Probably because he was willing to pass on similar deer in the past and now has some outrageous deer running around. The one in the pic only looks 3.5-4.5 years old, he could gain an extra 10-15% or so next year.
High 150s low 160s, 4.5yo for sure, he could gain 10-15% like Covey said or he could lose that much, you never know!
I was gonna say an easy 150; but I'm not sure how Covey could age him from just a frontal shot. I'm not saying he can't; but I'm not comfortable doing it from that angle. Those G3s are insane!
I concur with Covey on age thoughts...and just shy of 160. I couldn't pass but props to you if you can.
I can only dream of hunting a place like that. I'm bowhunting the only shooter on the place which is a 8 pointer that will score 140's.
For sure it takes a gutsy call for most anyone. It takes some pretty exceptional circumstances to have a lot of success/gains by passing deer like that and getting a mature age structure for sure. I have pretty good conditions here to do it but still have set backs. You can't own the world and deer have their own mindset. There will always be neighbors and deer silly enough to get off property and get shot off property. One of my top two was standing on my property right next to the darn highway and across from another hunter's pickup...three hundred yards from my stand when I left to come home. All you can do is make the decision and live with the consequences while hoping for the best. The deer I've grown to maturity live on my property and have given me ample opportunity to hunt them, if I can't make it happen and they get killed off property I don't consider it as much of a wasted effort letting them go young as I do my own stupid fault for not being able to harvest them after they made it to 5.5 years old.
He's definitely in the 50s and it's a good thing you're hunting him because if he came by my stand we wouldn't know what he might score next year. Blessings........Pastorjim
My major problem started when the Amish Tribe moved into the area about 8 years ago. Downhill every since.....
Wow! Wish I could say I would let a buck like that go for another year. I would fall slam out the tree stand if I saw him.
Thanks everyone for the input I really appreciate it. And I finally go a look at him standing of the road on some property I can't hunt. But even if I get lucky enough for him to come by I just wont be able to take him. My conditions aren't the best for letting deer grow but then again its not horrible. If let him go that's just one more chance he'll have to make it to next year. But thanks again everybody.
He's a beauty.. i'd put at the mid 150's. I personally would't let him walk, but If the circumstances were such that I knew he was a resident buck and the neighbors would give him another year than i'd be on board with that too.
