WNY Bowhunter

After mounting 200+ NY bucks over the past 6 years...I'd say skull size isn't a great indicator of age. Most 3.5 yr old bucks have an eye to nose measurement of 7.25" but some will go 7.5". Older bucks will typically require a 7.5" form but can also go 7.25". Between these two sizes 90% of the deer I get in will be covered. Every year you get a few larger bucks in that 7.75-8" range. I think only 2 of the 40+ deer I took in last fall and one cape donor buck will take a form with an ETN measurement >7.5". In 2020,I took 3 in over 8" (including my own and 2 others that were both shot by forum members here). That being said, once you cut the skull plate off you can instantly tell the age class of a buck by the thickness of the skull plate. A fully mature 5-6.5 yo buck's skull plate will be 2-3x thicker than that of a 3.5yo. So, I guess I'd say the weight of a skull is it better indicator than the size.

First PA shed while working down there today. Picked up #10 after work.

You must be seeing a new taxidermist cause I don't remember doing a sneak mount for you!!! Lol

It's a deer bed. If you look close you can see drops of blood on the snow next where the shed is laying. Pretty cool...

The pile you saw at my house yesterday is from my younger days when I had more time to go. It's tough to get out now with the kids and taxidermy lol. This is actually the only antlered buck that I've had on this camera in a couple weeks now. All the other ones are already shed.

Two more today including the one I've been looking for. Was just dropped within the past 48hrs. I can't wait to see him as a 4-year-old next year!

He looks good up there! Hope it was worth the long drive out. Thanks again.

I've lived and hunted here my life. Deer numbers are down for sure but buck quality is better than it used to be.

On board today with 3 dinkers...

My wife is on the board with a nice 2.5 year old set. I'm about to head out looking at a spot tomorrow where there's been some decent bucks after season. Most were still packing when I took cams down last weekend but this cold spell with the snow will shock them in to dropping soon!

No worries here man, it happens to everyone. That empty tag just means that there's a buck out there still alive that will be bigger this coming season!

Just blame it on your taxidermist. If only they could know about the size and quantity of the ticks too...lol!!!

The buck that I killed on 11/24/20 was 246 live weight / 196 dressed. He is the heaviest deer that has every been killed in my family, which includes 100s of bucks taken here in 8P/8R in Steuben County over by a span of 70+ yrs of hunting here (granted the average age class taken over this time has been far from being considered mature). As expected, he was very lean and I believe he would have been 25-30lbs heavier had he been killed a month earlier. His cape and body frame were notably larger than the 220lb dressed buck that I mounted for a buddy of mine that was killed on Oct 2 that year. As noted earlier, most of the highest scoring bucks that I've had the privilege of mounting or even know of locally have been smaller bodied deer than would be expected. Most people grossly overestimate a deer's weight and I've only ever seen a handful of confirmed 200# dressed deer from my area.

That buck probably have 50lb + on that TX deer with 160"+ of antler!

After a stellar season in '20, I only got a single deer to mount from the forum during the '21 Season!

Thanks. Your's is on deck. Hope to get that one done next weekend.

After a three month hiatus from the taxidermy stand, the first for the new season is headed for the drying wall. Guess I still remember how to do it. One down, 39 more to go...

Not having a dedicated taxidermy shop sure does make the process a lot more cumbersome. I have a big garage that all dirty work happens in but I still mount mine in the house too in what was once the master bedroom. We divided the long livingroom into an office/drying room so the family living part of the house still has it's privacy. Once I move into a new place, I will definitely be erecting a small shop solely for taxidermy. Good luck!

My wife shot a "big doe" tonight. I'd say 3.5 yr old. Might do a little early season shed hunting Saturday.

Your buck from last year will be the next one that I will do when I get rolling on them again here shortly!

Too bad I stopped taking mounts. Had to turn down 3 people yesterday...

Sadly, I can relate to this post BIG TIME. My Pre-season shooter list has been completely demolished. Probably worse than any year I can remember. It sucks!!!

Material costs/shipping rates have gone up across the board. My prices went up from last year as a result. I have already hit my max quota of what I want to take in with a month of season to go...

I instantly noticed this too but didn't want to be the first to say it on here LOL