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They have balls

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
I guess I am surprised by the number of hunters that seem surprised when they shoot a deer thinking it is a doe only to find out it is a male.

I certainly can understand if you are shooting fawns from groups of does that it is difficult to determine which are the buttons.

However if you are shooting a single deer out walking around alone, not traveling with other deer, the vast, vast majority of the time it has balls.:) This applies during all of our hunting seasons, even after they drop their antlers. The exception would be in the spring when about to give birth and the does split up.

I don't care what you shoot, shoot what you want, but some don't seem to know what they are shooting until there get to them and spread their legs. If you don't want to mistakenly kill a male let the singles walk unless you are very sure.

Again, not being critical, just a little surprised at how many hunters are surprised when they reach their kill.

Good luck
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I guess I am surprised by the number of hunters that seem surprised when they shoot a deer thinking it is a doe only to find out it is a male.

I certainly can understand if you are shooting fawns from groups of does that it is difficult to determine which are the buttons.

However if you are shooting a single deer out walking around alone, not traveling with other deer, the vast, vast majority of the time it has balls.:) This applies during all of our hunting seasons, even after they drop their antlers. The exception would be in the spring when about to give birth and the does split up.

I don't care what you shoot, shoot what you want, but some don't seem to know what they are shooting until there get to them and spread their legs. If you don't want to mistakenly kill a male let the singles walk unless you are very sure.

Again, not being critical, just a little surprised at how many hunters are surprised when they reach their kill.

Good luck

I think most people know they just say they didn't because they know some people have an adverse opinion about it. I've only shot one BB that I didn't know it was before shooting. It was on a deer drive in shotgun season. The rest I knew before I even drew back.
 

Diane

*Supporting Member*
4,715
66
Newark
I certainly can understand if you are shooting fawns from groups of does that it is difficult to determine which are the buttons.

I did shoot a button last season that was in a group of 4 and I was upset that I had done so. I prefer to let buttons grow up and thought I was shooting a doe.

If you don't want to mistakenly kill a male let the singles walk unless you are very sure.

Good advice.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Honestly, I'm not in the habit of checking out another guy's junk....but now I'll think about it :smiley_blackeye::smiley_coolpeace:
 

gavennn

Junior Member
106
0
I have shoot a couple. I only got to see their sides and both was with other does. I can see how it happens but it doesnt make me feel any better about it.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,633
234
Licking Co. Ohio
A cheap pair of bino's will help to look at their head for bumps. That is of course IF there is ample time to look first. Excitement can make you forget to look good first IMO. I personally try to let them walk if possible~~But I have made that mistake in the past as well.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
My point wasn't if someone shoots a button buck or not, don't really care either way personally, that the hunters choice.

The point was that if YOU don't want to mistakenly shoot a button or a drop buck don't shoot those single deer unless you are really sure it is a doe because the vast majority of the time it is not a doe.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
The point was that if YOU don't want to mistakenly shoot a button or a drop buck don't shoot those single deer unless you are really sure it is a doe because the vast majority of the time it is not a doe.

There's the nugget. That makes sense.
So why didn't you tell me this before?
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
I agree with you Lundy, many of the loner deer, especially during our later muzzleloading season are almost always bucks.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,633
234
Licking Co. Ohio
My point wasn't if someone shoots a button buck or not, don't really care either way personally, that the hunters choice.

The point was that if YOU don't want to mistakenly shoot a button or a drop buck don't shoot those single deer unless you are really sure it is a doe because the vast majority of the time it is not a doe.

I agree with you. Very good point to look more closely at the "loner" deer.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
There's the nugget. That makes sense.
So why didn't you tell me this before?

Didn't think you wanted to hear some old guy preach:) and somethings are just better learned on your own. I'm guessing you will never forget this lesson.:)

I didn't learn this in a book, It is just something that I have observed over the last 45 years of deer hunting that I know to be true.

You'll get a big buck next year
 

ThunderEagle

Junior Member
Well doesn't this point to one of the rules of hunting, know you target and beyond?

Also, is this more of a gun season issue? If archery, I wouldn't think the shots would be far enough to make the mistake?
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
You're on the ground. Deer on the move from your left, quartering away, it's ear covering the spike from your angle.....yeah, it happens at 15 yds
IMAG0074.jpg
 

ThunderEagle

Junior Member
You're on the ground. Deer on the move from your left, quartering away, it's ear covering the spike from your angle.....yeah, it happens at 15 yds

Fair enough. That obviously looks like longer than 3". So my next question is, what happens to you if you had already tagged an antlered deer this year and you did that?

I ask because I honestly don't know.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
thundereagle, that's a good question, but I think we have a shitty answer. You're fugged if you do that.

What happened to Dan could happen to anyone. You can clearly see how the ears could've blocked the tines.

I hope this thread wasn't directed toward him.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,633
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Fair enough. That obviously looks like longer than 3". So my next question is, what happens to you if you had already tagged an antlered deer this year and you did that?

I ask because I honestly don't know.

I am not suggesting anything here.......Just stating what happened to a friend on an honest mistake: He shot a doe and it ran into a small thicket. When he got up to the thicket, a doe came out of that thicket on the right. He put her down. He then seen a doe lying in the thicket dead. But he only had one doe tag left. He opted to do the right thing and explained it to the "Proper Authorities".....asking if it could be donated or something being a mistake. Cost him a chunk of money and loss of license for 1 year.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Fair enough. That obviously looks like longer than 3". So my next question is, what happens to you if you had already tagged an antlered deer this year and you did that?

I ask because I honestly don't know.

Funny thing you ask...I was talking to another hunter on the same property Sat nite, and he shot a spike in KY after filling his buck tag. He called the game warden, explained. Game warden was reasonable and helped him with a good outcome, tagged it somehow without penalty. But that was dependent upon having a GM who was reasonable....if they wanted to stick to the letter of the law you'd be screwed with a fine probably. But I think the thing to do is exactly what that hunter did - just tell the truth.
 

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
Supporting Member
10,254
115
Ashtabula, Ohio
Funny thing you ask...I was talking to another hunter on the same property Sat nite, and he shot a spike in KY after filling his buck tag. He called the game warden, explained. Game warden was reasonable and helped him with a good outcome, tagged it somehow without penalty. But that was dependent upon having a GM who was reasonable....if they wanted to stick to the letter of the law you'd be screwed with a fine probably. But I think the thing to do is exactly what that hunter did - just tell the truth.

Will said my friend. You did the right thing even though you almost puked, lol. Your a respected outdoorsmen in my book and I am sure every member of TOO feels the same way. Now post a picture of "Slugger". :banana: