I had been anticipating the opening day of archery season since last November. A week before the opener, I had stealthily retrieved an SD card from a game camera on our food plot. To my surprise and delight, it had recorded several mature bucks visiting our food plots daily between 4 and 6 p.m., perfect shooting light. This was a rare occurrence in our area of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

I knew I had to be in my stand for the opener. My usual hunting buddy, my dad, had to attend a wedding, so it was a solo hunt for me. Based on my trail cam activity, the best time to enter my stand was between 1 and 2 p.m. It was a seasonable 62 degrees, and I made my way to the stand at 1:30. To my dismay, I bounced a deer already feeding in the plot. It was a buck, but nothing bigger than a smallish 2.5-year-old. I settled in for what would be an eventful day.

A parade of bucks started to appear after 2 p.m. Every deer got bigger, starting with a 3-point, a small 8, and then a better 8-point. Normally I would be ready to shoot at this point, but it was my first hunt of the year so I wanted to be more selective. I passed on several easy shots and enjoyed the moment. Later in the day, I could hear what sounded like bucks sparring, and soon two bucks entered our food plot. It appeared to be the same 8-point I just passed on, followed by a larger 9-point — one of the bucks from our camera and our shooters list. The 9-point stopped to feed at 40 yards, well within crossbow range. I was faced with a choice …

It was Oct. 3, 2020, and I had more than a month of archery left plus the two-week rifle season. For those who aren’t from Pennsylvania, we are a one buck state. You may be hunting in a multiple buck tag state and this situation may not pertain to you. But for those of us with one tag, it presents a tantalizing dilemma. You have just patiently waited for nine months or longer for this time of year — buying gear, honing your shooting skills, reading articles, watching videos. You may own property and improved your habitat, planted food plots, and set your stands. You are mentally prepared for two to three months of deer hunting, and only a few short weeks away from the pre-rut. And there it is, the opportunity you’ve been thinking about for months and (maybe years for some of us), standing in front of you, right off the bat. Do you take the shot? Will you have another opportunity this season if you pass? 

Fortunately I had some perspective going into this situation. Several years back I harvested a young 6-point with my compound bow in mid-October. The joy of success that I had felt at the moment was quickly replaced with the thought that my buck season was over, and I would have to wait almost 11 long months to pursue another antlered deer. I was thankful, but at the same time regretful knowing that there were bigger and better deer that season to be pursued. For me it’s wasn’t all about the antler size, but the fact that my buck season was done. Although I still owned doe tags and could hunt, it just wasn’t quite the same feeling. It was a lesson I would not forget, and one that I carry with me every year. 

You may also be in this situation this upcoming season. I would consider it a blessing, not a curse. Perhaps you are new to hunting and would like to experience the thrill of the harvest, or want to share the moment with a younger hunter. Maybe the venison and the nourishment it provides is your goal. If you have some experience with hunting your area, or have some trail cams out before the season, it’s possible to make a snap judgment on whether this buck meets your criteria. By all means, do what your instincts tell you to do. Just remember, once you let that arrow or bullet fly, the consequences could result in the end of your buck season. It’s something worth thinking about before every shot.  Hopefully with enough forethought, it will lead to a decision you can be at peace with. Myself, I have reached a stage of hunting where if I need venison I will attempt to harvest a doe, and I have harvested enough immature bucks in my lifetime so my focus can be on the upper class of bucks in my hunting area. 

So on that day in early October with a 9-point within range, I made a decision: I took the shot. The buck whirled around, bounded down a hill, and made what sounded like a crashing noise. About 45 minutes later I climbed down from my stand, retrieved my bolt and saw the buck lying about 30 yards down the hill. As I stood over the deer, I concluded this was one of the bucks on our hit list and thanked God for the opportunity. I knew how fortunate I was and I couldn’t have had a better year. My buck season was over, and my focus would be on helping my 80-year-old dad and his quest. On our very next hunt, he was successful too. As you can imagine, I’m now looking forward to October 2021!