Per Germ's request, these pics are from my place in PA. They will show the type of bucks we have seen from the beginning of our "project" to what is common today. **Edit, Please Read** - This property is posted, and privately owned. I've experienced "issues" with people reading my stuff online and trespassing in the past. Please know that if caught, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I'm not even kidding. As you can see, there are enough cameras out on this property to make it not worth trying. Please respect what we have worked hard to accomplish here and come talk to us if you would like to hunt. While we started seeing a major difference in buck/doe ratio last year, it was only this year that we really started seeing a major difference in buck age structure. We started passing bucks on this property in 2003 (at least 1.5's), but didn't get a camera until 2004. I'll start with 2004 on this post, and then a new post for every year. I'll include deer that we got on camera, and bucks that have been taken (only 3 in 6 years from this place). Unfortunately, in 2004, most of my pics ended up on another PC which is now dead. I've only got this one. We did have pics of another half dozen or so 1.5's, and then one other that I believed to be 2.5. 2004:
2005 - No bucks taken this year either. We passed a LOT of them though. I also have some other pics on that other PC that are now lost, but nothing to write home about. If I remember correctly, there were another 3 or so 1.5's.
2006: After passing a ridiculous amount of bucks over 3 years, I ended up shooting what I believed to be a 2.5 at the time. He was actually 1.5.
2007: Can't seem to find all of the pics from this year, but basically these pics and there were several other 1.5's running around. When I shot this buck, I honestly thought he was a 3.5, but jaw inspection showed he was only 2.5. He dressed out at 168lbs.
2008: Dan aged this buck at 3.5. He wasn't impressive in the rack but had the biggest body of any deer I've taken with archery equipment. He was so long I couldn't get the nose off the floor when he was on the scale, but with the nose touching pretty good, the scale was reading 170lbs. He was likely a 175-180lb deer dressed out. Link to a video of a pair of 1.5's under my tree: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ringostar40/Hunting Pics/?action=view¤t=MOV03851.flv
2009: Unfortunately no pics of anything dead yet. Some VERY close encounters though with several of these deer, including the biggest 8 walking past Dan at 30 yards while his bow was still on the ground......lol. Rob also passed the 2nd largest 8 here with the broken end on the main beam (3rd pic down). There is also another 8 that is MUCH bigger than all of these deer that I have no pics of, but have seen personally a handful of times, that I honestly believe to be a 4.5 y/o deer and in the 130 class. I think this sampling of what we have running around is really starting to show a healthy age structure on these bucks. I can't wait to get back down there after the rifle season, and see what we are able to do during late season. Next year should be pretty good too I imagine...........
This is by far one of the coolest threads I've ever read. Awesome work you've guys done to get where you are.. instead of being part of the problem.. you became part of the solution. That takes A TON of dedication.. learning.. and patience. Seriously.. very cool. Congrats.
He does deserve a lot. I've passed 2.5's at Matt's and have taken a doe. Here in lies the problem and epitomizes PA. Matt has issues with poachers/trespassers. He's thrown off several and this year alone we've found at least 2 treestands that are trespassers. The one 2.5, maybe a stud 1.5 has a archery wound across his back. May or may not be a tresspasser but sure as hell doesn't help either. I've thrown a trespasser off my sole property this year as well.Also, In my "Hollow", one morning as light gathered, low and behold there was a ladder stand 30 yards away. I know for a fact that didn't belong there nor it's owner have permission. Okay, end of Rant. Matt does deserve a lot of credit. It's a shame he doesn't have a lot more cooperation with the surrounding area.
Matt thanks for sharing, I know you had your reservations due to past problems. Matt's been a huge help to me with my plots/management plan and really shows what can happen if you set your mind to it. I think that with some determination, habitat management, selective shooting, and the AR, PA has come a long way in the last few years. I have a similar trend with my trail cam pics. 4 or 5 years ago it was a celebration to get pics of a 2.5 year old with 80-90 inches on his head. It's only getting better. Thanks for sharing Matt.
