Okay, let's spice this hypothetical buck up a bit. Our 140" buck also has a drop tine, does that change your mind to shoot?

For me yes as I don't have one on the wall, have a couple of sideways kickers but no drops...

This^^^^^^

Drought year 5.5. Pass
6.5 marginal, give daughter green light to shoot. Rest of the season go break out the waders and non-tox shells, then go chase the freeze line from here to Kansas. My truck has been missing that chessie musk cologne anyway

Wouldn’t change my opinion of shooting.

On our place? I’d think hard and probably pass in hopes he’d do better next year or one of the others would get him. Public land or any other kind of hunt where this hypothetical might take me I’d probably take a shot.

Bow yes, because it would be a new PB by quite a margin. Rifle, pass.

It happen last year to me. I had a 10 point walk out first thing opening morning and he was bigger than
anything I ever got before. He dropped like a brick. I did have to think about it for awhile though .So it was time to look for arrow heads and have a cold beer.
There is always pigs to shoot .

I have passed on this scenario more times than I can even count ... end the season without shooting a buck most of those years as well. All depends on where I am hunting and what the expectations are (140, 150, 160, 180, etc.). Heck, my heart starts pumping when a yearling walks out, that's part of the fun of hunting for me. If it is a marginal trophy opening weekend, I typically will let it walk on most of the places I hunt as I know most of the other hunters are going to let it walk as well and see what it becomes in future years.

I have OP's exact buck on camera, but I think he's only 4 this year. And I now have an older buck with less rack in the picture.

The 10pt (he grown a lot since this, but also bent his left g3 in and down):



The two in front are IMO older and recently started showing up:

That'd be huge for our lease. Think the biggest one we had last year scored out at 129. That said, I'd wait. Being in the field is the most fun part about it all. And what's the statistic--the majority of deer are killed the first and last weekend of the season? What do all those people do the rest of the season?!

It changes from "yes" to "Hell Yes"..

A bird in the hand....bang!

I'm not a horn hunter so I'll pass and wait for the does to come out and then shoot the biggest doe.

Then tell the other guys I'm hunting with what I saw.

That's what I did last year.

Never pass on the first day of the season what you wouldn't pass on the last day.

That’s a sure fire way to never kill big animals

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Well, it begs the question, what ARE you wiling to also pass on the last day? If you're in an area that has 340-350 elk, do you have to kill one so bad that the 290-300 bull you saw the first day has to die on the last? Is tag soup an option?

As I recall in my elk hunting days “Any bull is a good bull”.

Let him walk, but next time you will see him is on your neighbors wall.

Well considering that I've never shot a deer over 130" or so....and that would be a stud on the property I'm currently hunting. My answer would be "BANG!"

I’d hit it

Tag soup is always an option.


Not gonna lie it irks me to get to the trailhead and see a bunch of young raghorn bulls being carried off in truck beds.


If everyone is shooting young animals eventually all that will be left is young animals.


That said I have no issues shooting mature animals with smaller headgear and in most cases I’m happy to do so

Have never seen a 140 while hunting so I would definitely shoot him, especially if he has a drop tine. Where I hunt, he could disappear into the National Forest and I would probably never see him again, as no one in my area is going to pass on him.

Exactly right

If I have another buck or two that is older or better you can bet I'm passing on him.