Shoot?

[BT]

You have the shot. .... 22 yards and you are unseen on the edge of a cattail hedge.

Do you take it? .... why? ..... why not?

[tshark]

I'm passing just because I'm trying to let the lil bucks grow a little around here. If it didn't have those buttons, it would be supper.

[stilllearning]

I think I would take the shot. On a pass through the arrow will float but you will not get a good indication of what you hit because it will be washed off. I also have experienced better meat from the younger deer. Not always true but has been my experience. My preference would be to wait untill he reaches dry land though.

[Greg Krause]

in NY it is illegal to take big game while it is in the water.....

[tedicast]

I have a few thoughts on this shot. I'll start off to say, that I'll pass on this shot, just because it is obviously a young buck.

I checked all the CT rules and regs quick, and found nothing making this shot illegal. My biggest worry is recovering the deer. You cant tell from the pic weather he is entering or exiting the water, or how far from land he is. If he is close to land, I would be worried about the soaking wet deer, not leaving a great bloodtrail, though I have no experience whatsoever with a situation like this.

I would pass on the shot pictured, but, if this were a mature doe, that was a step or 2 from dry land, and moving toward it, I would probably launch an arrow.

[Greg Krause]

It looks like the deer is exiting the water. If that is a small pond that i know I can swim or wade when the deer turns and crashes back into it i would have no problem ethically shooting it.
It's not the same thing as running down a swimming deer in a boat and shooting it while it is helpless.
From what i have seen deer that make it into and back out of water leave just as good, if not a better bloodtrail.
as I said though, in NY it is illegal. If I wanted this deer i would wait a few more seconds for it to get out of the water.

[tshark]

I should have looked closer. I glanced and thought it was in more shallow water. In NC it is illegal to shoot a deer in water above it's knees. Either way I'm passing just because it's a button head.

[deadeye]

PASS...it's a button buck. That is next years legal buck.

[royden]

If I was hungry or at the end of the season I would shoot. It is a legal to shoot in the water here - our laws are very easy to work with.

[rreda]

I am with tshark and deadeye on this. Passing on the "button"!