score or maturity

[at1010]

Does anyone else struggle with this when deciding to kill a buck?

I have a few unique bucks I could kill that I think are mature, but wouldnt score worth a shit. I have a few opportunities on farms I hunt to kill a GOOD buck (140+).

On my own land, I do not have this option as of yet at least. So do you kill a mature buck or wait for a larger racked one?

 

[Gern186]

Both preferably, most bucks that have a large rack around here are as mature as they are going to get....a 3.5 year old deer is old around these parts, and anything older than that is very rare.

 

[Hoytmania]

I think this is a very valid question. I think it really boils down to whatever is going to make you happy and satisfy you as a hunter. If you are really focusing on the management aspect of it then killing of mature deer that don't have the best genes would be the way to go. If you are hunting for bog bone then forget the mature ones and go for the horns. As states before I think it really boils down to what you want and what makes you smile at the end of the day.

 

[at1010]

Ya it is a tough question. I am a young guy who was fortunate enough to have a family who doesnt really hunt, but loves the outdoors. I basically do everything on my farm my self or with one uncle.

I have not killed a lot of GREAT bucks, but have killed a few nice ones in my life. This year I talked to a buddy who I hunt with and he has gotten atleast 5 bucks all over 140 on camera, two are really big. Now I have an oppurtunity to kill these deer however, on my own farm I have some old looking narly, wont score worth a shit deer, but I would be happy with them.

My goal I think tho is to try and let my uncle who has sacarficed a lot for me kill the buck on my farm. I am going to try and kill one of these bigger bucks, and if I eat a tag, who cares. Ill smack the does!

 

[jagermeister]

I go for score. The idea of harvesting mature deer with small racks from a management standpoint does little good for me, because the properties that I hunt are relatively small. Now, if I were hunting 1000 private acres where I had full control of the population, then I might consider targeting these bucks. But as it stands right now, I hunt with a mindset similar to Gern's... I go for bucks 130-140 or better, assuming that most of those deer are mature anyway. It's pretty rare to find a 2.5 yr old 140-incher in the wild.

 

[customizer1000]

Mature! If its both that's great, but I'm not passing a monster just cause he doesn't score well, hence my big 6

 

[rgecko23]

Now, if I were hunting 1000 private acres where I had full control of the population, then I might consider targeting these bucks. .

That would change the game for alot of us LOL

 

[bowhunter1023]

I hunt with a blended mentality on the two subjects, with one caveat. My primary goal, is to kill mature bucks and at this point in my career, that is a deer I believe to be at least 4 years old. There are some 3 year olds out there that are pretty tempting, but I know they'll never be anything more if I shoot them now. Score is a secondary issue for me. Perhaps the bigger driving force for me is killing a deer I have history with through pictures and videos. I do not want to kill another deer I do not have history with, but wouldn't pass a true slunger just because that was the case. I live for the story and I'm after 4 year old deer that will go 140 that I have history with. It is a tall task, but it is one I truly love tackling.

I have ate a lot of buck tags in the past few years because my mindset was 4 year old and 140+. Since 2005, I've passed on an easy 5-6 bucks that were 130-135" 3 and maybe 4 year olds. Do I regret letting them walk? Not really. I said years ago that I would rather have a wall featuring a small handful of truly great deer, than a wall full of 130" deer. As I get older and with the addition of a kid, that thought process may change and deer in the 130's could become deer I would gladly shoot. Right now, both deer on my wall are 6.5 year olds and neither one score worth a damn. The buck on the left is a gross 136" deer and the one on the right, was a gross 110" deer with 4 broken tines and 41" of mass. Neither deer met my scoring numbers, but both are old monarchs and that means more to me than the score.

The buck on the left was the deer that started the trail cam craze and building history obsession. This is the very first trail camera picture I ever captured of a deer from my first cam, a Moultrie 35mm POS...

 

[Jackalope]

To me it's neither age or score. It's Potential. I would hate to cut a buck short before he reaches his potential.. Last year I shot a 11point that was 164 inches.. Biggest buck of my life and proud of him. But I can't help to wonder if he would have made booner this year. While he was an awesome deer, he was only 4.5 and I cut him short for the area. The biggest problem is that in most areas bucks never reach true potential. Trust me it's a dead end road. I hunted Vinton County for 5 years, the first year I shot a buck and then didn't for 4 years. I saw plenty of nice deer in that time and let some solid 130 inch 3.5 deer walk. They had tons of potential. The thing I didn't realize was the odds of that buck making it to 4 we're slim to none in that area. I was chasing my tail and had better odds hunting unicorns and bigfoot. Looking back I should have shot those 130 inch deer. Where I hunt now you won't catch me arrowing a 130 inch deer. You might however catch me shooting a 150 inch deer if I'm sure he's reached max potential. I would rather arrow the 150 inch 5 year old than a 170 inch 4 year old. But that depends on the area you hunt. That 150 inch deer is a trophy in anyone's eyes and would make me more than happy. But what would make me more happy is knowing I have a 170 inch deer with potential that hopefully makes it through. Photobucket is acting up or I would show you what I'm talking about. I'll post pics later.

 

[at1010]

Jesse great post. My wall is very similar haha, not as great as it could be but I am still fairly young yet, and hope to accomplish a lot more in the next few years.

Jack, seems to me like your more heavily on age, then on score if you had to pick one, but I understand your potential area also. That is another thing that I consider, but did not think of is the potential one has to pass a deer and let that deer live. In some areas I hunt they are more urban, and if I pass a buck he is going to live unless he gets hit by a car, needless to say there is a handful of 140inch deer in these woods. In other areas I hunt there is much more land, but more hunters too, I often wish you could put a statistic on the odds of a buck living, but you just never know, and I rather pass a deer and allow someone else to kill it, then kill a 115inch buck and be disappointed, I do not need the meat, and if I do ill kill a doe.

