If you had a choice to shoot a doe, a young buck or a big buck, which would you choose and why? Is one better eating than the others? Is the big buck more wiley? Maybe a stupid question, but hey, I'm curious and going on my first hunt this fall. Believe me I'll take whatever I can get, but I'm wondering what the real differences are. Thanks
Brian
To eat I prefer younger does.
Maybe it's just me but, I think the older ones get a bit "gamey-er".
That said, when I get a shot with my recurve; I'll decide how to cook it then.. ;) and whatever it is, it will be MY trophy.
If I had good clean shots at all three, I'd take the bigger buck of course but, I don't pass up many shots at does either.
The big doe is probably better eating and if she's mature and experienced with hunters, she can be just as hard or maybe even harder to kill than the big buck. Every animal is a trophy as far as I'm concerned.
I relate it to fishing... We all want that 10 lb walleye but, that doesn't mean that we don't want the 3 lb fish to bite!
Good luck this year!
Ron
If they all three walked in together and offered shots, I'd take the big buck. I don't get too many good chances at them. I quit shooting the small bucks and I'll likely get more chances at does.
I can only make good use of maybe three deer a year, so much of my hunting time is spent just watching; not that there's anything wrong with that.
I pass on the young bucks unless I'm hungry. I prefer does to eat, but a big buck with a bow will always be first choice!
I'd take the bigger buck. Not because of pride, although I do think that sometimes it is more of a trophy to take a wily old buck, irrespective of antler size. I'd do it because I love venison. Maybe my sense of taste isn't as refined as some, but I've shot a couple that were 6-7 years old and never had a problem with the meat tasting 'gamey'. The more meat the better for me. It seems like so much more is wasted with a smaller deer, not that I won't shoot them. If I'm gonna go to the effort of butchering the thing, I want some bang for my buck (no pun intended).
Steaks are bigger and more of them on a big buck. Like Patrick, I really haven't noticed any significant difference, other than the size of the butterflies.. From my experience the "Gamey" thing normally comes from over cooking.
Big buck without hesitation. I've yet to find one that didn't cook up nicely. I shoot lots of does for meat as well, but cooked right, a old buck isn't very tough meat.
it doesnt matter to me id shoot wichever one i had the best shot at
I'd have to take the big one,they just don't come by as often,that may be why I take so many more does than bucks!!
It all really depends on how far I have to drag it out.
I hunt does for meat. The younger the better!
Most states have buck/doe ratio's that are way out of kilter, and I try to trim the doe crop as much as I can.
I leave the bucks alone when shooting for food. I save my buck tag for mister big... or more correctly, the best the area has to offer.
I didn't answer your question fully, earlier. I think old deer are cagier, whether buck or doe. Either that, or they've found a strategy that works when the hunting pressure is on that's allowed them to live through several hunting seasons. It can be very difficult to harvest an older doe at times, especially if she has a bunch of little brats with her with their heads on a swivel like I've seen in the later season after too much hunting pressure on public land.
i like eating deer, here in southern mi the deer taste exceptionally good. (crop fed) ill usually shoot 3 does to 1 buck to try and reduce the buck to doe disparity
I gotta say I've tasted em all from a lil fawn to a wiley old buck and I guess coming from my background I sure blcan taste the difference.
No ur not gonna taste the difference between a 2 and 3 y/o deer but you can tell the difference between a 6month old/yearling to a 7 y/o deer without a doubt!!!
I'd always opt for a big buck but ill never pass a doe!
If I had the choice I would take the big buck, only because the opportunity rarely presents itself. Otherwise I would shoot a doe. Very few places in this country that have a proper buck-doe ratio.
Rob
I like little ones to eat, but I normally will shoot what ever offers me the shot I want. A tough old doe is better than tag soup.
For eating I like does. For me any deer with a bow is special for me. I have only taken two with a coumpound. The first was a big doe and the secound was a spike. I was thrilled with both of them. This year will be my first hunting with my recurve and if I get a 80 pound doe you bet I'll be proud of her. If I kill a wall hanger that's just icing on the cake.
I have a nice buck that I shot with a rifle in 03. My brother can't figure out why I don't have him scored. My thought process is it is good enough that I got him and can look up at him from my recliner and remember the hunt. I'd rather hunt a wild raghorn than a tame monster that meets you at the gate.
I don't see many big bucks but if one gives me a shot I will kill it.They have more burger than the smaller deer so it will not be wasted.I deer hunt only because I like to eat them however so if I shoot a buck it is usually only because he was the first to show up and give me a shot. :)I quit hunting for headgear many years ago.
I would take the first doe or older buck that presented me with a shot. I'm gonna eat it so it doesn't matter which one. I don't care how hard you try you'll never get those horns cooked to where you can eat them. In NC we can shoot something like 6 deer a season and if I could I would make all 6 of them does. Our buck to doe ratio is way off and the big bucks don't usually have to go very far to find a his does.
I would have to say that an old doe is more wiley than an old buck.
I love'em all!!!!! BIG or small.....
I'm a hunter. I hunt for food. I take the first good shot that comes along.
I have my share of big racks hanging on the wall,but to be completely honest,all but one were 100% LUCK!!!!! I consider EVERY deer that I have ever taken a trophy,from my smallest spike,to my big heavy 8 pointer.(does,fawns,and button bucks too!!!!!)
Your first deer will be the trophy of a lifetime that you will NEVER forget!!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!! :archer:
QuoteFrom my experience the "Gamey" thing normally comes from over cooking.
