Field-judging buck age examples

[Double-D-Team]

Brain,

Great job but I'm getting use to you doing this kind of work, LOL!! You do help all of us and thank you for sharing.

 

[Boone 58]

Man, i love this stuff.

 

[skynimrod]

Great Info BSK
I think this guy was the biggest neck & bodied deer I had to drag out of the woods. His ears look like Muleys.

 

[Twitch]

Good info BSK....You and I had a lil' discussion about aging bucks in the field or from PICS. Have patience with me brother. I'm learning.

 

[BSK]

Skynimrod,

THAT'S a mature buck! Love that neck!

Here's the oldest buck I've ever killed. He is most likely 6 1/2 or 7 1/2. I honestly never took a serious look at his antlers (other than knowing he had them) before deciding to shoot. All I saw was his huge neck coming straight at me. That's all I needed to see!

 

[Living2Hunt]

nice deer! loving the drop tine!

 

[BSK]

HUNTFUN07,

Too bad he broke off the matching drop tine on the other side before I killed him. But the droptine does give the buck a lot of character.

But he's also one of my favorite examples of why hunters shouldn't expect all mature bucks to have trophy-class antlers. This buck is truly mature, yet minus the droptine, his basic frame only grosses 112. He wasn't any bigger the previous year (I have trail-cam pictures of him).

 

[skynimrod]

Nice Buck BSK! I noted in both pics they also seem to have big brown brow lumps on the skull plate.
Your right about The Big Boys standing out with no doubt they are Mature. Small ELK almost with wrestlers necks. I been chasing a big boy the last few years that sounds almost like a horse blowing/breathing sometimes. One smart SOB.

 

[skynimrod]

Here is a good example of antlers and age. Both Mature but the one on the right was a lot bigger bodied than the top left, and older I believe. Notice the large brown brow.
These are Wa. state bucks taken from the exact same area.

 

[Broadside]

thanks for the post! this helps me out alot

 

[deer_hunter]

thanks for that field judgeing infor that will help alot this year.

 

[deer_hunter]

thye one on the top has a nice chocolate rack.

 

[deer_hunter]

the one.

 

[A.K.A.]

Skynimrod,

THAT'S a mature buck! Love that neck!

Here's the oldest buck I've ever killed. He is most likely 6 1/2 or 7 1/2. I honestly never took a serious look at his antlers (other than knowing he had them) before deciding to shoot. All I saw was his huge neck coming straight at me. That's all I needed to see!

How in the heck do you drag a deer like that out? Heck, I bout stroked out dragging a doe out the other day.

 

[BSK]

How in the heck do you drag a deer like that out? Heck, I bout stroked out dragging a doe out the other day.

First, lots of hunting buddies, and second, we use an ATV to get the biggest deer out of very difficult spots (we use the winch and a lot of extra lengths of cable).

We don't use ATVs to hunt (get to our stands), but we will use them to get a deer out of a deep holler.

 

[grayfox]

Thanks for the ageing info that will really help

 

[sksfordman]

I live in Western Ky, only 4 miles north of Obion County Tn, and I appreciate all the info and the pics you compiled and shared, I've only been deer hunting for 3 yrs now, and It's a great help for someone getting started.
Randy

 

[BSK]

Glad to have helped.

 

[skynimrod]

Skynimrod,

THAT'S a mature buck! Love that neck!

Here's the oldest buck I've ever killed. He is most likely 6 1/2 or 7 1/2. I honestly never took a serious look at his antlers (other than knowing he had them) before deciding to shoot. All I saw was his huge neck coming straight at me. That's all I needed to see!

How in the heck do you drag a deer like that out? Heck, I bout stroked out dragging a doe out the other day.

Like BSK said help with Buddy's 1st choice if pretty close to the truck.

Sled if I'm by myself, or rough terrain. Pretty easy with two people

Or Pack Frame for rough area large animal.

 

[Greg M]

Wow, great info. Thanks so much.