If it's your first year on a new lease and...

You simply don't know a lot about the lease and what might be there so the question is would you shoot the below buck on opening morning if you saw it? Or would you wait to see what else might be there? Additional information...say the below buck would be the second best buck you would have ever taken, would that weigh into your decision one way or the other? Would you shoulder mount it?



Here are a couple of other pics from the same lease in case they would help make your decision easier...or harder.

Keep scouting and take the pictures.
How many hunters on the lease? Have they been there for any period of time?
Question the owner or ranch hands, neighbors if low fence.

That's a mature buck. I've killed bigger, but would have no qualms shooting that buck. I assume you can shoot just one buck. If you would shoot this deer the last day of the season, you should shoot opening weekend. I'd shoulder mount him too.

Don't pass on a deer you'd shoot later in the season. If he fits the criteria for you or your ranch, I wouldn't hesitate.

I don't think it's ever smart to pass up a good mature buck unless it's early season and you are chasing one specific deer.

What's that saying, "one in the hand is better than two in the bush".

If the deer is mature and he makes you happy then let it fly

I'd likely pass. If say he is 4.5 maybe 3.5. If you kill the second biggest buck this year he won't be the biggest buck you've ever killed next year.

no

Kill em.

Ton of Variables like Dale touched on..

What's the rules, how many guns..is there a Management plan in place etc...etc...

If you paid your money and you like him..Tip him over..

I would pass.. but those are some healthy Deer and great Colorization

I wouldn't shoot him early in the season, unless you don't have much time to hunt. if he's still around at the end of season, that's different.

It's sport, not a race.

Wait on the Rut. In your Area. It appears. You have some quality animals in the area.
Good Luck.

Nope. If it was by far the best buck I had ever shot then yes. If you shoot on opening morning it will be a loooong year.

agree

Shoot him before the lease next door gets him.

Shoot whatever makes you happy. People need to quit worrying so much about whether the buck is a 150 class deer or not. Who cares? Who are you trying to impress? Just have fun

Ditto. Wait until you're there. If your heartrate immediately goes up when you see him, shoot him.

You guys are serious about varmint guards. Very impressive.

If it's a deer you would be happy with, it's a simple answer. Don't get hung up on if there are bigger deer around. There will be deer around next year too. Hunting is not a popularity contest. It should be enjoyed and appreciated for what it is....time spent in the outdoors. Harvesting a deer is just a bonus.

First ask yourself "Why do you hunt?" Looking at the other bucks, there seems to be good genetics there. You may see something really nice during the rut when they start moving. I personally am at the point where if I'm taking a buck it has to be better than my best to date unless it is an impressive mature management buck based on certain criteria and I feel I have to shoot something (feel this less each year). If I need meat I take a few does. My son on the other hand comes in once a year to hunt so time is limited for him. I try to pattern something for him but if it doesn't work out he can take what he can get. He also is getting where he wants to one up his best.

Also try an Eliminator Plate....

You can lose the cages

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

x2

1- Velvet always makes bucks look bigger. I had one a few years ago I thought was huge on camera, but was much smaller in the flesh.

2- No, I would not shoot it. It will need to be a fairly large buck for me to pull the trigger on a trophy. (See 3#)

3- I gave up years ago on giving my opinion on who should shoot what buck. If you like it and it's your personal biggest buck, then drop his a$$! What is a trophy to one is different to the next. Shoot what makes you happy, and don't worry about what others think. You paid for your lease, and can shoot what you want, within what's legal, of course.

that's the beauty and curse of game cams...you get to over analyze....at the end of the day it comes down to what you want and whether or not you're comfortable every time you pull the trigger....I've let some awfully nice deer walk over the years waiting for "the one" I had on camera...problem is, there's no guarantee you'll even see that deer once the season starts. you really can't lose here so hunt and enjoy the experience.

if thats a good deer for the area you hunt then take him

Are the unwritten "rules" different for a first timer?

Who gives a rat's a$$ what others think, really who cares. If you like it, shoot it. If ya want it on your wall, put it there. Don't get too wrapped up in what others say, hunt for yourself. Just my knee jerk reaction to your questions....

Looks like a mature buck with a really nice rack. I'd shoot him if I saw him on opening morning.

Does that buck make you happy? Then kill it!

I like this forum and the guys on it and respect most of their opinions. I'm not wrapped up in what everyone posts and it will not make me shoot or not shoot the buck in the photo. I'm curious about what others think...notice I clarified this in my post...if it was YOUR first year on a new lease...so I'm just trying to see what others would do. I'd already made up my mind as t what I'd do.

So in essence you are asking if anyone would shoot a decent buck the first year they were on a lease?

I would have no qualms about that at all. I think most people are going to feel the same way, you pay your hard earned money and that entitles you to take whatever game you want off a lease no matter how long you have been there. If you think there is some "unwritten" heirarchy rule that states a newbie leasor can't shoot a decent buck their first year, then you really shouldn't be paying full price and it should be clearly stated in the paperwork.

As a former member of a 12 man lease, I would love to see anyone of them take a decent buck no matter when they got on it. They paid, they get to shoot to their fancy. I am off that lease now, on a lease with just myself, so I don't have to go through these mental games. But you better have believed if the 24 inch wide deer showed up when I was hunting I would have shot it no problem and not worried one iota about what my lease mates thought. Pay the price and that allows you admission to the buck games!

No, no, no.....what I'm really asking is since you are new to the lease and really haven't been there long enough to know exactly what the lease has on it regarding bucks, the quality of bucks, and you saw the first one, which I consider a nice buck, even a shooter buck, he's mature with a pretty nice rack, would you shoot him on opening morning...or would you wait...and risk not getting what could be the nicest buck on the lease.

When u are on a lease with other people you risk that anyway....

Don't overthink it, if you like the buck, take him. If you would be comfortable letting him walk last day of season then let him walk first day too. Don't worry about what is on there, if you could shoot your second best buck on opening day, and you want to shoot him, why not?

Me personally, I probably would not. i am on the hunt for a buck bigger than my best (not that it will take
Much) but I don't have much interest I shooting something smaller. However, if I saw an old ancient buck walk out I may take him just for the trophy of getting a mature buck. But that would be a game time decision.

- if it's brown it's down.

- always say you should have let it grow another year.




Only rules needed.

No, no, no.....what I'm really asking is since you are new to the lease and really haven't been there long enough to know exactly what the lease has on it regarding bucks, the quality of bucks, and you saw the first one, which I consider a nice buck, even a shooter buck, he's mature with a pretty nice rack, would you shoot him on opening morning...or would you wait...and risk not getting what could be the nicest buck on the lease.[/quote]

I get your question so I'll answer it as you asked it: If it were me on a new lease, I would wait until I saw a buck that was my biggest to date. The chances that you already have on camera the biggest buck in the area is slim, especially prior to rut when others will be passing thru.

I'd have more regret shooting my 2nd biggest buck and later seeing a giant than I would holding out and seeing what the new property has to offer even if it means getting no buck that first year. And if it gets late in the season and you realize he is the big boy then take him late if possible, and if not then maybe he'll be bigger next year. Good all around

The only things that might change that answer would be if i know I'll only be on the lease 1 season, or if it's a 2 buck county.

^^^ sounds good to me

Shoot and go home with a smile on your face. Nice deer.

Bang! Get the skinning knife.

Share the pic with your fellow hunters and let them know you'd like to take it. Or just take him out if you like him.

do what makes you happy. People worry too much about the size of the horns these days.