I'm new to this whole hunting side of life. Been to busy fishin tournaments all my life, have since given up that dream and transferred some energy to hunting due to my wifes family's interest. And it is addicting as you all know. Being the way I am however, I don't want to kill a young buck for my first buck, I guess I am greedy. But, should I have passed this guy up at 3:00 in the afternoon my first day of a 3 day hunt? 20 yards, broadside, was already drawn on him and changed my mind. I think at best he is 3.5 y/o.........right?
I would have guessed a little older than 3 1/2 years comparing him to deer here in Maine, but it's hard to tell without seeing his whole face... And If I saw that bastard on public land I would've poked him. If it was a large piece of private land where you could gamble that he'd be alive next year and the year after, there is a lot or merit to passing him up. That's how monsters are made...
Well he is consistently on my 160 acres, but I am sure he roams a significantly bigger area than that. I am hoping he makes it another year. I have daylight pictures of one I think is 5.5 y/o and I am hoping he makes an appearance next week!
Hard to judge age without knowing the region. In Michigan I would guess 2.5 down state, and 3.5 in the U.P.
Good luck in your quest, you can't fill your tag with a trophy if you get impatient and shoot a smaller one.
