I see a lot of your bucks have tall and tight racks, is that common for your area or do you get some wide racks to?
Pretty common character for this area, tall, tight and lots of junk around the bases and brows (which these don't have the junk). Several years ago I started managing for tens and large eights here around home and though I lost some good stuff over the last few years from losing focus on management for a while (and crappy neighbors on one side), I can still see a lasting effect. We have wide racks once in a while, I actually harvested a 9 point with a 21" inside spread from a stand directly to the right of that camera a few years ago (134" deer). I made the mistake of letting him walk the year before in hopes he'd gain inches from a low 140's and he lost being 7 years old the year I took him. Last year we had one that was a near twin to the wide 9 I took a few years ago but he was super aggressive and busted up badly on both sides. I believe he's got room yet as a 4.5 year old last year, I've not seen him yet this year but things are just getting rolling here so we'll see. I have a few tens that are neither wide or tall, lol. A couple are getting fairly old so I guess they will remain tight with decent tine length, that's fine...all taste the same.
I will as long as I keep getting pics. I only have two properties left that I've not pulled cards on and three cameras between the three properties. The one property I was getting some studs on last year so I'm hoping something big shows up over there. Consequently, this is the wide 8 point I had on cams last year that I mentioned in post #23 that broke up bad last year and is a near twin to the one I have on the wall. I don't think he's quite as wide but he's got some spread going on here. Was hoping he'd gain more this year than he has. Okay so the neighbor on the east side of one of the MO properties sent me this pic of the deer I called "Tall Ten" last year. We're thinking he might go 160? I found both his sheds back in May...cool looking deer.
I like that Tall 10, not real wide but makes up for it height. I have been fighting all summer to locate a mature buck and just this past week I finally got a pic of one. You never know what will show up in the summer!
Yeah I really like Tall Ten, I'd love to see what he is as a 5 year old but I doubt he'll make it. The neighbor that got that pick is the same guy that shot the OMG buck last year and I'm not certain how dedicated to staying on his own property he is or if Tall Ten will move back solely on our property and away from the neighbors pasture. I've never gotten the guy on trail cams so I assume he is good to stay on his side of the fence. I know he won't hold off on shooting Tall Ten as a 4.5 year old, most guys are good if they can let a 3.5 year old walk, let alone a 4.5 year old like that one. Our property minimum age of 5.5 is rough sometimes just because we're the only ones around that will commit to the age structure. Occupational hazard, everyone wants the old mature bucks but few will let them get there. Hopefully you get more than just pics of that mature buck this year! You're right, you never know what will show up. Deer hunting is kind of like fishing in a river, you just never know for sure what's there...You might only catch 2 pound carp or a 120 pound blue cat.
Its great if you can stick to your standard of bucks, its the only way to shoot the most elite buck. It does suck if your neighbors standards are lower than yours, then they let you grow them and all they have to do is shoot them. The buck in my avatar is a 5.5 year old and is the oldest I have shot, and I have since raised my standard to a 4.5 or older. But make really tough hunting, and I wouldnt hav it any other way. The area I hunt is rare to see a buck over 4.5, In Maryland you can shoot 4 bucks thru out the season. Here is a pic of the buck I got so far.
Thats a dinger! Yeah, it's tough but it makes it interesting for sure. No matter how hard I try, I can't really hold it against any of the neighbors for shooting a 3.5 year old or a 4.5 year old buck that they like the looks of. Even here, anything over 130" is getting into the exceptional category with the mean average being probably 120" overall and 6-8 points being the norm. 10+ points and it's going to be damn hard for guys here to hold off of even if they are management minded...I've been there too. I feel lucky to be where I am at this point and be able to hold to a higher standard so it's just a personal thing, I'm fortunate to be in this area and have so much time in successful management in the area or I'd never be able to hold such high standards. 5+ year olds aren't "common" here but there are enough of them at this point that chances of having an encounter with a few over season are pretty good for a seasoned hunter. Even if it's mostly because of us producing them, if I get good chances at deer that I like then it's worth the effort.
