What's the largest buck you've ever voluntarily passed?

[megalomaniac]

This past weekend's hunt in Mississippi got me thinking...

I chose to pass up a 4.5 y/o mainframe 8 with 9"g2's and 8"g3's, probably 19-20" main beams, but 5-5.5" bases. Unfortunately he was only 14" inside. I figured he was about like a typical 120" er, but due to the unreal mass, would have actually scored 130". I had him at 150 yards for 6-7 minutes, so I had plenty of time to look him over...

He was a legal buck on the lease I was hunting (3 members leasing 1000 acres), but each member only gets 2 bucks per membership. As a guest, I felt bad about taking one of my hosts 2 bucks, especially when has an adult son and young grandson that I might be taking a buck away from... so I elected to pass in the hopes that one of his other guests who might be more excited than I would have been to take him would get him.

3 or 4 years ago, I passed a 2.5 y/o mainframe 12 with a drop tine. Best genetic potential I've ever seen. I found his carcass during the following turkey season 25 yards from my property line. He ended up scoring 135" as a 2.5 y/o.

 

[Mike Belt]

I was hunting in Ky and had a 10 pointer that would have gone around 145" come in and bed down within 50 feet of me. I could have rolled him where he lay but passed because there was a 175" that used this same area. Never saw him. Over the years I've passed up several bucks at Ames that would have scored mid 130s and I've never killed a buck over 130". I think they owe me one.

 

[Planking]

I don't know exactly which one would score higher but ive passed at least 10 what i believed to be 3.5 year old bucks. 3 this year.

 

[Winchester]

Bucks in the low 130's max for me, let a few go for a few years when hunting in Pike co Ill. I also let one high 130's deer walk on a farm in KY we hunted for several years. He was under my stand at 3 yards for about 10 mins with a spike, as soon as it got daylight on opening day of Archery season, would have ended my years hunting in KY within 10 mins. I had him at 3 yards and that was good enough for me knowing I could kill him, hunting the rest of season was more important than he was at that time. I have never regretted it either as I had some awesome hunts on that farm. Over the years I have passed many mature bucks that simply didnt have the headgear I was looking for. I passed a couple just this year.

 

[Headhunter]

Bad thing about me passing bucks is, a couple times, later that season I killed a buck smaller than one I passed. Or I pass a nice buck looking for the better buck I know is there, only to never see the buck I passed or the better buck the rest of the season.

Best buck I passed was an easy 140's, probably close to 150" watched him for over 30 minutes with a doe from just under me to about 50 yards, buck in KY a few years ago.

Passed a 9 ptr on Priest last week, 12" g2's and 10" g3's, at least 4" bases but was only 14" or so wide. Kind of wish I had shot him though, best buck I have ever seen this late in the season.

 

[Andy S.]

On purpose without any doubt, 130" at Ames. On purpose with some doubt that i should have done it, 138" on Ames. The 138" buck was 200 yards away and moving across a narrow field at a decent pace, and I really wanted to shoot him, but could not tell for sure how good he was before he got into the safety zone and time ran out. I second guessed my decision all morning. I thought him to be 130"-135". He had a kicker off his left G2 which made him easy to identify, and another member killed him about a week later in the same area, thus how I know how much he scored. He was a great 3.5 year old and I was tickled for the fortunate hunter who got him.

 

[backyardtndeer]

On a 60 acre farm here with a lot of pressure around us, passed a 120 + inch 9 pointer with the muzzleloader early on this season. Had hopes my wife would get a shot on the deer since she had seen him once already and I had already taken a 3.5 year old 8 on veterans day. Ended up later killing the deer myself with the rifle in December when I could not drag the wife to a stand. She had told me to shoot him if I saw him again, so I did.

 

[Andy S.]

....... hunting the rest of season was more important than he was at that time. I have never regretted it either as I had some awesome hunts on that farm. Over the years I have passed many mature bucks that simply didnt have the headgear I was looking for. I passed a couple just this year.

I, and many others I know have been in this boat before, and like Win, we chose to hunt the next 3-4 weeks, rather than tag out. In my opinion, that is when you know you actually enjoy "hunting" more than you do "killing" and being done for the year. YMMV

 

[Andy S.]

As a guest, I felt bad about taking one of my hosts 2 bucks, especially when has an adult son and young grandson that I might be taking a buck away from... so I elected to pass in the hopes that one of his other guests who might be more excited than I would have been to take him would get him.

I totally agree with your assessment, and this is the exact way I would approach it too.

 

[ZachMarkus]

120" 10 point. I have no intentions of letting a buck bigger than that go where I hunt in TN unless he is really young.


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[Buzzard Breath]

Around 15 years ago when these numbers actually meant something to me, I passed a 150" 10 point in Ohio. He walked passed my stand multiple times one morning. There was a 200"+ buck using the same area that I'd had multiple encounters with beforehand so I held off.

