One of my lost deer from last year finally showed back up! I had pics of him in Feb with one antler off and then lost track of him and he'd been MIA so far this summer until now. I named this one Meat Hook last year. He's missing an abrupt upswept point above his left base this year but has gained a bit otherwise. He's got to be one of two of our oldest deer...look at that gut and brisket. 2013 pic
Haha. I'm going to guess he was 6.5 last year and go with 7.5 this year. I posted a 2013 pic in the OP for comparison. It's said that they can increase to 8.5, looks like he gained some mass and inches this year yet though I can't tell for sure as he also changed structure somewhat. His brows are better and the right G3 is way better but he lost the left bottom hook and the left g2 stickers are less than last year so maybe he didn't gain overall. Still though, he doesn't seem to be sagging under his chin yet, which seems to be the only characteristic old trait he doesn't have so I feel he fits 7.5 pretty well. The only deer I've seen this year that looks to compete with him age wise is this one half rack in the background:
I always find myself rooting for the buck in these stories. Good luck to both of you... "may the better woodsman win."
You know... I'm not sure I could actually shoot MH if he walked in front of me. After watching him for two years he's one of my favorite to watch for. As many deer as we have for me to fill my needs, I'm not sure I feel all that compelled to kill him at this point. He's old so he likely isn't going to last that long anyway and has served his purpose with a long life too so there's that. Besides he's a ghost, I've spent unknown hours on that property both hunting and working and I've never seen him in person and I don't believe I've ever gotten a daytime pic of him. He also never wonders away from that side of the property to my knowledge and there are old coal dumps and heavy brush just south of this field the camera is on.
Great deer! You know as soon as you decide to not shoot him he will walk by your stand every day your hunting in that area.
I think in the heat of the moment I might take the shot. I had a buck like that and that was all I could focus on. Never saw him in persons but had hundreds of pics and he had 50-75 pounds on any bucks in the area. His rack just got more mass and less points ever year.
