customizer1000
Member
Weighed dressed at 197, best guess on age was 6.5 to 7 and Nov 20, is hunted this property for 12 years and never seen him till he walked out, pic doesn't do him justice, tip to tip is just under 23" and heavy
Weighed dressed at 197, best guess on age was 6.5 to 7 and Nov 20, is hunted this property for 12 years and never seen him till he walked out, pic doesn't do him justice, tip to tip is just under 23" and heavy
Wow! I would have under estimated his spread by 2-3"'s. It just goes to show how pics can be deceiving both on the wall and on the hoof. His mass is evident though. Imagine the stories that buck could tell you, old warriors like him are as uncommon as a booner IMO. Years ago, the average age of a whitetail buck killed in our state was 1.5 years old. With all the management practices going on nowadays I wonder what that average is now. Congrats on taking a great deer!
customizer1000
Member
Yeah he was a big bruiser, had lost alot of weight from rut his hip bones and spine were showing, I bet before rut he was close to 300# on hoof, Thx I'm very proud of my old buck
In my area, like most guys on here, it's hard to find a buck the exceeds 140". They're out there... No doubt. But the hunting pressure has them so damn smart.
To answer the original question, I'm
Trying to focus on score and I'm determined to eat tag soup this year if I don't cross paths with a buck that is truly wall worthy. Maturity? The properties I hunt are either sportsmanship clubs or private property surrounded by clubs. It's tough to find them 4, 5, or 6 year old bucks. The best I can hope for is good genetics.
But, damn it, the next buck I shoot better exceed 135" or I'm gonna be jacked! Lol
I do know this. I pulled the trigger on my release to soon last year before making sure the buck I was shooting at was indeed my target buck. I assumed it was. It drives me nuts everyday.
To answer the original question, I'm
Trying to focus on score and I'm determined to eat tag soup this year if I don't cross paths with a buck that is truly wall worthy. Maturity? The properties I hunt are either sportsmanship clubs or private property surrounded by clubs. It's tough to find them 4, 5, or 6 year old bucks. The best I can hope for is good genetics.
But, damn it, the next buck I shoot better exceed 135" or I'm gonna be jacked! Lol
I do know this. I pulled the trigger on my release to soon last year before making sure the buck I was shooting at was indeed my target buck. I assumed it was. It drives me nuts everyday.
Evidently there is other guys passing as well for there to be good ones up here. There is other hunters on every property I hunt and Joe. That or we all suck at it...
My thoughts have been covered by many of you. I try for the top end of what my area will produce. Generally this is 4.5yr old or older. There are some nice 2-3yr old deer out there, but older than this and you start to really see the mass adding up and a little more tine length. For now, I say age, but only because age and score are often hand in hand. It seems like we have a decent assortment of 115-135" deer around here. I try for 140" generally but I will make exceptions. I have trail camera pics of a deer the last three years and he might not hit 140". I believe he was 3.5 when I got the first pictures of him. He will not get a pass if I have a shot at him. Rare to have the opportunity to slide an arrow thru such a buck.
I also believe my decision is based on where I am hunting. There are a couple woods I hunt which are heavily pressured. If I get a shot at a 140" 3 yr old then I am taking the shot. lol
I also believe my decision is based on where I am hunting. There are a couple woods I hunt which are heavily pressured. If I get a shot at a 140" 3 yr old then I am taking the shot. lol
I don't think you suck, nor do I think you are alone in your quest to let deer get as big as possible. Regardless, you live in and hunt an anomaly within the whitetail world that the rest of us call home. Fact of the matter is, you are a "1%'er" living and hunting in an area loaded with "1%" caliber deer. I have no doubts if we swapped boots, I'd be doing the same thing and you'd be "happy" finding and killing 140" deer. Nothing wrong with either existence as it is simply what the situations and areas we hunt dictate...
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Here is what I was talking about. In these pictures this deer starts out at 2.5
While he did put on width and mass at 4.5 I think he's maxed his potential. Next year he is not going to look any better and may in fact looks worse. I guess him to be right at 140 now. The junk G4s hurt him as well as his L/R.. IMO he's done. I would rather shoot him than a 170 inch 4.5 that has potential to be more next year.. To me past a certain point it's not about maturity or even age, it's about potential. This buck IMO has reached his potential for his genetics at 4.5. Where as that 170 might reach it at 5.5.. But you have to have an area to do that. If you notice this buck is in the same spot all 3 years, the trees behind him are the same. He roams quite a bit, and last year someone took a shot at him and high shoulder hit him. But it's not uncommon for bucks in this area to make it.
