Building history

[Kaiser878]

Seems to be a common theme with guys who run trail cams.. I have built history with deer before...but never really an extensive one with heartbreak and dissapointment in between. Although, I am starting to build a pretty good history with a particular 8pt... He isnt a giant nor will he ever be....but it is pretty neat.. He really doesnt need to grow a whole lot before I would be willing to put an arrow in him.... Although, the question is, will he ever get to be 140....I am a little on the fence about age....but ill let you guys decide..

2011

2012

2013

Then most recently...Glad to see he made it through all the orange armies.

This is the deer I set up for Jen to kill during gun season. He had been in the area...but when the night came and the deer started to funnel in, I saw a deer I also wanted to her to kill....So since we had a bird in the hand, I figured we had better take it...

As I stated before I am on the fence as to how old he is. in 2011 was he 2 or 3? I see 3 y/o characteristics in him, but then again I see 2 yo characteristics in him as well.... If he was only 2, then I have hope that he might make a good jump this year....Seems around here our deer make big jumps from 3-4 and 4-5.... I really think it has a lot to do with whether the deer was born a late fawn or an early fawn.... Thus determining how late or early they are to develope, or if they make their big jump from 3-4 or 4-5.

Either way I am excited to see what he turns into this year.... Although, I will say this...This year is the first year I didnt have him in velvet, when I had him in velvet every other year. He seemed to have summered and early fall'ed somewhere else... Which is a bit bothersome....As the older a deer gets the smaller its core/home area gets as well...so potentially I might not even see this deer again this year if he shrinks his area down. Either way... I hope he puts on about 10-15 inches..Id love to spend some time hunting him...

 

[MK111]

That's way cool. Good luck hunting him this year.

 

[Big_Holla]

Great post. My guess would be in 2011 he was a good 1 1/2 year old and this year would have been a 3 1/2 this year. He's got plenty of time and growing to do for ya! In years past we have killed 1 1/2 year olds that would be comparable to him in 2011.

 

[Kaiser878]

Great post. My guess would be in 2011 he was a good 1 1/2 year old and this year would have been a 3 1/2 this year. He's got plenty of time and growing to do for ya! In years past we have killed 1 1/2 year olds that would be comparable to him in 2011.

I dont think there is any possible way he was 1.5 yo in 2011..
This photo is from this year also... This is not a 3.5 y/o deer

 

[Redhunter1012]

I thought he looked 3.5 in 2011. Just basing it on the swayed back and gut. And maybe the assumption of late fawn is right.

 

[rgecko23]

Good luck buddy, hes a solid deer

 

[DXT]

He looks to be 1.5 in 2011 to me.

 

[Big H]

At least 4.5. No way he was 1.5 in 2011. JMHO

 

[finelyshedded]

Great thread Zach! Aging deer from pics is not an exact science but IMO he definitely looks older than 1.5 in 2011. Whether he's 2.5 or 3.5 is a tough call for me anyway.
Is it possible that you might have any pics of him in 2010? The buck that is in the first pic with him looks a bit older and bigger than him and he did not appear timid or skiddish on his approach in that shot.
You definitely have started a great history with this deer and I hope you and him get to meet up this fall/winter. I'd be shed hunting the piss out of this area TOO.....if you do I hope you find his sheds!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Strother23]

I think he looks older than 1.5 in 2011 but I'm no expert. He is def a good looking buck. Good luck getting him down.

 

[Kaiser878]

Great thread Zach! Aging deer from pics is not an exact science but IMO he definitely looks older than 1.5 in 2011. Whether he's 2.5 or 3.5 is a tough call for me anyway.
Is it possible that you might have any pics of him in 2010? The buck that is in the first pic with him looks a bit older and bigger than him and he did not appear timid or skiddish on his approach in that shot.
You definitely have started a great history with this deer and I hope you and him get to meet up this fall/winter. I'd be shed hunting the piss out of this area TOO.....if you do I hope you find his sheds!
Thanks for sharing!

The 10 that was with him in 2011 was what I believed to be a 2 y/o. They palled around together. Here they are again in 2012. They shared a bachelor group together... Where there was one, there was always the other...The ten was 3 IMO in this photo from 2012. He grew a good bit...but I gave him the pass the first or second week of season that year...Hoping he would get one more year and be a great deer...I never saw him again after October 26th or something like that...Had photos of him from 1.5 on.

As you can see the ten grew substantially from 2011-2012.

Here is the ten from 2010

2011

2012 velvet

2012 hard horn

 

[Big_Holla]

One thing's for sure, aging them on the hoof like that is no exact science unless there is some sort of mark or particular characteristic that helps you identify the deer from year to year. I'd still stand by my 1 1/2 year old for 2011 comment, simply because I killed a buck off of state land up here in Michigan that was very similar to his size and mass. Even the pic you put up in post #4 he's just starting to show some character and he's filled out because he's going into the rut. I do have a tendency to look more at the rack mass and all first though too. But hey, that's also why I don't get paid to guess LOL! :smiley_carnaval:

 

[Kaiser878]

One thing's for sure, aging them on the hoof like that is no exact science unless there is some sort of mark or particular characteristic that helps you identify the deer from year to year. I'd still stand by my 1 1/2 year old for 2011 comment, simply because I killed a buck off of state land up here in Michigan that was very similar to his size and mass. Even the pic you put up in post #4 he's just starting to show some character and he's filled out because he's going into the rut. I do have a tendency to look more at the rack mass and all first though too. But hey, that's also why I don't get paid to guess LOL! :smiley_carnaval:

I agree...There is no science... I think I may have been off a year on the ten also....he might have been a year older than I put him at. Who knows....hes dead..haven't seen him in a long time.... kinda bums me out...He had great potential

 

[finelyshedded]

What's the possibility that the small 8 with the 2010 pic of the 10 being this 8?

 

[Kaiser878]

Its possible
I have thought of that. But there are no similarities to confirm that thought. Up until the ten was killed they were literally together all the time with exception of the 2 month period during the rut

 

[finelyshedded]

I'd say it's very possible Zach. Look at the heavy beading on his left base. Kinda looks like a small sticker is present but my eyes aren't as good as they once were either...haha

 

[Boarhead]

Looks like 2.5 in 2011 but could be 3.5.Either way it is always neat to follow them through the years.

 

[Big_Holla]

Looks like 2.5 in 2011 but could be 3.5.Either way it is always neat to follow them through the years.

Yeah I'd have the same opinion of that 10 in 2011 too. He's got the character of a 3 1/2 but just hard to say.

 

[jagermeister]

IMO he was 2.5 yrs old in 2011. Definitely not 1.5 yrs old. He could very well turn into something next season, but if not, I'd say there's probably no hope to hit 140. But hey, still a nice solid buck.

 

[Spencie]

What's the possibility that the small 8 with the 2010 pic of the 10 being this 8?

I was thinking the same thing. I would say he was a 2 year old in 2011. This is a cool thread. As a trailcam junky I really enjoy seeing histories of bucks.