 

[finelyshedded]

I agree with most of the posts but just want to add that 8/10 times with age comes better score. Sooooo, if I get a crack at a 4.5 year old chances are good he'll have a good scoring crown.

As far as Joes potential comment, if I get a shot at a 160-170" 3.5 to 4.5 year old I'm shooting him and cashing out. Fugg his potential, especially in the areas I hunt. Disease,poaching and vehicle collisions make my decision easier to live with. Lol

Just wanted to add this to answer the OPer's question. I guess I'd fall into the score column. I'd prolly pass a mature buck with less than impressive rack up till late season, then if given the opportunity try to get him out of the herd. With me, tagging out early knowing nicer deer are still out there with quality off days for hunting just doesn't make sense to me. Now after I've exhausted all my vacation and have just a few days left to hunt during the rest of the season, I'll try to fill my buck tag for culling and meat in the freezer purposes.

 

[customizer1000]

Amen!

 

[customizer1000]

Ok for you score guys would you pass this one?

 

[bowhunter1023]

As far as Joes potential comment, if I get a shot at a 160-170" 3.5 to 4.5 year old I'm shooting him and cashing out. Fugg his potential, especially in the areas I hunt. Disease,poaching and vehicle collisions make my decision easier to live with. Lol

No shit. Joe and JD are drinking a whole different kind of Kool-Aid up there and I'm not about to pass on those kind of deer because if anyone knows what can happen to deer that don't result in them being on the wall, it is me!!! I'm fine with passing 3 year olds, but any deer I'm confident is 4 is dying unless there are some other extenuating circumstances. As far as I'm concerned, you're insane for passing a 170" 4 year old any where in the country unless you control thousands upon thousands of acres. You can sell it to me however you want, but it's still a HUGE gamble and a rats ass crazy move...

 

[jeremy44230]

I think a lot of this (for me) depends on the available properties. I want the maturity of a 3.5 year minimum. I would shoot more for score, but if an old beat warrior stepped out I would definitely let one fly. Until I lock down the right property, I cannot be too picky. I want to be, but the current properties do not allow for it.

At the end of the day, each hunter has the right to shoot what they feel is a trophy in their own eyes. This is the beauty of our sport.

 

[Jackalope]

No shit. Joe and JD are drinking a whole different kind of Kool-Aid up there and I'm not about to pass on those kind of deer because if anyone knows what can happen to deer that don't result in them being on the wall, it is me!!! I'm fine with passing 3 year olds, but any deer I'm confident is 4 is dying unless there are some other extenuating circumstances. As far as I'm concerned, you're insane for passing a 170" 4 year old any where in the country unless you control thousands upon thousands of acres. You can sell it to me however you want, but it's still a HUGE gamble and a rats ass crazy move...

I agree, in Vinton County I should have shot those deer at 130 3.5 year olds. That was their maximum potential for age but not necessarily rack. Where I hunt now that is not their maximum potential for age or rack. So it really depends on where you hunt.

I remember Larry weishun shooting a small 120 inch deer on a ranch in tx once and what he said resonates with me. Shoot the best deer for the area. Here that may be 120 inches. In south tx it may be 180. But here a 120 is a damn good deer to be proud of.

 

[finelyshedded]

Nice buck C1000! He's prolly an old one. He'd get a pass till late season from where I stand. After most of the season is gone and little time left to hunt, I'd shoot him and be very happy on the way home. Just don't see myself shooting him IF there's nicer scoring deer still around. Now if he was the biggest on the property I'd shoot him in a second.

Dang nice deer though. What did he weigh, how old is he and what time of year did you kill him?

 

[Jackalope]

Jesse great post. My wall is very similar haha, not as great as it could be but I am still fairly young yet, and hope to accomplish a lot more in the next few years.

Jack, seems to me like your more heavily on age, then on score if you had to pick one, but I understand your potential area also. That is another thing that I consider, but did not think of is the potential one has to pass a deer and let that deer live. In some areas I hunt they are more urban, and if I pass a buck he is going to live unless he gets hit by a car, needless to say there is a handful of 140inch deer in these woods. In other areas I hunt there is much more land, but more hunters too, I often wish you could put a statistic on the odds of a buck living, but you just never know, and I rather pass a deer and allow someone else to kill it, then kill a 115inch buck and be disappointed, I do not need the meat, and if I do ill kill a doe.

I'm not really about age though although both seem to go hand in hand. Here is a chart displaying age and potential.



But bear in mind it's potential for that individual deer as well as life expectancy for the area. Ever deer is different and every area is different. Average harvest age is more often than not the limiting factor for potential in most areas.

 

[dante322]

If it steps in your lane, thats the time to think about it. You will have to make a decision one way or another. and that decision is the one you will either live with or regret.

I cant really say either way. I have yet to shoot a buck. I have a feeling that when I do its gonna be a decent one. not necessarily a booner, but there are enough 2.5 year olds running around here that I am confident I should let them walk in favor of a little bigger one. The younguns will be back for another year or 2.

 

[at1010]

one thing I have learned over the years is it is not easy to let a deer walk. As I have gotten older I am much better at it, but when you see bone in the woods atleast for me I get excited, no matter if its a 80inch buck or a 180inch buck I am pumped up to some level.

that being said I think Joe hit on some major points, if the area allows a deer to live that is what will determine their potential. On my place I have not owned it long enough to determine what the potential is. Lots of hunters, but Tons of land, and as I have increased food plots, bedding, etc. I have noticed a lot more deer, and nicer bucks.