I don't know how much my story will help, but I killed my new "oldest" buck just last season. He was an estimated 7 1/2 years old. That's my estimate, I didn't get him out until after the check stations had closed down for the season. My brother got his buck that same day, which made it doubly special. 'Twas the next-to-the-last day of the season, and we were half-resigned to maybe not getting bucks at all, just really hoping one of us would score. His buck grossed 130 but was "only" 4 1/2. This was in Montana.

You're in NY, a continent away, so things may be different there. Still, I would seriously doubt that one buck would be "big" for eight years hand running. Assuming he was 3 1/2 years old eight years ago, you're talking about a buck that would have been 11 1/2 years old last season! IF he actually lived that long, his antlers shouldn't be that big any more. (My buck was only a 7 pointer grossing 113, and weighing approx. 210 lbs. on the hoof. He was extremely run down from the rut.)

I'd say you're talking about a different buck last season from the one of eight years ago. Possibly the buck you saw last year is son/grandson of the buck eight years ago.