What is your deer hunting philosphy when it comes down to it?

I am just curious what everyone's mindset/philosophy is when they enter the woods during the archery season. Do you holdout for a big buck? Do you only hunt for meat? Do you take does? What about small racked bucks? Do your standards for size decrease as the season gets closer to closing? Do you mind not filling your tag if it means passing on something small? I have been struggling with this for years. We hunt on private land in Dodge Co. and have been on the same tract of land for 43 years. It is just over 350 acres and it has everything...marsh, hardwoods, food plots, etc. My uncle shoots anything because he literally loves the meat and goes through about 3 deer a year. He eats it everyday. My dad isn't picky either. I have been holding out for a nice buck, but have come up empty the last 3 years with the bow. I usually get at least one with the gun. I got sick of always turning down easy shots so this year I took a small 6. I was happy I made a good shot (right through the heart), but honestly, the small racked buck really didn't do much for me. So, there is my conflicting situation that I ponder every year. How do you folks decide what to and what not to shoot?

I love sitting in the tree just watching the world turn. I typically hunt for big racks up until the first week of November and once I feel my time start to slip away I allow my standards to slip away as well. Ultimately my goal is to put food on the table and I do not want to lose sight of that. I only take what my family can use and they are always proud of any deer that shows up in the garage. Always compliment a dead deer! Even if you have to say "thanks buddy, you sure have some shiny black hooves, and that antler'd make a great paring knife handle. "

I enjoy everything about deer hunting.Shooting the bow or muzzleloaders,getting permission from my farmers every year,setting stands,being at the cabin with family,being in the woods alone,seeing that first or last deer of the year,passing on or shooting a buck,the feeling of finding the deer after the shot,and finally having great venison to eat throughout the year.I've been fortunate to shoot some great bucks over the years,but the size of the horns are not the important part of the hunt to me.The whole expirience is.You only have so many deer seasons,so I try to expirience all these things every year.Have fun everyone,and be safe!

I want to enjoy the hunt. Enjoying the hunt means seeing stuff, preferably deer. I would like , just once see a bear, wolf, or something I never saw in the woods. I'd like to see something for crying out loud. I don't like stting in the woods and see nothing time after time. I really don't like seeing hunters, can't stand them.

I hold out for a buck on the bigger side during bow season...I don't mind eating a tag...but I'm not going to wait on a "book" buck either. Lots of deer by me so I have no problem taking a doe or 2 if that's what it takes for the freezer. Gun season...if I don't have any meat...I will take the first good body sized deer I can (minus does with fawns). Gun season is to make sure I have venison in the freezer.

I'm in a low density area (10 dpsm) and I will not shoot a doe. I also will not shoot a buck unless its going on the wall....so I don't eat venison very frequently

I used to only gun hunt so my opportunity for bagging a deer was small and i love the meat and the stillness of woods sitting. This being my first year bow hunting learned that i don't have to shoot every deer that comes by because there are lots of opportunities and time to fill a tag. So my philosophy has changed from "its brown its down" to maybe a bigger one will come by if i wait longer. Just enjoy what time you can. Leave the worries at home and have fun hunting.