How many of y'all have shot a button buck thinking it was a doe. Even better what's the largest spikes a deer has had you've shot thinking it was a doe. Also if your in a club are there fines for this and what are the penalties?


Shot a button buck with my rifle last day of the season last year, and another last year with my bow. Both these were shot going into the hunt thinking I'm gonna shoot the first doe I see. As for biggest spike I shot one once that had about 3 inches on one side and a button on the other.

my nephew shot a knot head last year at my friends club and we both thought it was a doe. Thankfully they wasnt mad b/c it was his very first deer and first hunt ever. I know my club frowns upon it especially for an adult..

If it aint got visible antlers and its by itself, odds are its a buck. I stopped shooting lone does a long time ago because of this.

X 2

Its happens...not a good thing..but Ive done...about 15 yrs ago had a stretch for a awhile seems like every 'doe' I killed was a nubbin buck...one evening I waited till a fawn with no spots came out...it was getting dark...field full of deer, next deer was much bigger...fawn followed it...was at about 200 yards...watched maybe 5 minutes, yearling followed it about 40 yards away from me...total of about 250 yards away...bang...flop on biggest deer...turned out to have 4 inch spikes...damn near gotta do a obgyn visit now before I shoot one..it happens...

x3 On our club it is $50 first time,$100 second time,the third time is free,you just aren't a member anymore!

I've killed 5 button heads in my career....The first 3 I didn't care what they were as they were my 1st, 5th, and 9th deer kills....Then I killed one with my bow in college in a buddy's grandmothers backyard....She had deer eating her up her garden and she wanted them all dead...the last one I thought was a doe....Came in as a group of 4 deer...field dressed 65 lbs which is awful big for a button head....They all ate wonderfully though!

I was told if button bucks make up less than 10% of your deer harvest you are alright. State biologist when we were on a management program.

I have not killed one in a long time. But, I am very careful about the does I shoot. I could do it tomorrow. If you are going to shoot does, it is going to happen. I really don't think there should be a fine for a buttonhead. Spike, sure. The best way I have seen to handle fines or rules about buttonheads is to have a minimum weight for deer. If people are not killing 60 lbs deer, changes are, they are not going to kill a buttonhead.

Where I hunt if you kill a button head it counts as one of you three bucks you get kill per membership.

I've shot my share.
I've learned in our area from the second week of Dec. on that lone 1 1/2 YO doe is 99% of the time a button head. Ours are born 3rd week of July,so by this time they are pretty big. I haven't stopped shooting the lone doe, but I'm 100% sure it's a doe or the deer gets a pass.

I have done it as well....i dont like it ....but it happens.At the club that i was in last year is 100.00. I didnt rejoin the club because i went back to college.However i will rejoin next year.

"I was told if button bucks make up less than 10% of your deer harvest you are alright. State biologist when we were on a management program."

A button buck is no different than a 10pt, 4pt or whatever. They are male deer. As long as you try to keep your ratios in check, which 10% bucks would probably suffice for most areas of the state, then you are doing right. If you shoot a button buck, treat it just like any other buck in your numbers.

^^this^^

Bye Bye Spammer^^^

Several weeks ago while bow hunting I was having vision issues ... Eyes were watering up because I was wearing contact lenses for the first time in forever ... Anyway what I thought was a doe came down the mountain right in front to me. At 25 yards I shot, clipped a cedar sapling, and missed. Wiped my eyes and took a better look, it was a spike and his antlers were probably 4" long. Not a button but still I misjudged ...

ROTFL at "knot head"

Actually they are different, you have more time invested in the 10 pt. There will be a new crop of buck fawns born next summer. But it takes a few year for them to be 10s. That doesn't mean because they are the largest age group of males blast away. Likewise it's not the end of the world if a couple get shot each year. They are the easiest age group to replace.

i dont whole heartedly agree with this but if you hunt long enough, you will kill a button buck. majority of the time i can tell by physical features. that and i try not to shoot a doe unless she reaches the 90lb mark

Never would pay a fine for a button head. State considers them antlerless deer.

I've killed a few and my wife is drawn to them if I hear here shoot the first text is it wasn't a buttonhead was it. I was at the club signing out the other morning and a few of us were talking about all the buttonheads being killed. I was at the skinning shed cleaning a doe at lunch and one of the guys I was talking with that morning walked up and said he killed a 82 pound button that morning. It will happen but that was a big buttonhead.

I may be missing something, but what is the likelihood that a young buck actually remains on your land? Aren't they pushed out to find their own home territories? So by letting them walk, you are helping your neighbors. Of course this depends on the size of your land.

For the record, I don't shoot young bucks, just trying to understand the thought process.