Here is what I was talking about. In these pictures this deer starts out at 2.5
While he did put on width and mass at 4.5 I think he's maxed his potential. Next year he is not going to look any better and may in fact looks worse. I guess him to be right at 140 now. The junk G4s hurt him as well as his L/R.. IMO he's done. I would rather shoot him than a 170 inch 4.5 that has potential to be more next year.. To me past a certain point it's not about maturity or even age, it's about potential. This buck IMO has reached his potential for his genetics at 4.5. Where as that 170 might reach it at 5.5.. But you have to have an area to do that. If you notice this buck is in the same spot all 3 years, the trees behind him are the same. He roams quite a bit, and last year someone took a shot at him and high shoulder hit him. But it's not uncommon for bucks in this area to make it.
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Yeah.. It's almost like when he went from a 8 to a 10 he put on G2's instead of G4's.. I'm convinced his G3's this year was his G2's last year and he grew an new G2. Again, looked better as an 8. lol
here is another one.
Here he is last season at 4.5
Here he is this year at 5.5
He's done. He might get some mass next season but at the expense of his height. He'll never be a booner and has reached his full potential.
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I don't think those are the same deer Joe, no offense. I can't see how a mainframe 8 point at 4-1/2 years old is going to change to a mainframe 10 pointer at 5-1/2 years old. His main beams have different shape to them also, as do his brow tines.... I just haven't seen that happen in my area. I have seen plenty of 1.5 year old 8 pointers turn into 2.5 year old 10 pointers, but not at 4.5 to 5.5.....usually they just get more non-typical points and add mass.
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Joe, one question I have for you is how do you know he is done at 5.5?
There are way to many variables that determine a deers antler growth IMO.
Weather from the previous year, ticks, flies, hunting pressure, and any other additional stresses. I know the area you hunt is spectacular from what I read on here, but I still think it would be hard to say that a deer is 100 percent full of its potential because one year it only got a bit bigger, the next year it could make another jump could it not? You can not be certain, just like any science experiment unless conducted in a total variable free environment youll not be able to be certain.
There are way to many variables that determine a deers antler growth IMO.
Weather from the previous year, ticks, flies, hunting pressure, and any other additional stresses. I know the area you hunt is spectacular from what I read on here, but I still think it would be hard to say that a deer is 100 percent full of its potential because one year it only got a bit bigger, the next year it could make another jump could it not? You can not be certain, just like any science experiment unless conducted in a total variable free environment youll not be able to be certain.
This year my criteria is buck, lol. My buck to doe ratio is still way outta wack and I need to hit out of the slump. If I don't have a target buck down by Nov. 30th any buck half decent is getting taken.
I am with Gern. I didn't notice the main beams, but the brow tines were angled a bit different. That said, you made a great point in your first series of pictures from 2010-2012. I believe there are deer which are simply not going to do a lot more after 4-5yrs and I believe there are others which might not max out until 6-7yrs old. Nothing scientific in my thinking just observations from lots of reading and watching Deer and Deer Hunting TV. Good ol' Charlie knows his stuff and can make a point. However, he is also studying deer in enclosures. In the actual wild, this is going to vary somewhat.
I am also thinking moisture throughout the growing season might be deceiving us this year. We had a drought around here. Some of the deer which didn't seem to make much of a jump this year I am holding out high hopes for making that leap next year (if we get a normal or wet season).
I am also thinking moisture throughout the growing season might be deceiving us this year. We had a drought around here. Some of the deer which didn't seem to make much of a jump this year I am holding out high hopes for making that leap next year (if we get a normal or wet season).
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It's the same deer. . Jd has been getting pics of him when he was 2, and 3 and last year we put my cams there and I've got pics of him last year and this year. He's the only wide buck like him for miles and miles. There are three of us that run cams and drive the roads around there. From Jd's cams to mine, to the other guys it covers most of the woods for 9 square miles. There aren't many deer lurking around in that area we haven't seen at some point.
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there has been studies done in Texas that show a direct correlation between a very wet season, and large increases in antler growth. Again, a very dry year can stunt antler growth, although it is almost impossible to just assume it is due to the weather from one year to the next, much much much more goes into it, and the variables are never ending.
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Neither will ever make booner. They're done. So if I shoot now at 4.5 or at 5.5 or 6.5+ it really doesn't matter. They will never put on that extra 30-35 inches needed to even gross booner much less net it. By done I mean packing on the inches from season to season without losing mass or height while gaining or maintaining points. IMO both of those deer looked better as 8's than 10's. As 10's they will likely score worse than last year or very close to the same IMO. They have reached their potential.
That last wide deer. Do you see him putting on 40 inches at 6.5 or 7.5 years old? Highly doubtful. Odds are they'll gain a little mass and lose height. Just as we saw with both of them this year.
I'll be happy too just see a 130 class buck anywhere close too where I'm hunting this season lol.... There may be 1 but they are few and far between, and the neighbors will drop it in a heartbeat if they see it.... Can't get everybody on the same page and let them walk.... Hard enough too get my buddy too do it lol.... And his dad owns the property lol..... Oh well what's a guy without a dream right? lol.....