Up until about 20 years ago, I thought nothing of a deers age, just what it had on its head. 10 points or more, it got an arrow.
I look back now and see these mounts and think.. what could have they became?

I doubt any would have dressed out over 140# leading to believe they were " future" giants in the making.
Most bucks here will dress about 160/170#as 3 year olds so these were most likely genetically superb 2.5 year olds.
Archery deer is next week. Just reminiscing on years gone by.

Yep not impressive...
I like a young buck.

I’m with ya! That bottom rack of just the antlers would’ve been SWEET even if he was just 3.5 and given another couple of years.
Granted, not everything will grow a trophy rack with age, but when given time and they do, it can make you lose some sleep, lol. We’re trying to find one now that my son is after and he’s elusive!! He’ll be his biggest bow kill yet if we can get him pinpointed. I don’t think I have anything over 150’s, but we’ll see after they shed their velvet.

I have spikes and other small yearling bucks I have killed. at the time I was happy enough to kill them even saves the bone. I wouldn't shoot them now but I won't be un happy with the fact I killed them then. I'm as proud of them now as I was then they are good memories and part of my journey. wouldn't be any fun to jump right to the end into trophy hunting and miss the journey and memories along the way.

Wanna be, here is a pic of him. It was a year a was traveling for coyote tournaments and I needed to be done bowhunting for the year.
Guessing he was about 130/ 140# dressed out.

Apparently those 3 squeeker bucks were
missing their backstraps & tender loins !!!

Savell your coyotes are the same as ours, no matter how long they live they’ll never compare to those western coyotes. Actually I think y’all’s have more fur than ours, lol!

PF for the win.

I don’t trophy hunt, we just let them live to reach whatever potential they can reach. I’ll take a 6.5yr old 130” 8pt over a 150” 3.5yr old any day of the week. That’s a true trophy.

sounds good to me. honestly whatever a man's personal trophy is to him and it's a legal kill I'm always happy for them. each hunter and hunt are individually and deeply personal and we all are at a different place in our journey. as long as we are geting out and enjoy God's creation its a good hunt weather it's a 90lb doe# 220" buck or just a day you let every deer walk by and you got a few good pictures.

One of my favorite songs there Savell

can't think of a buck I ever regret shooting

deer are thick , one year every deer we shot was injured by a car hit

so it is me or the highway often

I feel like I put them to better use as meat

this includes the 3 pointer I shot this last year , it was already filled out in the body , just a nothing of a rack

Seems about right to me

I’ve decided to let this one become all he can. I’m hoping some day he will be in the cover of North American whitetail magazine. Or maybe as a lead role in a nature movie starring Gerald the booner in training.

I agree

Here are a couple that I'm letting grow to see what they become!

You hunting near Surry VA nuclear Spike??

Personally I believe whatever a hunter shoots is their business But I can't help smiling after i pull the trigger knowing my neighbors are clutching their groin and racked with sobs either thinking I shot THEIR buck they had on camara forever or GASP I shot a small buck

I try the trophy thing and never really like it, I'm back to hunting for meat, my dad was always a meat hunter,

I am curious about this one