I ended up killing the 200" buck during the late season. Then, found the sheds for the 10 point that spring. That was a good year.

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[knightrider]

50 inch 6 pt :rotf: you guys are killing me

 

[Boll Weevil]

Low to mid 130s.

 

[Ken45]

Probley a 3 point

 

[AT Hiker]

Around 15 years ago when these numbers actually meant something to me, I passed a 150" 10 point in Ohio. He walked passed my stand multiple times one morning. There was a 200"+ buck using the same area that I'd had multiple encounters with beforehand so I held off.

I ended up killing the 200" buck during the late season. Then, found the sheds for the 10 point that spring. That was a good year.

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Pictures on your phone or it didn't happen[emoji14]




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[Buzzard Breath]

Around 15 years ago when these numbers actually meant something to me, I passed a 150" 10 point in Ohio. He walked passed my stand multiple times one morning. There was a 200"+ buck using the same area that I'd had multiple encounters with beforehand so I held off.

I ended up killing the 200" buck during the late season. Then, found the sheds for the 10 point that spring. That was a good year.

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Pictures on your phone or it didn't happen[emoji14]




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I don't keep pics of it, but I went ahead and drew you one. I'm a pretty good artist so this is pretty representative of what it looks like.

This image is copyrighted, so it can not be used without written permission from me.

Also, it had suffered from terrible frostbite and both ears had fallen off.

[emoji1]

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[Boll Weevil]

Love it! Thanks Buzzard for a good chuckle.

 

[megalomaniac]

Buzzard, you must have stretched the tape, all I see in that pic is about 185".

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Buzzard, you must have stretched the tape, all I see in that pic is about 185".

It was the largest headed buck I've ever killed; which throws the proportions off. Here's a representative drawing with his entire body. You'll clearly see he's easily in the 200" range.

This is a representative drawing of the 150" buck's sheds that I found. Even if you only gave them a 14" spread, it's 150 all day long.

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[Andy S.]

^^^^BB - good stuff, I love it! :tu:

 

[Snake]

50 inch 6 pt :rotf: you guys are killing me

This is great !!

 

[Snake]

Probably 130's 10 point if he hadn't broke most of the other side off because that is only why he got a free ride . And I was assuming the 130 score if the other side matched what was showing . Have passed an 8 point before maybe 115-120 and only let him ride because I had seen a larger one in the area . Late season and nothing under my belt they are all in danger , hunter first :D

 

[GRIT]

This might get as good as the.
Big fluffy kittens Deer topic :lol:

 

[AT Hiker]

I sent Picasso Breath (formerly known as Buzzard Breath) a pic of the biggest buck I have ever passed willingly/knowingly. It was a solid 140" KY buck, not sure why I passed the deer. The next day I seen him again, then missed him. Maybe he can draw a pic of him!


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[Buzzard Breath]

I sent Picasso Breath (formerly known as Buzzard Breath) a pic of the biggest buck I have ever passed willingly/knowingly. It was a solid 140" KY buck, not sure why I passed the deer. The next day I seen him again, then missed him. Maybe he can draw a pic of him!


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I remember that. A big old sway backed mature buck. I remember my reply wouldn't be kid friendly enough to post on here. It was headed from right to left across a cut corn field. I looked back through our texts and couldn't find the original, so I took the liberty of doing a good representative drawing of it. I was thinking it was closer to 138 8/10 than 140, but I may be off on the mass a little.

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[catman529]

3.5 year old. Not likely to happen again anytime soon


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[Rjratliff1975]

Buzzard Breath, Those drawings are hilarious! That was awesome.

 

[Tennessee280]

Around 15 years ago when these numbers actually meant something to me, I passed a 150" 10 point in Ohio. He walked passed my stand multiple times one morning. There was a 200"+ buck using the same area that I'd had multiple encounters with beforehand so I held off.

I ended up killing the 200" buck during the late season. Then, found the sheds for the 10 point that spring. That was a good year.

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Pictures on your phone or it didn't happen[emoji14]




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't keep pics of it, but I went ahead and drew you one. I'm a pretty good artist so this is pretty representative of what it looks like.

This image is copyrighted, so it can not be used without written permission from me.

Also, it had suffered from terrible frostbite and both ears had fallen off.

[emoji1]

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

no wonder he was so big, he looks like a dinosaur!!

Needed a good laugh btw, thanks for that

 

[nwsg76]

This is the biggest I ever passed on. I was hunting a much larger buck. But had this guy in easy kill range for over 3 hours. Ended up finding him dead that winter. He ended up scoring a tad over 150.

 

[Andy S.]

^^^^Bruiser....TN buck?