i know you said 8 pointer but even a yong deer with proper nutrition can grow a nice rack - from the body structure of the deer did it look to be a mature buck or a yonder one. 2 OR 3. i know that the yonger bucks where i hunt act just plain stupid as far a making scapes and rubs. You'll find an area with a young buck and there will be a scrape every 15 yards throughout the season and some will continue to check their scrapes i have seen into Feb and March when I am checking my fox and coyote sets.

i have had Dirt hole sets for fox and coyotes on the edges of farm fields and had deer set off my trap - I am thinking that they thaught it was a scape from another deer in the area and check it out and while pawing at it set the trap off.