Average score of a mature buck?

[ZachMarkus]

In the area you hunt what would you say the average mature buck will score?

Where I hunt in southern Lawrence county I'm guessing around 120" -125" based on my trail camera studies and mature deer that have been killed in the area. Now there are plenty of mature deer around that will score a lot higher than that but there are also plenty that won't. I'm just talking averages here.

That's what makes it tough on me, I don't want to shoot that 120"-125" deer but when I know he's mature it's hard for me not to because chances are I'm not going to get a chance at a bigger one because there just aren't that many of them around here.

What's it like where you hunt? Give the name of the county if you don't mind.


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[tree_ghost]

Tough question to answer given the amount of genetic diversity spread across an entire county. For instance I have a farm that consistently produces mature deer in the 130 to 140 inch range on an annual basis. About 15 miles as the crow flies I have another large parcel that I have access to hunt and I've never seen a mature deer break 110 inches there...As a whole I would say as a very loose estimate that 115 inches would be a very close average in Rutherford County.

Now to your second comment...you have to decide what your goals are as a hunter. If you want to exceed the "normal" then you have to be prepared to go to great lengths in order to make that happen, even if it means eating tag soup...if on the last day of season you would be ok with letting a handful of 120-125" walk so you could kill that larger deer POSSIBLY next year, then it's your decision...


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[Mike Belt]

Just a wild guess here but around the Fayette/ Hardeman County line I'd guess the average "mature" buck (3.5+) would score around 118"- 120".

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Just a wild guess here but around the Fayette/ Hardeman County line I'd guess the average "mature" buck (3.5+) would score around 118"- 120".

I have to say the same as Mike in my area

 

[DRSJ35]

that sounds like an accurate average


















































































































































































































That sounds accurate to me over here in the east.Im really not the best judge on points on the hoof though.

 

[hunter0925]

It seems that most 3.5 or better in this area will usually be around 115-125. There are plenty that won't score that and some that score way better. I have a 3.5+ 7pt on camera right now that may go 90 inches if I'm lucky but I would be more than happy to get him. This is Hamilton and rhea county.

 

[infoman jr.]

Probably 130 where I hunt in west KY. The biggest verified by tape that we've had on camera was 158", but the neighbors have killed some 170s.

 

[Mike Belt]

info... Is that the average you've killed or the average on the hoof?

 

[infoman jr.]

info... Is that the average you've killed or the average on the hoof?

That's using trail camera data. The two biggest deer we've killed off the 950-acre property in the last 6 years has been myself and another guy taking a 130" buck a piece. We've had several on camera 150+.

 

[POSTED]

I would say on average 120" in wayne co, but I also think it varies in different parts of the county. In some parts of the county the genetics seem to be better. I also think it has to do with the different food sources available in different parts of the county.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I need to start hunting where some of you guys hunt.

 

[Matador]

Just hang in there BB, the 2 buck limit will have those 130 inchers running around everywhere. Maybe!!!

 

[JAY B]

I feel like here in Meigs county the average 3.5 year old buck will score 110"-115"

 

[turkeyhunter]

No way 120 is average in southern wayne co. for a 3 yr old deer.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

No way 120 is average in southern wayne co. for a 3 yr old deer.

I'd say it's close southern Lawrence is about the same

 

[TheLBLman]

Keep in mind these are my opinions, mostly based on decades of observation, and less on hard data,
although much data has been reviewed, it's hard to get data on the deer that don't get killed.

"Average score of a mature buck"?
The question is almost a "moot" point without more specifics.
For starters, define "mature".

A few years ago, a state biologist was leading readers to believe a 2 1/2-yr-old buck was "mature",
although he did say "older" bucks.

Many are currently defining "mature" as 3 1/2;
in times past, and still with many (including myself), it is 4 1/2 or older.
Some use the term "fully mature" to describe a buck 5 1/2 or older.

Besides defining "maturity" . . . . . .
Key issues which must be put in context of any answers:

1) Statewide, the majority of the "above" average antlered bucks are killed as either yearlings or as 2 1/2's.
------- This would be particularly true in terms of B&C "score".

