The question has come up before. Do you shoot what you believe to be a 4.5+ deer with a small rack or a younger one with a more desirable rack.

This deer looks like to me it is definitely 4.5+ with emphasis on the plus. I can't tell whether his horns or deformed or broken or some of both. If they are broken, I'd sure like to find the buck that broke them.

This deer appears to be the biggest bodied deer I've ever seen on this farm. I have one buck tag for the county. I have seen this deer once in daylight but about 100 yards away. He is big.

Not counting him, I have seen three shooters in the low 130 range and a few more on the trail cam. The next two weeks should be the peak of the seeking and chasing phase of the rut. I have more doe tag than I can fill and still have over 40 days of the season left and am not worried whether I fill a buck tag or not.

But this deer has me intrigued.

#1. Do you agree he is a 4.5+ and if so, do you take him if given the opportunity. While I don't have another tag for this farm, I do have another buck tag for another county which is only 20 miles away.


#2. Regardless of #1, do you think his horns were broken or deformed?

I added a pic ofa 2.5yo for comparison purposes. Our 2.5 yo will typically field dress in the 140-150# range.





The 2.5 yo