Interesting late season buck

[richmanbarbeque]

I had this buck at 10 yards(with a bow) late season. My first thought was he was 2.5 yo but after looking at trail cam pics I think he might be 3.5 yo. Whatcha think? btw I believe he is a little bigger than the pic shows.

 

[8 POINTS OR BETTER]

I'd say 2.5

 

[fishboy1]

lets see,
beefy front shoulders and shortish looking front legs.
Starting to develop a "square" belly
Snout proportional to his head.
Kinda skinny rear hams...
No floppy brisket.

Im going to say very healthy early born 2.5 or a young/average 3.5
No older than that.

 

[JFields101]

my guess is 2.5, based on his neck/shoulders. A fatty though for sure.

 

[megalomaniac]

REAL healthy 2.5 yr old. Hope he gets a lot more mass next year- otw he'll be broken off by 2nd week of Nov :)

 

[richmanbarbeque]

My hope he is 2.5 I have another pic of him, I will look to see if it is better.

He was down in a bottom chasing a doe late season and he chased her up to
me and a buddy. We were both bow hunting and had him in range. Couldn't shoot him because of rack size, kept thinking next year I would. Like I said earlier this pic makes him look more like a yearling than what he really looks like.

 

[Football Hunter]

hope your right about 2.5,thats what I think too

 

[BSK]

I would say 2 1/2.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

REAL healthy 2.5 yr old. Hope he gets a lot more mass next year- otw he'll be broken off by 2nd week of Nov :)

I agree. It looks like his right side is busted already. Funny thing is I didn't notice it in late December when I seen him. Hopefully he doesn't have a twin with that cheesy little rack. :grin:

 

[BSK]

I certainly had some "bottom-end" 2 1/2 year-olds this year (and every year for that matter). Here are a few:

 

[richmanbarbeque]

BSK, Guess I don't feel so bad. :grin:

Only saving grace is that I believe he was a "neighbors" buck. He only showed to look for some ladies.

 

[Mike Belt]

I'd guess 2.5 also. He looks a little thin to be older. That pic sure makes him look like a long bodied buck. Even without rack growth if he ever filled out he'd be a heavy joker.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

I'd guess 2.5 also. He looks a little thin to be older. That pic sure makes him look like a long bodied buck. Even without rack growth if he ever filled out he'd be a heavy joker.

I agree Mike. He will be a 3.5 yo I will shoot regardless of rack. He did have a big body, luckily I seen him very close For several seconds. I'm glad he got a pass.?

 

[BigAl]

Hope he turns out to be a goodern next year, Rich.

 

[Boone 58]

I am no expert but 2.5 prob but i would have considered the 3.5 thingy......

 

[richmanbarbeque]

BSK, IS it just me or does the body on mine look a lot bigger than the ones you posted?

 

[BSK]

BSK, IS it just me or does the body on mine look a lot bigger than the ones you posted?

Very solid body on yours, but doesn't have the neck and ham musculature I would expect to see on a 3 1/2. Doesn't mean he isn't 3 1/2 though...

In addition, the 2 1/2 bucks I posted all fall into the smaller bodied category. We also had some whopper 2 1/2s (body-wise). This September-pictured buck was 2 1/2 and by November ended up going 210 pounds on the hoof and grossed 110:

October picture of him:

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Wow! Great looking deer. That is what I like seeing is the upper end of the young bucks. That is a healthy deer.

 

[Football Hunter]

BSK, IS it just me or does the body on mine look a lot bigger than the ones you posted?

Very solid body on yours, but doesn't have the neck and ham musculature I would expect to see on a 3 1/2. Doesn't mean he isn't 3 1/2 though...

In addition, the 2 1/2 bucks I posted all fall into the smaller bodied category. We also had some whopper 2 1/2s (body-wise). This September-pictured buck was 2 1/2 and by November ended up going 210 pounds on the hoof and grossed 110:

October picture of him:

dang,that top buck should put on some shorts or something :)

 

[redblood]

2.5. He may not be ready to shoot until 4.5, if you want a decent rack.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

2.5. He may not be ready to shoot until 4.5, if you want a decent rack.

I agree but on my property I bow hunt it and it gets very little gun hunting so a 2.5 yo is fair game. I look for 3.5 yo as much as possible and this buck at 3.5 yo would be a keeper, even lacking a desireable rack.

 

[deerchaser007]

2.5. He may not be ready to shoot until 4.5, if you want a decent rack.

I agree but on my property I bow hunt it and it gets very little gun hunting so a 2.5 yo is fair game. I look for 3.5 yo as much as possible and this buck at 3.5 yo would be a keeper, even lacking a desireable rack.

I agree with rich,.. i look for 3.5,.. but ,. i wouldn't think twice about knocking down a 2.5 if i wanted to make that choice. You might be very surprised how much growth that 2.5 pictured of richmans might put on at 3.5.
This pic from 2007 shows a above average 2.5 8 point on the left with a average 2.5 on the right(for my area).