2) Statewide, any above average antlered buck which does survive to 3 1/2 will likely be "noticed" and specifically targeted, heavily hunted, making it likely he'll be killed as a 3 1/2, and unlikely he'll survive to 4 1/2. But should he survive to 4 1/2, the intensity of his being specifically targeted and heavily hunted increases, making it unlikely he'll survive past 4 1/2.

Even his odds of being illegally poached by a trespasser or a road hunters increase dramatically when a buck has relatively large antlers for his age class.

3) Statewide, most bucks surviving to 3 1/2 & older tend to be those with BELOW average antlers (at least in terms with their genetic potential from birth).

Of course, there are many localized variances on any statewide generalization.
But, imo, the average currently living 4 1/2-yr-old buck is scoring no more, possibly less, than our average 3 1/2-yr-old living buck.
Those killed as 3 1/2's tend to be the above average antlered of those still living,
while the best of the lot from birth were probably killed as 2 1/2's.

Most hunters will kill most 4 1/2's they see (as the "mass" is typically good, despite poor "score" from few and/or short tines), while those with way below average antlers are much more likely receive a pass, then survive to full maturity.

Bottom line, Hunters (and poachers) are creating "antler high-grading".
And, practically speaking, there is little we can do to dramatically decrease this phenomena.

Although relatively few above-averaged antlered bucks may be surviving to or past 3 1/2,
the collective hunters' high-grading is probably having little effect on the long-term genetic antler potential of our deer herds.
And, statewide, we probably have more fully mature bucks now than at any time since records have been kept.
Herd health is overall relatively good.

 

[TheLBLman]

STATEWIDE, I would guess the average LIVING 3 1/2 to 4 1/2-yr old bucks are "scoring" (B&C system) about the same and around 105, generally a little lower in the Eastern counties, a little higher in the Western counties.

Perhaps we should also distinguish between pre-season and post-season,
as that will also be significantly different.

But, if there were not hunter-induced antler high grading, I suspect the average 3 1/2 statewide might be more around 115, while the average 4 1/2 might be more around 130. What would probably stand out more than the averages (without the hunter high grading), would be the number of mature bucks scoring over 160, as believe this number would be dramatically (but relatively) increased. That doesn't mean there would be one behind every tree, just maybe 4 or 5 living in a county, instead of maybe just one.

Hunters will typically kill more of the above average antlered bucks of every age class,
so what we see killed does not accurately reflect what is or was "living".

And perhaps most ironic, the antler restrictions many hunters (and WMAs) are using,
they actually decrease the average scores of older bucks living in the herd,
as most ARs are merely protecting the yearling cohort, AND the below average antlered 2 1/2 & older bucks.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Where we are in Hickman, an average 4.5 + year old will be around 120".

 

[Headhunter]

Real close to 140" where I hunt in KY.

 

[megalomaniac]

On my best farm for genetics, 3.5 y/os will go 115"; 4.5 y/o (a mature buck) will go 125" on average.

On another farm only 20 min away, 3.5 y/o's are 100"; 4.5 y/o's are 110" on average (we took a 7.5 y/o off this farm last year that scored 112" :) )

People that discount genetics as the least important leg of the 3-legged stool (age, nutrition, genetics) are sorely mistaken. Genetics of the local herd are usually THE most important aspect of a higher scoring buck as long as he reaches maturity (especially since very few locations are overpopulated any longer- so nutrition just isn't an issue)

 

[turkeyhunter]

BSk had a formula to go by for your area to give realistic average score of mature deer in your area. It was pretty much spot on.

 

[TheLBLman]

Were the majority of those killed in a single TN county?

If I average the mature bucks I've killed together I come out at about 118.

I would speculate that you have not killed every 3 1/2 or older buck for which you've had reasonable legal opportunity?

I'm seeing some small-antlered 3 1/2's getting a pass because hunters either believe they are 2 1/2,
or cannot ascertain whether 2 1/2 or 3 1/2, and/or just don't want to shoot a small-antlered buck regardless of age.

 

[Land Between the Lakes]

Probably around 130 to 140 inches in most of southwest Kentucky, probably 115 to 120 in many parts of west TN. This is for bucks 4 1/2 years old and older. Although, I have seen several bucks that would be over 150 inches in both regions, and a few giants, that would truly be over 170 inches in both regions.