score or maturity

[at1010]

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 agree probably wont put on 30 or 40 inches good point. All I am saying is that as far as all deer in general you would be hard pressed to always be able to determine they are at full potential once they pass 3.5. There are just to many factors that go into it, deer might get small from 3.5 to 4.5, due to a harsh winter, etc, but 4.5 to 5.5 might shoot up in growth. Im not trying to split hairs, but merely make a point, obviously you have a unique hunting situation and are able to kill deer that will be considered Boone! haha most are not in this situation so it doesnt matter.

 

[finelyshedded]

The first buck Joe posted(tall tined 8) definitely suffered in his antler development this season due to his injury, also proving there is at least one hunter in Joes area that deemed him worthy of taking.

 

[customizer1000]

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.....

Lol

 

[Jackalope]

The first buck Joe posted(tall tined 8) definitely suffered in his antler development this season due to his injury, also proving there is at least one hunter in Joes area that deemed him worthy of taking.

Yeah, tweedle dee and tweedle dumb that also hunt there. Class acts they are.. They will park their truck and unload a quad so they can drive the 3/4 mile to the 4 acre block of woods their ladder stands are in.. Then they park the quad and walk 100 yards in to their stand. They're predictable as the phases of the moon.. They also thought it would be a good idea to scout into a big bedding area two weekends ago. Walked right past my cam and up the long draw where these deer often bed. Coincidentally I didn't get pics of the tall 10 last week. No biggie. I'm pretty sure I know where he went. For the most part so far he is doing the exact thing he did last season. Now If I could only get Tank to play the same role.

 

[Jackalope]

I agree probably wont put on 30 or 40 inches good point. All I am saying is that as far as all deer in general you would be hard pressed to always be able to determine they are at full potential once they pass 3.5. There are just to many factors that go into it, deer might get small from 3.5 to 4.5, due to a harsh winter, etc, but 4.5 to 5.5 might shoot up in growth. Im not trying to split hairs, but merely make a point, obviously you have a unique hunting situation and are able to kill deer that will be considered Boone! haha most are not in this situation so it doesnt matter.

I agree to an extent. There are factors that come in to play. But I think genetics are by far the most important. I wish I had a picture of this deer this year. I have crappy video of him and have seen him many times through the binos but no pics. Dude was awesome last year but is a fuggin hoss this year at 5.5. He made a hell of a jump from 4.5 to 5.5.

He's holed up not far from the other two.

 

[bowhunter1023]

That's just one of those deer that screams potential! Same with this deer. He'd be a "shooter" next year out of necessity, but I'd love to pass him knowing I would see him at 5. With an upper 130's, maybe low 140's rack as a 3 year old, he screams potential. Problem is, he'll scream "SHOOTER" to 99% of the neighborhood. It's a long shot he survives, but not impossible. Regardless of what he was next year, I'd feel no choice but to shoot him. It sucks because I'd love to manage for 5 year olds, but the fact of the matter is that is out of the question in my current situation...

 

[finelyshedded]

Yeah, tweedle dee and tweedle dumb that also hunt there. Class acts they are.. They will park their truck and unload a quad so they can drive the 3/4 mile to the 4 acre block of woods their ladder stands are in.. Then they park the quad and walk 100 yards in to their stand. They're predictable as the phases of the moon.. They also thought it would be a good idea to scout into a big bedding area two weekends ago. Walked right past my cam and up the long draw where these deer often bed. Coincidentally I didn't get pics of the tall 10 last week. No biggie. I'm pretty sure I know where he went. For the most part so far he is doing the exact thing he did last season. Now If I could only get Tank to play the same role.

That sucks ass right there! I find myself battling the same issues down here at the present moment. The area that I have been running cams has someone else running a cam in a corner that leads into this block I was told. The adjacent landowner lets two guys hunt and run cams across the road on the wooded area of his property. Just recently he told me that they weren't getting much there and they asked if they could put one on his property across the road next to the block I'm hunting and running two cams. To get to their location they have to walk along his CRP and bedding treeline and the block of timber I'm in and they've been doing this over a month. UGH:smiley_blackeye:

Oh well, I pulled one cam this afternoon and set it where I was getting some nice bucks the last two years at this time of year. Just hope it doesn't get stolen.

 

[customizer1000]

Time to weld up some boxes

 

[JD Boyd]

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.

It happens Chad... This is a buck we caught on cam for 3 years. He went from a 135 inch 6x4 to a 170 inch 9 point and then his final year to a 190 inch 10 point...
09 He's a 6x4

010 he's a 5x4

011 He's a giant 5x5...

 

[rossbows]

I like to go by age 3.5 or older. I would like to see older deer but around here most dont make it past 3.

 

[at1010]

JD that is a impressive freaking buck! WOW!

 

[xbowguy]

Very Nice JD. Time for him to hang on the wall.

 

[Jackalope]

Very Nice JD. Time for him to hang on the wall.

Sadly he already is. And not JDs. The ole hot girlfriend led him astray.

 

[customizer1000]

Lol

 

[cotty16]

Sadly he already is. And not JDs. The ole hot girlfriend led him astray.

Ahhh... The power of that French word, puss-ay

 

[customizer1000]

Makes a man weak in the knees





And the hunting spots too lol

 

[finelyshedded]

Sadly he already is. And not JDs. The ole hot girlfriend led him astray.

Do you or JD have the scoop on the story of the hunt? I remember one big 10(white racked) taken but don't think it was this one.

JD is right though, typical points,drops,kickers and other antler characteristics can swap sides or become absent during any future year but Ron and I have noticed that one thing does seem to always be constant...the pedicle. The fingerprint of a deers antler. In our opinion.

 

[hickslawns]

Do you or JD have the scoop on the story of the hunt? I remember one big 10(white racked) taken but don't think it was this one.

JD is right though, typical points,drops,kickers and other antler characteristics can swap sides or become absent during any future year but Ron and I have noticed that one thing does seem to always be constant...the pedicle. The fingerprint of a deers antler. In our opinion.

Now that is an interesting thought I never gave ANY consideration to. Thanks Ric! I will be keeping my eyes on that from now on.

 

[xbowguy]

Sadly he already is. And not JDs. The ole hot girlfriend led him astray.

Sorry, missed that part. That is a damn shame.

 

[Monster Raxx]

This is always a tough decision and most of the time you get a split second to make it. I believe trail cameras have helped a lot since you have the chance to look a buck over really good before and during the season. Unfortunately even then it happens so fast you dont always realize what buck it is before it is TOO late. I base my decision on where I am, I get the chance to hunt a couple of states right around me. In North Dakota if a 3 1/2 or older 125" buck comes in especially in velvet I am shooting. In Wisconsin I get invited every year TOO hunt with an outfitter friend of mine in Buffalo County, there I would not shoot unless the buck is 4 1/2 because that is what he is looking for. I have passed nice bucks before because they have not had enough age on them to see some of them really blow up and some of them get shot by neighbors and other members of my lease. That is the tough part on letting bucks walk. I really believe you should shoot what makes you happy without thinking "what if". I am not talking about Joe's what if either, I think no matter how big a buck you shoot you will always have that question for atleast a second...I wonder how big he woulda been next year? I am talking about the what if...every time you look at the rack.