Need your help guys

[Freddy]

Just started bow hunting for Deer this year, I have shot my share of deer with a rifle, but with a bow it's so much different than rifle. All I can shoot with a bow in this area is a buck, and I'm sure they are in full rut now.
I am baiting and have all kinds of action on the trail cam, lots of Does and Fawns coming in. On Nov. 8th got my first pic of a buck, a small 8 pointer after legal shooting time, switched my feeding time to 5:30 am every second day now. As of Nov.14th, 15th, 16th I have the 8 point coming in every second day and also a nice spike coming every day. hunting time is limited but will hunt all this weekend and hopefully next as well, our season is open till mid Dec.
I have a new Matrix 330 and would really like to break it in, in a good way, don't want to miss out on getting a Deer, but would really like to take the 8 pointer. If I see the spike first should I take it, or should I hold out for a the 8 pointer.
Please I need some advise.

[xcaliber]

Well, holding out for bigger bucks sometimes results in eating tag soup. It is like I tell the youngster that hunts with me, you cannot kill a big buck if you put the tag on a small one.
Good Luck!

[Foxinthehenhaus]

Any pictures.
Wait for sure . Rut is in your favour. The Big boys tend to get stupid in the head at it's peak.
Weekend weather however may not be in your favour though

[j.krug]

That's a tough one. Me, I'm not a patient man and I always worry there might not be a next time so if it walks by and I got a tag for it the arrow's gonna fly.

[paulaboutform]

Well, it's all a crapshoot. Logic says that if the bigger buck is on the bait every other day and the little one every day and you have two days of hunting, wait for the eight.
He should show. If you're unsure, you won't get a better eater than the spike. Personally, I'd dedicate the first weekend for the eight and the following to any tasty legal buck.

Paul

[cadmaster]

Speaking as someone that hunts near you (for 39 years) and is chewing tag soup this year. The weather is against you for the next few days and the snow soon after. I hunt just north of Redbridge and used to hunt around Powassan. Usually after the snow is here to stay the deer start moving out towards the yards making it much harder to get one unless you are on the migration trails.

I hunt for meat, but I love a nice rack. That being said your days in the field are very limited with the rain/snow in the forecast for the next week. IMHO Shoot the first buck you see.

[knife2sharp]

Cameras on baits can be misleading. Many time bucks check baits from a distance and don't always come in. If you get pics of does feeding, see if they are looking behind them. You could go out and get a chance at a buck you don't have a picture of. I can't tell you what deer to shoot, that is entirely up to you.

[W.Miguire]

your does will bring in the bucks for sure. if you have time I would wait till he comes . just when you shoot the small one the big one will show up . murphy is all over the woods these days.
W.M.

[Lugnut]

I shot a nice 5 pointer just last week. The next day a monster 10 showed up and was easily mine. I was a little disappointed but I hunt with this in mind.....
"Don't pass up a shot on opening day that you would take on closing day."

[artifact]

"A bird in hand is worth 2 in the bush"!
Unless you have a self imposed antler minimum, a buck is a buck!
To me, venison sausage from the spike would taste just as good as from the 8 pt., maybe even better!

[frisky]

One in the pot is better than two in the bush.

[NEPAbowhunter]

You've shot many with the rifle, none with a crossbow. When I started bow hunting years ago I shot the first legal animal that gave me the opportunity. As long as it did not have spots, it was in trouble. As the years have gone by and I look back on past seasons, if I had not taken the shot at my first opportunity I would not have gotten anything. Only you can decide whether to take the shot or not. If it were me just starting out, that spiker would be in trouble. Good luck, hope you get a chance to break in that 330.

[newbie]

After cooking my tags laat year I shot the first mature doe that came in range. They i was going to hold out for the stud 10 thats been teasing me for 5 years.
That all changed when my cousins wife wrote off her truck a few weeks ago.... The culprit was my stud. Hasnt been on cam since, just hoping he is out spreading his oats. I have the shotgun hunt yet.
So since my heart was broken i shot the messed up fork thats been messing around my mineral lick. He was bigger then i thought and now my freezer is suffed.
Long story short, if you want meat shoot first mature deer, horns wait it out but be prepared to flavour that tag.

[otisbrazwell]

your using an arrow at short yardage id take it..tag soup sucs unless your a trophy hunter..use your conservancy tag crossbow don't go bang

[ko4nrbs]

Horns make pretty thin soup!!
Bill