ORIGINAL: huntr4lfe
My cousin shot a deer that was aged at 2 1/2 and scored in the 160s. I think it is all in the genetics and what they eat. If I'm going off of antlers/horns (does it really matter?) alone I look at the mass of it. Is this accurate? I would like your opinions on that also. Also it amazes me at how small the body of your buck was. Most doe are bigger than that here.
Congrats! It's a great deer!
I hunt about 45mins north of where he shot that deer. Mass is great way around here to field judge a deer. The more he has, the older typically. There was 8 pt at the butcher the other day that was thick, and they aged him at 4.5, he also had a huge body. but the deer that would score better was a 2.5yr 11point with 15inch tines laying next to him. Genetics always helps and food is huge. Around here mass comes with age though.
And yeah that deer does have a small body. The average weight of the bucks me, my dad and a friend shot this year all dressed over 160lbs. But that still is a nice deer, and really wide, which isnt that common around here.