Had a nice 10 pt. move through yesterday morning and by the time I determined he was likely a shooter he had pretty much cleared through to not be seen again. I would guess him at 120-130" and probably 4.0yo+. Hunting less than 100 acres in Young county has me thinking I probably should have pulled the trigger. Problem I had was that he was on the move and only presented his rack initially from a profile view at about 200 yards. By the time he momentarily stopped broadside and I got a full look at his rack, he was only there for a very short time longer. Did I seem to make the right choice, what say the forum??

You made the right call if you weren't sure. I've been on the opposite end where I couldn't tell for sure and thought a deer was better than it was only do be be disappointed when I walked up on him, and that's a terrible feeling. Rather let a good one walk than shoot a deer I shouldn't have

It's like I tell the guys I hunt with or guide. Our life doesn't depend on shooting that animal, shoot when you are comfortable and sure it's what you want.

I've been a lot happier about the deer I take after becoming more selective and patient. Sure I still second guess myself, we all do, but in the end it pays off.

You did the right thing, if you’re not sure then don’t.
As mentioned above, I was also on the wrong end of a split decision. I thought I shot a big wide mature 8 until I walked up and saw his small body. No more than 3 1/2 it was wide 18” inside. Beat myself up for a month on that one

It is the choice you made, erring on the side of caution, I don't see a right or wrong..

DQ, I now hunt on my small 15 acres, so I absolutely know what it's like wanting to "manage", but with little to no control. Seldom does a buck I pass make it another year or 2 around here. Once I was able to reconcile, I just try to take the best one I can, sometimes going without for the year. It is what it is and actually has become comfortable for what it is.

Even when we had 400 ish acres, management was a problem depending on neighboring lands.

I don't pull the trigger unless something WOW'S me. Pretty much just a horn hunter, I will take out the occasional management buck but even that's rare. I let my guys take them out.

Much rather pass on a big one than pull the trigger and he turns out to be smaller or younger.

He is still out there. Once they are dead they are dead.

You just have to go with your gut and not look back. I passed up really nice bucks both last year and this year (for different reasons). I have learned to remember to trust my own judgment at the time when I start second-guessing those decisions.

We had 3 bucks killed in the area I guide in on Ft Hood and then we stored them in the cooler at the Sportsmans center. There were about 12 deer in that freezer and none of them were as big as the 4 yr old 8 I passed on. We are down to 2 bucks left in my area so I'm second guessing letting him walk even though I know it was the right thing to do.

Absolutely the right thing. I have lost more sleep over my rushed shots than the shots I passed.

Yes. I've done that. Had what would have been my best deer ever cruising through last year. I started second guessing trying to age him or compare him to deer I've seen posted here. I was thinking, if I post a picture of this deer, will people give me a hard time. That deer gave me the good feeling in my stomach, and I spent too long thinking. After that experience my outlook became, if I like him, I'll shoot him.

Only on the last day of the season, when Im doing the walk of shame to my truck. Realizing I didn't get a buck but passed on several.

Had a 9pt we watched for a few years finally became a 10 pt. Would have been a mid 140's buck at 4.5. We decided to give him one more year and I ended up shooting a cull buck while he was standing next to the 10. From that point we got 1 night time picture of that 10 and never saw him again. I regret either not shooting him or not waiting to shoot the cull when he wasn't there.

I couldn't agree more. I spent a season passing on bucks only to regret my decisions because I didn't get the opportunity to a take good buck that season or the next two seasons.

"I was thinking, if I post a picture of this deer, will people give me a hard time."

I've seen a lot of ^^^This ^^^ go on and it's ridiculous. It's not as bad anymore as it once was but it still happens on occasion. A trophy is subjective. My

Not sure who coined the deer hunting term but "ground shrinkage" is one of my favorites.

the older you get the more you realize that patience is golden = life has a funny way of always working out for the best if you just let it- I raised my kids telling them that you are a product of your decisions - you made the right call

I’ve been there. I’ve kicked myself over it, too, but it’s a lot better than making a poor shot or taking the wrong deer.

I think you did

I was hunting in OK opening morning this past Saturday.

I passed on a solid mid 130's mature 9.

Since, I've saw nothing but spikes and scrubs

With a 16 days season I've questioned that myself.

I am going again Friday but won't pass him again, LOL

agree!

Happens to me often. You made the right call.

I only get shooters remorse when I kill an animal that doesn't meet my expectations or I misjudged. That's happened twice in my deer hunting life. I never have remorse for letting an animal walk.

This speaks for me

Thanks guys for kind words and encouragement. Looking back I know the choice was a solid one. By coincidence last Sunday was the two year anniversary of my Dad's passing. Hopefully he can encourage a big rutting buck my way.

Haha! Old hunters always have the wise one on one good shoulder and the not perfect but it felt fun and good on the other. I made my girlfriend did the same a while back. She was cussing me on the inside with some leakage coming out of her breathe. I explained he needed another year. Took her hunting again and saw a way better buck to hunt. She forgot all about the one I made her pass. It was 4 also. I grunted it back to us. Just was'nt what she thought it was,and I knew this. She has'nt been around the privlaged 4 yr. old free range deer in east Tx. She worked on a 8 thousand HF in south Tx. and saw big bucks all the time. East Tx 4 yr. old free range bucks aint a dime a dozen. The rewards can be worth a years worth of patience.

I agree on all of the ground shrinkage shooter's remorse posts. I would rather take a pass than regret taking a lesser than
(what I thought I was seeing) deer. I went that route as a younger hunter. I killed my biggest buck last yr (160+) and watched it for 45 minutes before pulling the trigger.

Either way you choose, it's your bullet and your opportunity so it's your call and be ok with it.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!