New state record?

[Andy S.]

Sounds like somebody is butt hurt and mad that someone shot "their" wild deer.

It happens all the time, many many times with private to private farms. Last year I (and likely several others) was hunting a fine specimen 5.5+ 150" clean 8 point. The neighbor's son (hunts some, but not like many of you) killed it about 800 yards from where I was hunting that morning. This buck was using 4-5 different farms for sure (1,000+ acres), and very possibly other farms that I am not aware of. Good kid, great family; one has to appreciate the fact he was in the woods hunting and capitalized on his opportunity.

 

[double browtine]

What an amazing buck!! 12 pt typical is truly a mature whitetail anywhere in the country Congratulations to the lucky hunter!

 

[TheLBLman]

This buck was using 4-5 different farms . . . . .

And, the word "farm" can mean 15 acres (or less) to many,
5,000-plus acres to some.

Same with those deer on "our" place that we often refer to as "our" deer

Had someone recently talking about their aunt who had a "large estate" in Connecticut, and that maybe she would be ok with us coming up there to go deer hunting. Was just full of deer, big bucks!
Turns out this "large estate" was 11 acres.

Most everything becomes a matter of perspective.

 

[timberjack86]

Given the limited amount of public ground in Morgan County coinciding with adjacent 750 acre farms, I assume said owner will appreciate the advertisement.

Said piece of public us fixing to be invaded by an orange army.

 

[Browning338]

back of the truck.

 

[tree_ghost]

back of the truck.

That is a dang monarch of a buck!!!!!

 

[Andy S.]

How can one see county records?

TN Deer Registry

 

[Andy S.]

back of the truck.

His neck is as impressive as his rack. I'm all about a huge neck and shoulders. True brute!

 

[Ski]

I believe he could be 9.5. While it's not likely, neither is a 200" typical 12pt in TN. Which one is really harder to believe? If one can be true then both can be true, IMO.

 

[TheLBLman]

I believe he could be 9.5.

If he is 9 1/2, I would speculate he's lived life more as a "pet" than a normal "wild" deer.
Take away the normal life "stressors" most free-ranging deer face daily, and un-stressed bucks do in fact live years longer and grow much larger antlers.

Obviously, he wasn't living behind a fence, but he could have still been greatly protected from the normal stress factors most deer face?

For all we know, he could have begun his life as someone's pet deer fawn, become habituated to humans, then "re-wilded" on a 750-acre farm, where he could be fed daily and more protected (not having to seek food in the wild). Such a start in life & existence could explain how some claim to know his exact age to be 9 1/2?

 

[Snake]

At What Age Is A Buck Mature? Pt. 2 - North American Whitetail

Even though a buck may be physically mature at 4 1/2, should he be hunted at that age? Or should you wait until he is 5 1/2? This final part of the series explores this question in depth.

www.northamericanwhitetail.com

Of course there is always exceptions to the rule .

 

[Ski]

If he is 9 1/2, I would speculate he's lived life more as a "pet" than a normal "wild" deer.
Take away the normal life "stressors" most free-ranging deer face daily, and un-stressed bucks do in fact live years longer and grow much larger antlers.

Obviously, he wasn't living behind a fence, but he could have still been greatly protected from the normal stress factors most deer face?

For all we know, he could have begun his life as someone's pet deer fawn, become habituated to humans, then "re-wilded" on a 750-acre farm, where he could be fed daily and more protected (not having to seek food in the wild). Such a start in life & existence could explain how some claim to know his exact age to be 9 1/2?

Lots of speculations could be made. But at the end of the day he's in the same ballpark frame & size as the current record from many decades ago, so it's not a stretch to believe nature can produce such a beast without human help. It's just not common. And that was my point. What's more uncommon, a 200" typical in TN or a 9.5yr old wild buck? Both are so incredibly rare than I certainly wouldn't know that answer.

Unfortunately the cementum annuli is the most accurate test we have for aging deer, which no doubt will happen, but even it isn't anywhere near 100% accurate. We may never know exactly how old he is. But I'd guess he's pretty old.

 

[Snake]

Lots of speculations could be made. But at the end of the day he's in the same ballpark frame & size as the current record from many decades ago, so it's not a stretch to believe nature can produce such a beast without human help. It's just not common. And that was my point. What's more uncommon, a 200" typical in TN or a 9.5yr old wild buck? Both are so incredibly rare than I certainly wouldn't know that answer.

Unfortunately the cementum annuli is the most accurate test we have for aging deer, which no doubt will happen, but even it isn't anywhere near 100% accurate. We may never know exactly how old he is. But I'd guess he's pretty old.

Of course he's old and definitely mature but even experts have said teeth judging can be skewed . By the pictures I've seen it just don't look like he's got that Roman nose exceptionally old whitetails sport but with other photos I might be swayed in my opinion which is just an opinion . No matter the age he's definitely a buck of exceptional quality especially in the great state on Tennessee !!

 

[Ski]

At What Age Is A Buck Mature? Pt. 2 - North American Whitetail

Even though a buck may be physically mature at 4 1/2, should he be hunted at that age? Or should you wait until he is 5 1/2? This final part of the series explores this question in depth.

www.northamericanwhitetail.com

Of course there is always exceptions to the rule .

I was enjoying the factual data being given in that article all the way until he got off on his personal feelings tangent.

 

[BigAl]

Just once I'd like to see how I would react to a deer that big coming my way.
Great to see deer like that coming out of our home state.

 

[cruff10]

I live in the area, it was aged at 8.5. I know people that had trail cam pics of him for 4+ years. People have had his sheds for 4+ years. He was a very wild deer. People knew he was there, and no one was able to get him until now. Ended up slipping up chasing a doe. Ended up being killed on public ground. With lots of hunting pressure. His gross score was 205, with 7 inch deductions for a green score of 198. That score is what is being told around town.

 

[knightrider]

I live in the area, it was aged at 8.5. I know people that had trail cam pics of him for 4+ years. People have had his sheds for 4+ years. He was a very wild deer. People knew he was there, and no one was able to get him until now. Ended up slipping up chasing a doe. Ended up being killed on public ground. With lots of hunting pressure. His gross score was 205, with 7 inch deductions for a green score of 198. That score is what is being told around town.

How was he aged at 8.5? And by who?

 

[Huntaholic]

"The new state record was what I had,
I called my buddies, they was fighting mad
cause they didnt kill that buck, hell neither did I,
but Ill keep that secret til the day I die!"
LOL sorry, I couldnt help it, thats a line from a hunting video song from WAAAYYYYYY back. Bonus internet points to whoever came name the video!

 

[poorhunter]

"The new state record was what I had,
I called my buddies, they was fighting mad
cause they didnt kill that buck, hell neither did I,
but Ill keep that secret til the day I die!"
LOL sorry, I couldnt help it, thats a line from a hunting video song from WAAAYYYYYY back. Bonus internet points to whoever came name the video!

It may not be, but sounds like something Roger Raglin would say! He was fun to watch.

 

[ttf909]

That's a brute of a buck. Congrats to someone