I’m blessed/lucky whatever you want to call it to hunt some very nice private land that can grow some rather big deer in a county that’s known to produce some very nice deer. We also have the luxury of giving bucks a time to reach their potential. If we need meat we have 10 does per the law we can take.
We try and give bucks 4-5 years before taking them. Yes, we want a “trophy” rack but realize not every buck will grow one regardless of how long they live. We’ve had a 172”, 168”, and several 140’s taken over the last couple of years so the potential is there.
I could’ve shot this buck during archery season last year, but had another deer I was after and eventually got, 168”. We were leaving this for a child or the managers wife. He disappeared before rifle season and I thought he had been killed somewhere off the property.



Well, apparently he wasn’t as he’s showed back up. Same exact spot just with the camera facing a different direction. Studies have shown that for the majority of deer, whatever they are at 3.5 - 4.5 is what they’ll always be and only add “kickers” and mass. We’ve seen that to be true with our deer. I doubt I’ll be able to archery hunt during the early season so I’m hoping my son can get this one.




They’ve had a steady supplement of peanuts since March…hoping it pays off in health and antler growth. We even have fawns feeding on them between nursing.

At least we “think” this is the same deer. If not he’s passed his genes along almost to a T, lol.

Awesome Buck

Looks like he's in great condition.

Our deer are the same way. If a deer doesnt show promise at age 3, he is probably never going to blow up and be something special. In fact, most of deer will be at the peak at 4. They will gain mass at 5 but mostly lose a point or two. Not 100% the case - but that is surely the trend. I think that is the main reason we dont get really big deer here on a more regular basis. I read all the time in kansas or illinois of people killing these huge deer and they are seven or eight years old. A deer that old around my place will typically be a deer with short beams and two inch tines - really going downhill.

My standard though is give him a couple years rarely do I see a deer I’d shoot anymore. Big deer are not as common like they were before the die offs came about. In MO I see a lot of deer but again nothing worth shooting lots of basket racks, spikes and forks but deer are everywhere. I’m just as happy filling a doe tag if I don’t get the buck I’m looking for.

I'd say it's the same buck. And he's a massive rascal, too.

But, he will likely leave the area again...at about the same time as he did last year. Better get on him b4 that date.

But, he will likely leave the area again...at about the same time as he did last year. Better get on him b4 that date.[/quote]

Well ain’t that the truth. Sure happens here.

Have to kill those deer first week of bow season while they are still in summer pattern

Better not tell Patrick where that buck is, it will be toast.

I’d let Swamp come shoot whatever he wanted. I know he’s after a mature deer no matter the rack size. We had another at that same stand that needed killing and the managers wife ended up killing it. Previous “rules” had folks passing on him because the didn’t think it would “score” high. The deer didn’t have a tine over 6”. What he lacked in tine length he made up in main beam length and mass. That old buck scored 141” and took three of us to get him in the back of the truck.

And Mrs. Allison doesn’t have little girl hands either. That deer was an old old buck that needed killing years ago.

That is a nice buck. He has weathered some seasons.

Nice

I do have a strong desire to match wits with individual mature bucks, but I dont have legal access in WB's neck of the woods.

I appreciate that WB, but with the state limit being two......I hope to match wits with one on my properties near home and the other on the Turner County tract.

I just hope JByrd don't see this post!

We don’t grow them as big as his, lol.

He'll tell ya how you can

Had another show up on camera. We’re pretty sure he had a drop tine last year, he kept the same forked G2. He broke his drop shortly after shedding somehow. Our bucks tend to get a little rough sorting out hierarchy way before the rut starts.

4.5 yr old?