Impressive LI buck still on the prowl!

[First-light]

Gun season started on LI Jan 1st. My Nephew was out at his spot yesterday and saw 15 does. He picked up his sd card and found this big guy on it. Date was 12/26 at 2 pm. One of three things may have happened by now. He dropped his horns, gone nocturnal from the beginning of gun opener or he is dead. No reports of him being taken so that is good. Picture before him was 5 minutes earlier and had a bunch of doe on it. Looks like he is missing a brow tine. I hunt out there on the 18th. One never knows what might happen. 

[NYBowhunter]

Very nice rack. His body looks like skin and bones, very run down.

[peepsight]

1 hour ago, NYBowhunter said:

Very nice rack. His body looks like skin and bones, very run down.

Agreed .... he does look a bit haggered

[dbHunterNY]

you never know for sure.  he looks run down a bit and not as swollen.  a lot of things contribute to antler casting but physical conditioning and drop in testosterone levels are a couple big ones.  earliest we've known deer to shed this year was on December 17th.  Buck looked healthy as could be but had dropped his antlers.  A youth hunter worked his rear end off to take him thinking he was a nice plump doe.  Activity was low and a lot of the food sources tapped or ag harvested.  No worries but now he understood some reasons why we say take doe earlier.

[NFA-ADK]

Good looking buck, good luck with him!

[ny hunter]

Good luck hope you get a shot him...

[First-light]

I have to laugh. I kept on telling him during bow season to let the does walk by the big one might be following. Him and his wife both shot at does around the third week in Dec.