Quotehere in southern mi the deer taste exceptionally good. (crop fed)
Where I grew up the deer fed on sage brush and that's what they tasted like, nasty! You could soak them in buttermilk and get rid of most of it but it was still gamey. When I tasted my first deer in Texas it was like a new animal, I couldn't believe it was deer. Grain,crop and acorn fed deer are delicious!
To answer the question I usually shoot does only they are easier to find, cheaper plus you can't eat horns.
We can take up to four deer in NH so early on I am not so picky. Actually I am not picky at all. Meat in the freezer trumps horns on the wall every year. Three years ago I shot a spike, a ten and an eight pointer. All were fine eating. My biggest deer dressed at 207 and he was good eating. I think a lot of what determines palatability of a deer or any wild animal is getting it in the freezer as fast as possible.
We have a nice 9 pointer (last year's count) that I am sure will dress out at 200+. I am saving my buck tag for him. There is also a very large doe in our area that I would love to shoot just to see how big she really is. Except for these two animals Laura and I will be happy to shoot whatever is legal at the time.
If you want to taste "gamey", come down south and try to eat one that's been run by dogs for a few hours. Most of the people I've known who said they didn't like venison had only had dog-run deer. I guess it's the adrenaline. I never shoot one ahead of dogs on purpose.
My favorite for the table is a yearling doe. Mild, tender, and tasty. I can taste a buck every time. Even the young ones taste different to me. I also think that bow-shot deer are better, but that may be psychological!
I also shoot the first thing that gives me a good shot although I've never had it in me to kill a really small fawn in the early season. Later in the year they are a lot bigger and have more meat. When I have a choice, the biggest bodied deer gets killed. Most deer around here don't live past 3 years so toughness isn't an issue. I shot a 6 year old doe a couple years ago and she was fine eating. My favorite is a December fawn. About 80 pounds, 35 pounds of boneless, and tender. They aren't hard to drag either.
Like others Big Buck is first on the list as I have not had that much opportunity at trophy deer.
That being said any game taken with my bow is a trophy for me.
I have a large family & we eat all the wild game we can get(I think it's healthier anyway).
If given a choice my choices would be as follows:
1)Old doe, I think they get to an age that they do not produce but are still competing for food. But they still taste good.
2)Younger doe, preferably without fawns, but if the young don't have spots she's fair game.
3)Younger deer, they really taste good, & you can cut them with a fork.
I try to let the forkhorns & young bucks pass.
I'm hungry now :)
Brown its down. If its legal and gives me an opportunity it goes in the freezer.
I hunt for meat, which ever give the better shot angle. I take more DOEs then anything.
The biggest affect for gameiness in Venison comes from the age of the deer, the diet of the animal, the rut plays a Big difference in quality and the presence of Lactic Acid in the meat caused by stress from some sort. This is what I have observed over years of hunting. Now there are tricks to make the meat more palatable but almost a given is a younger deer taken cleanly with proper field dressing techniques and rapid cooling will always taste better, ALOT better than a stressed or older specimen. Some folks confuse the flavor of venison with gameiness also...
That being said I would shoot the big buck as for the same reasons stated above. Although my freezer is filled every year on does and opportunistic young bucks. I am NOT a Trophy hunter but Love it when I bring one home. LOL
I'll shoot the big buck for more reasons than one.
1. More meat in the freezer.
2. Older mature bucks are hard to come by and harder to kill.
3. Mounted antlers will remind me of the hunt for years to come.
4. Pure adrenalin rush.
5. The antlers provide one heck of a good handle to drag a deer out with.
My 2 cents,
-Charlie
It depends on the day. :bigsmyl:
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If it's legal and it makes you happy then it's worth taking. My first harvest with trad gear was a yearling doe.
meats meat i got to eat and that all folks.
The old school Yankees out here in the east often judge a trophy by how many lbs it is, not its head gear. Hunting is a way of life for us, I am the oldest of 6 kids and have 4 of my own. We eat alot of venison. However, the decision to take an animal is always based on the hunt itself. Good post, Bill
since Indiana limits me to one buck....I'll shoot the big one AND the doe both ;)
I once took 3 in under 30 minutes with a bow and all 3 dropped within sight.....back in my wheelie days :D
I don't eat antlers, never have never will.
Young buck/bull, since Alaska doesn't normally have doe/cow hunts. I wouldn't shoot a doe/cow to begin with, never have never will.
Steve
I'll choose the good eating. My best buck tasted nasty compared to a doe the same age. Horns are cool, but fresh straps are better IMO.
First one to walk by, I do not discriminate.
J
We dont shoot young bucks on our property, so we kill a lot of does. The only buck we shoot are mature 8s and 10s. We have been doing this for ten years now and we are seeing so many more big mature bucks. So to answer your question I shoot mostly does but if a mature buck presents a shot hes down
QuoteOriginally posted by SouthMDShooter:
We dont shoot young bucks on our property, so we kill a lot of does. The only buck we shoot are mature 8s and 10s. We have been doing this for ten years now and we are seeing so many more big mature bucks. So to answer your question I shoot mostly does but if a mature buck presents a shot hes down
Btw this is on 6000 private acres if I was on public land it would be a different story
So any deer you hunt and kill yourself always tastes good and is always a trophy. Got it. Thanks for the input and the recipes!I am PUMPED for the hunt!
Brian :notworthy:
I've never had bad venison. :D
doe taste real good.as i dont shoot bucks as i am not a trophy hunter
I have heard that 'does taste better than bucks'...... and someday I am gonna shoot a buck- and see if its true !