that planned, I’ll pretty much take any buck early then get a few does. After that, it’s hold out for big bucks until Jan.

 

[rhagenw]

2 buck state...one with rifle and two with bow but you only get one before rifle season
4 point on one side restrictions
And my goal is a “full body” buck so a 200 pound live weight buck...could mean a 95” or a B&C regardless I would feel like it’s a trophy

 

[thedutchtouch]

Where I am (Maryland) we can shoot 3 antlered deer (either two points on one side or spikes longer than 3 inches) a year, 2 in different seasons (archery, muzz, rifle) plus one bonus in any season if you apply for it. Also only allowed one per day antlered. Antlerless deer are 15 for the year for most of maryland and unlimited in the counties I've been hunting, so if the antlers don't meet the 3 points to a side requirement they are still legal, just as antlerless. There are some confusing parts to the rules, "

• Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the yearly bag limit must have at least three points on one antler."

So... If I shoot a button buck, I guess I have the option to check it in as an antlered deer? But not sure why anyone would do that when it can be checked in as antlerless? Figured I'd worry about that after I shoot one buck, having only harvested a single doe in my short hunting career thus far so checking was straightforward.


edited to add: i haven't shot a buck yet, and am mostly in the i'm in the new hunter/pursuing anything that/s legal group, though i have passed on two spikes so far (one i chose to shoot the doe he was with, the other was super small bodied forkhorn. i hope to progress to the "more selective hunter" group over the years and really appreciate that these typs of threads go this way, the same duscussions on facebook or elsewhere tend to deolve.

 

[Gator]

1. What are the legal requirements in your state? Can you shoot any antlered buck or are there size/point restrictions?

2. What are your personal requirements? Do you shoot the first legal buck you see? Do you shoot the first buck that gets you excited? Do you wait for a particular size or number of points?

First morning here, had a shot at a legal buck, but passed. He wasn't much bigger, if at all, than the one I shot last year. I have a whole season ahead of me, and I just got access to a new property that I haven't checked out yet. Hopefully my decision pays off...

No state minimum but every place I hunt has rules. Club is 15” spread, military base is 15” and 3 pts on one side or must be 4.5 years old. Other base is anything on one buck, second has to have at least 3 pts on one side. 3 buck state.

My personal is at least a 3 year old but normally want 4 year old. This is easier to do when you’ve been at it a while, 30+ years chasing whitetails.


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[iamcorey]

Where I hunt 15” is required. Spread or antler base to tip.

Personally brown is the only requirement, but I follow whatever rules are in place per property owner or state.


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