From another thread, but very fitting here . . . . .
Roost 1":2e6tmhv6 said:
The older a buck gets, the more reclusive he becomes.
David Hale put it best:
1.5yr old buck= teenage boy, will chase just about anything but dont get much action.
2.5yr old buck= late teens boy, eventually gets some action and it drives him crazy.
3.5yr old buck= man in his 30's although he still tries to get all he can, starting to realize the dangers of it.
4.5yr old buck= man in his early 50's, still likes some action but don't put as much effort into it.
5.5yr old buck and older= man in 60's still take it when offered but it's gonna have to come to him.
Usually, a particular buck will achieve his largest (or highest scoring) rack at the age of 5 1/2 or older.
So when we shoot off the larger racked young bucks, we are killing off our best stock, so to speak.
(This is called hunter-induced antler high-grading.
It is similar to timber cutters only cutting the high-quality oaks, while leaving only the "trash" trees as the next generation for harvest.)
In TN, is very, very rare for a 3 1/2-yr-old buck to gross over 150.
Such a buck would likely become a 180-plus if he lived to 5 1/2,
likely even make Boone & Crockett minimums as a 4 1/2.
Most will never have to make this choice on a 3 1/2-yr-old buck.
A more realistic choice is whether you let walk a 110-120-class 2 1/2-yr-old buck
(equating maybe to a 150-plus 4 1/2 or older buck when he survives) . . . . .
Or maybe the choice of letting walk a 130-135-class 3 1/2-yr-old buck
(equating maybe to a 150-ish 4 1/2 or older buck when he survives just one more year.
Often, not realizing the deer's age and lack of skeletal development,
when a 120-class 2 1/2-yr-old buck is seen by a hunter,
that hunter may genuinely believe he's seeing a 150-class rack.
This is why many hunter-managers are emphasizing hunters better learn to age bucks on the hoof.
Rarely will you have any ground shrinkage on an older buck.
If you really want to kill a 150-class buck,
that journey typically begins by passing up 2 1/2 & 3 1/2 yr-old bucks that score around the parameters stated above.
But kill what makes you happy
I'm happiest just killing no bucks I believe are younger than 4 1/2,
and only one 4 1/2 or older when I find his antlers "appealing" to me.
My typical "target" buck is going to be 5 1/2, and yes, will typically look around 150 or better.
It's just that in the areas I hunt, very few bucks could potentially break 150
unless they live to be 5 1/2. Very, very few.
But if I were to see a 150 believed to be only 3 1/2 in these areas I hunt most,
he would get a pass from me.
We are all at different stages in our hunting with different hunting opportunities.
Whatever your stage, wherever you are,
my suggestion is to make your highest priority to enjoy your journeys.
Look at your hunting as a journey, not necessarily a destination defined by a kill.