Special attributes

[growalot]

in a bucks rack would make you consider shooting a 2 1/2 yr old over a 3 1/2+ yr old buck?

 

I have gone with pts.... started out 6 or more than went to 8 or more. I have always wanted to shoot a buck with split brows...so unless real small that is a factor...I have always wanted to shoot a buck that has stickers  and or drop tines...Now I have a wide rack but I have passed very wide racked bucks because the tines(10) were super short and he didn't seem to have much body mass... So what is on your wish list and what would change your mind on age ?

 

Lets not turn this into a debate about trophy hunting ...this is just personal feeling ppl have on racks they would like to have if given the chance on a regular wild free range hunt that they normally take.

[wooly]

Id rather kill a wacky racked 1.5 year old over a typical 2.5 year old 8 pt if that makes any sense.

 

[growalot]

Considering one never knows what the next years rack might or might not have...makes perfect sense to me.

[First-light]

I'll take a cool looking rack over an older deer. I don't see why not, YOU still can decide what to shoot or what not to shoot this year. I'll take this guy in a heart beat over an older deer with a bigger rack.

Edited August 15, 2015 by First-light

[The_Field_Ager]

Looking back over the last few season's pics, it's clear there is is some two year old spikers in the local gene pool. I might be tempted to take one this year.

[growalot]

Mr B hit a solid 2 1/2 year old spike buck with his truck...actually the buck ran into the side of the truck behind the drivers seat...the spikes were 12+ inches long and looked exactly like two flat pointed dagger blades...very cool looking strange too...I'll have to look in one of the buckets for them...

[G-Man]

I go by what I see on cam and just try and take the top 3 0r 4 bucks I have on cam, rack character is unimportant, but I'd shoot a piebald or any strange physical trait in lew of top bucks...

[wolc123]

As a pure meat hunter, I look at the body more than the rack. With deer meat, I am concerned with both quantity and quality. A 2.5 year old buck offers the best combination so they are number one on my hit list. Generally there is a huge jump in body size between 6 month and 1-1/2 years, and another huge jump between 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 years. Each of those years the meat quantity doubles or so. The "quality" of the meat is best at 6 months, drops significantly at 1-1/2, but does not drop off a lot more yet at 2-1/2. As a buck gets older than that the quantity of meat does not increase enough to make up for the loss in quality. They put on a few pounds a year up to 4-1/2, then probably lose a little. The 4-1/2 year old buck I took with my rifle last year was the oldest I ever killed. We just started eating the bulk of that one and I was surprised how good it is. The "bumper crop" of acorns we had last year, a quick, clean kill, two weeks of aging prior to cutting up at near ideal temps, and vacuum sealing surely helped a lot with that.

My 1-1/2 and a 2-1/2 (gift from a friend) year old archery season bucks that we polished off earlier were still a bit tastier however, and did not require as long of "aging" to get tender (1 week and 10 days were good). The best place for me to put my buck tags is on 2-1/2 year old bucks and if given a choice between one with a larger rack or larger body, I would shoot the larger body every time. We always eat the deer in the order they are killed and are saving the best for last this year. That will be a little button buck road kill that a "hit and run" driver left at the end of our driveway last winter. I know that one will be the best because I pan fried all the "fresh" tenderloins, 4 days after the kills in order to do a true "apples" to "apples" comparison of 1/2, 1-1/2, 2-1/2, and 4-1/2 year old bucks. Last season was the first that I had an opportunity to conduct that test.

As a pure meat hunter, why don't I just shoot does? #1, ever hear the phrase "don't shoot the "golden goose". #2, I can butcher bucks faster because there is always less fat to trim away. #3, Doe meat looses quality with age just like buck meat does, but the antlers make it a lot easier for me to determine age on the hoof. #4, the antlers make good grab handles for dragging the carcasses out of the bush, and a nice spot to tie the carcass tags. #5, the antlers make good wall decorations and reminders of successful hunts.

Since we only get (2) buck tags in NY, and my growing family uses 4-5 "average" sized deer per year for food, most years we have to suffer thru some doe meat. Last season was the first exception that I can recall. We still like "doe meat" better than beef, and I don't mind killing a few "golden gooses" especially in the areas I hunt which have deer populations significantly above optimum.

[Lawdwaz]

Most of the time I don't have enough time to look a deer over good and determine if it is a 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 or whatever age it could be.

You guys/gals really have the time to do that??????

Damn.........................I'm doing something wrong.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Lawdwaz

[DirtTime]

I would shoot a crazy horned buck of any age if I saw one. 

[NFA-ADK]

Most of the time I don't have enough time to look a deer over good and determine if it is a 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 or whatever age it could be.

You guys/gals really have the time to do that??????

Damn.........................I'm doing something wrong.

Still hunting I agree for the most part unless your tracking then you get a pretty good picture but still hard to determine exact age.

 

Tree stand hunting is a different world.  Usually you can see the deer come in and have a chance to observe them for a while before determining if they are shooters.  I am told I am only allowed to shoot 130+ class bucks which are usually 3.5 or older.  I would be tempted to shoot a 10 pt or double drop tines or double split brows but would get kicked off the private land, public I would be happy.

[Doc]

I'm still looking for the mythical unicorn.

 

 

 

 

[Buckstopshere]

If I had only one arrow or shot in my gun and there were two bucks the same age/size standing there, one had a high and wide balanced "elegant" or spindly 10-point rack and the other was a 7 pt. with gnarly mass, curved stickers on the bases G-2s 12 inches...I would probably shoot the 10 hoping the 7 point would have the best potential for next year if he got through the season.