Who has already killed your best buck?

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fairchaser

fairchaser

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I killed mine in 2000 at 43 years old and knew it at the time. I'd never kill a bigger one. As most of you know, I killed my best local buck this year at 67 years old. This was a total shock although I had a goal to kill one over 140 before I died. That was accomplished a couple weeks ago.

I think it's awesome to set goals and work them out but God is sovereign and only He can orchestrate our success. Praise to Him.

I'm just curious how you see things and if you know you've killed your best buck.
 
I killed my best buck to date this year during muzzleloader. It was an 11 pt. that scored 131 4/8". I have previously killed a 10 and an 8 that scored 130 and change. Those two were West Tennessee deer, but the 11 was killed here in Claiborne, which makes it even more special to me. May never kill one bigger, but I'll keep after em!
 
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Unless something around us dramatically changes, at 55, it is doubtful that I ever kill a buck that goes over 130. I have killed several 4.5's, and killed a 5.5 year old last year. I passed a crapload of bucks last year, several 3.5 and older, and this year only saw and got pics of 3 that were 3.5 or older. Things just not going in the right direction here.
 
I probably have but won't stop me from trying. My biggest have been a 165" 10 in 2010 and a 145" 8 in 2019. These two were taken up in NE TN and my goal since the 8 has been to take a P&Y with my bow. It has been a lot harder than I thought and is difficult to watch a nice buck out of bow range when you could have easily killed with a gun or muzzleloader. I did have a goal of getting a decent size mountain buck with my bow and was able to do that last year. It was not my biggest but definitely one that I worked the hardest for.
 
I won't kill bigger…

My lifetime deer was dec 16 2011 west TN public grossed 158 netted 143 5/8
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I've killed 2 bucks (both 8 points) that have hit the 130's. I don't hunt out of state and only hunt East TN, so unless I travel I doubt I will. I have had maybe 2-3 deer on camera (literally one time for each) that would probably be in 140s over the last 8 years. Id love to to get a deer in the 150's but I don't have the time to travel for them yet. When I retire, I will attempt to go out-of-state or further west in TN to pursue larger deer if possible.

Right now I am enjoying watching my 16 and 13 year old boys progress. I have standards of 3.5 y.o. plus and usually let them walk. Both my sons are learning to age on the hoof and have opted to pass some good 2 year old deer this year. I would rather them kill what they want or any mature buck we got before I do. But if a 4.5+ steps out and they aren't with me I will shoot. We hunt 27 acres so this is tough knowing there is quite a bit of pressure around us but we have a few up and comers that have survived thus far.
 
Being as I'm strictly public I tell myself my 130" 11 point might just be my best. I want to hit the 140" mark on public tho. I've laid eyes on 2 since that were at least 130" but blew my chance on one this year and last year I bumped the other locked down with a doe going to hang my stand. Pretty sure he would have hit the 140 mark.

 
30-06 type of guy said:
Being as I'm strictly public I tell myself my 130" 11 point might just be my best. I want to hit the 140" mark on public tho. I've laid eyes on 2 since that were at least 130" but blew my chance on one this year and last year I bumped the other locked down with a doe going to hang my stand. Pretty sure he would have hit the 140 mark.
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130 on public is outstanding. I'm also on public and I've been able to kill only 2 over the last 13 years over 130 inches. The large majority are 100-115 inch 2.5 year olds!!!
 
At 55, I am still hopeful. I have already missed two in the last 5 years that were bigger than anything I have ever seen in the wild. Buck fever hit me so bad on the 2nd, that I could not stop my knee from shaking uncontrollably on right leg.

I have guided my son and daughter to kill several nice bucks. We are putting two in the TN deer registry so I am blessed.

Finding good sign is motivating and keeps me trying.
 

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