Here is the same bucks in 2008 ,.. above average 8 now 3.5 on the left and the average 2.5 on the right now at 3.5.

Both bucks put on significant growth from 2.5 to 3.5 despite those were drought years. BUT,.. the average 2.5 in 07 really surprised me to what he grew into. He turned into a really good 3.5 y.o. 8 for my area. Good enough my neighbor put him on his wall. To each their own when it comes time to pull the trigger on what they think is their trophy.
I think its important for every manager to completely understand what should be expected from the bucks as far as antler growth by age in their specific area. Because its different from area to area IMO. I have a ways to go to get all the data i need,.. but i hope someday that all of us can compare our bucks by age and antler growth by age and see the differences, if any at all. In my area,. some 2.5 y.o will put on significant growth at 3.5,.. while others will put on average growth. From my census,.. the below average or average 2.5 puts on more growth than the above average 2.5 when going up to the next age class. Its weird,.. but as stated, i got a ways to go.

 

[BSK]

Always interesting to see how some bucks make their biggest jump from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 while others make their big jump from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Deerchaser, that is very cool. Good info.

I am trying to hunt deer by age and not soley by horn. If I get a chance to harvest that 2.5 yo buck next year at 3.5 I will. I will be content with a sub par rack and be fine with it. I am not a good enough hunter to expect to fool him at 4.5 yo. For me the first step in management is to know my limitations. I apply that to deer hunting, food plots and all forms of land management. As I grow so will my expectations and hopefully results.

 

[8 POINTS OR BETTER]

It seems like I usually see a bigger jump from 2.5 to 3.5 than I do with 3.5 to 4.5. But like 007 I dont have a lot of data.

At what age are ya'll seeing the most improvement?

 

[BSK]

I am not a good enough hunter to expect to fool him at 4.5 yo.

Me either! I'm still kicking myself for letting a nice 125-class 3 1/2 year-old go a couple of years ago, even though he turned into a monster later in life (unfortunately, an unkillable monster :( ).

 

[BSK]

At what age are ya'll seeing the most improvement?

In most instances 2 1/2 to 3 1/2, but there are exceptions.

 

[The_Utility_Dude]

Looks like he's been eating out of a corn pile. You ain't baiting are you? :D

 

[W.Seay]

He definitely looks to be 2 1/2 to me.

 

[deerchaser007]

Deerchaser, that is very cool. Good info.

I am trying to hunt deer by age and not soley by horn. If I get a chance to harvest that 2.5 yo buck next year at 3.5 I will. I will be content with a sub par rack and be fine with it. I am not a good enough hunter to expect to fool him at 4.5 yo. For me the first step in management is to know my limitations. I apply that to deer hunting, food plots and all forms of land management. As I grow so will my expectations and hopefully results.

Rich,.. i'll be honest ,.. i typically use my camera census to make my decision on what i harvest.SO,. i look at age and antler both. I know it hurts my odds of success when i go into the feild ,.. because i will not make quick shots. I always try to identify the buck before i shoot,.. and yes,.. its cost me more than i care to say. Just like the bucks pictured above,.. i was looking for the big 8 3.5 on the left. I knew beforehand if i seen the other, he would get a pass. Opening morning of mz,.. my neighbor came dragging the buck on the right out. Of course,. the first questions were , how old you think and would you have shot him? I told him,.. 3.5 , and no. I could tell it bothered him,. and i quickly pointed out that just because i would not have shot him don't mean you shouldn't. I told him,.. if your proud of him, i'm proud you got him and not someone else who would not have been happy with him. Then, showed him the pic of the one i was after. I also gave him the trail cam pics i had of his buck, so he could have them to frame with his mount. For me,. thats whats its all about.I completely understand by me being selective,.. it hurts my chances.Its not for everyone!!
Its funny how things work out though,.. the 9 point i killed this past season i had on pics from last year. I told myself,.. if he lives i'll take him next year. Well,.. i had no buck pics this year from my census,.. so i went in hunting mz weekend and told myself to just try and kill a 3.5 or older. I had to make a quick shot that morning,.. and i knew it was a 3.5,.. and got lucky it was the 9 point from the pics of last year. I was thrilled i got him,.. even though i consider it luck.Especially since it was my first buck since 2004!!
I like what you said about limitations. The biggest limitation i have is i only have 85 acres. I know there is got to be a couple of mature bucks in my area: even if i can't get them on cam nor see them, deer density in the area is not high, hunter density is slightly above average,... they got to a couple there somewere(I HOPE). But, with that limitation, i accept the fact that i might not be the one that gets the big boy every year,.. but as long as one of my like minded nieghbors does,.. its a successful year in my mind. My time will come around!!I would say your a better hunter than what you give yourself credit rich,.... maybe your luck is just bad like mine most years!! :grin: