Yanahli WMA - Buck Info Request

[7X57]

I'm curious if any of y'all have any pictures of bucks taken at Yanahli. I was told that these river bottom deer have heavier mass. The property I have hunted for the last 10 years has always produced bucks with thin horns. I've killed several bucks there that were 4.5 years plus and it doesn't matter. They all have thin horns from the bases out. I was looking to hunt some property that might produce heavier rack bucks. Thanks for any info.

 

[redblood]

Ive never hunted yanahli but drive though it often. See a few deer but never a buck

 

[MickThompson]

What do you consider "thin"?

How were the deer aged? The best antler indicators of age are antler mass and beam length

 

[7X57]

Tooth pulled on this buck and aged 5.5.

 

[Griswold]

Tooth pulled on this buck and aged 5.5.

In 35 years of tn hunting ive not killed a buck 3.5 or older that had more mass than that one

 

[7X57]

Thank you for the reply. One of my good friends is a taxidermist and he gets in some really heavy racked deer. He almost always says the hunter took it from a river bottom and sometimes from mountain terrain. I'm just curious, so thought I would ask y'all's opinion.

 

[MickThompson]

Thank you for the reply. One of my good friends is a taxidermist and he gets in some really heavy racked deer. He almost always says the hunter took it from a river bottom and sometimes from mountain terrain. I'm just curious, so thought I would ask y'all's opinion.

Regardless of where a deer was taken in November, it very likely grew the mass somewhere else in June. Bucks especially can have some crazy home ranges.

Tooth pulled on this buck and aged 5.5.

what was the first mass measurement?

 

[timberjack86]

You need to head to the mountains for mass

 

[7X57]

That's where I first started out hunting years ago. Killed a few young bucks before moving and gaining access to ag land. Never killed a mature buck in the mountains, so maybe a missed opportunity back then. Thanks for the replies.

 

[tahtah]

I saw this thread and was very interested to see responses. I have recently, in the last month of the season, begun exploring Yanali. I'm very curious about what the bucks being killed there look like. I know there is going to be an occasional "trophy" anywhere, but just curious about the average 3.5 year old or older buck there. Hopefully this thread won't die due to the definition of "thin" or "mass". If anyone does have pics of bucks they've taken there and don't mind sharing, I'd love to see some, I'm sure others would as well.

 

[TNBuckTracker]

That's where I first started out hunting years ago. Killed a few young bucks before moving and gaining access to ag land. Never killed a mature buck in the mountains, so maybe a missed opportunity back then. Thanks for the replies.

Here's one of the mountain bucks I've had on camera this season. Not the widest, but he's got some solid mass.

 

[30-06 type of guy]

Probably the best or 2nd best I've come across there. Hoping to find him this year but no bueno

 

[30-06 type of guy]

This one came from there.

 

[30-06 type of guy]

 

[7X57]

Thanks for sharing 30-06! Nice bucks. Congrats!

 

[30-06 type of guy]

Thanks for sharing 30-06! Nice bucks. Congrats!

Anytime. I appreciate it

 

[Chickenrig]

Thanks for sharing 30-06! Nice bucks. Congrats!

Beautiful bucks my friend
Well done

 

[MickThompson]

Tooth pulled on this buck and aged 5.5.

The tall tines and long beams are the only thing that make that buck look like it's lacking mass

 

[Volbuck777]

I have hunted a lot of different areas in Tennessee and have seen a lot of deer taken across the state. From my experience the eastern side of the state is better for mass on average. Best being the plateau region. Probably because of genetics. My last 3 bucks have 5.5-6 inch bases( above the bur I know someone will ask) and carry their mass. I believe it's age and good mast years more than anything else. All three were 4.5-5.5 y/o bucks.

 

[Antler Daddy]

So now I know where one guy hunts...Yani and LH.

 

[7X57]

what was the first mass measurement?

The first mass measurement above the burr is 3.75".

 

[megalomaniac]

I have hunted a lot of different areas in Tennessee and have seen a lot of deer taken across the state. From my experience the eastern side of the state is better for mass on average. Best being the plateau region. Probably because of genetics. My last 3 bucks have 5.5-6 inch bases( above the bur I know someone will ask) and carry their mass. I believe it's age and good mast years more than anything else. All three were 4.5-5.5 y/o bucks.

This...

Mass (or lack of mass) is very localized based on genetics and nutrition. Its amazing how much it can vary in just 30 miles from different properties.

My farms just have average mass... 4.75 to 5 in bases are average for mature bucks. 5.5in bases are the top 10% of mature bucks. And we have never killed a buck with 6in bases. It just is what it is... adding cash crops, food plots, select cut timber, etc, etc, etc has not improved mass in older bucks significantly.

If you have a hard on for mass, id prob pay for an outfitted hunt once in your life for a Canadian whitetail.

Out of curiosity, what do your mature bucks weigh?

 

[7X57]

Thanks Mega. I've never weighed one, but the biggest body buck I've killed is an 8-point with 4.25 inch bases. Same property as the buck above about 10 years ago.

 

[megalomaniac]

Thanks Mega. I've never weighed one, but the biggest body buck I've killed is an 8-point with 4.25 inch bases. Same property as the buck above about 10 years ago.

Reason I ask is I do see somewhat a correlation between body weights and mass...

In other words, our heavier than average mass mature bucks are often our heaviest weight bucks. My heaviest buck was 250lbs, and he had 5.5in bases.

 

[7X57]

Wow. That's a big TN deer. Thanks again for sharing.

 

[Volbuck777]

Reason I ask is I do see somewhat a correlation between body weights and mass...

In other words, our heavier than average mass mature bucks are often our heaviest weight bucks. My heaviest buck was 250lbs, and he had 5.5in bases.

I've not had those results. In fact my 3 heaviest bucks all massed at 4-4.75 bases and didn't carry mass very well. I killed my best mass deer this year and I couldn't tell you why he had the mass he did but he's had it since I started to watch him as a 2.5 possibly 3.5 y/o. His h3 measurement was 4.5 inches. Absolutely no ag nor any deer around with mass like him. Sometimes theirs one that just makes you say, Whoa!

 

[Rob-HC Hunter]

The deer on my farm that are mature (4.5 to 5.5 +) have what I would consider heavier than average mass - several killed with 6" plus bases. We killed one this year that carried 5 inches on his 3rd circumference measurement one side. We firmly believe that it has to do with our deer management approach: nutrients, genetics, minimal pressure, and a consistent mineral supplement program. Our mineral stations are replenished twice per hear (Jan and Apr) and are heavily utilized.

 

[Joe2Kool]

Tooth pulled on this buck and aged 5.5.

I think I'd keep hunting the area this guy came from!

 

[Ski]

The first mass measurement above the burr is 3.75".

That sounds about right to me. Not thin at all. I don't usually see 4"+ until the rack busts 130". And at any score I seldom see bases bust 5". Milo Hanson's world record for reference had 4-6/8" & 5-0/8" bases.

That's not to say larger bases are unheard of. I'm just saying they're not common. 5" bases are big. 6" bases are enormous. Bigger than that is freak territory.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Age, genetics and nutrition....and out west I've had locals tell me they see an increase in mass on mule deer on years they have good rain fall...which probally correlates to forage & nutrition.
But no doubt genetics plays a part because we have killed some mature bucks with super, above average mass and we have killed mature bucks with average mass. Same farm, same habitat.