I run a lot of trail cams. The pic of the 10 licking the branch is one of my all time favorites. If I had been in the stand I would have to get the mount with him licking a branch.
Here are some of the bucks that we have been caught on cam so far in November. There's only 1 that I will shoot (pic 1). The last 5 pics were my target buck but being busted up he gets a pass IF....... The buck in the 5th pic has blood on his rack.
Even though I have known since early October my #1 Target buck has broken G3s and I probably wasn't going to shoot him...I have continued to go after him. After many pics of him under other stands it all came together this eve. He came through 5 times, 4 chasing a doe. The closest was 20 yards in the food plot. I never picked up my bow. But what sweet vindication! Always a great feeling to have a 5.5 year old buck in range. My son thinks I'm crazy...he's not wrong.
I have yet been able to say I passed on a mature buck because of a busted up rack or dropping a shed early but I bet the feeling is very rewarding. Like J said, its not just about the kill.
Sure hope he survives for you to be able to chase next season! It's very tough for a buck to do with the amount of hunters we have nowadays!
The first buck is 30 yards in front of my daughters stand on her lease. The second is a pic that was sent to me on Saturday of gun season in someone's yard in Columbus.