Bucks Shead Racks Early This Year
Well Tuesday was the end of our Late MLer Season here in N.Y. I had a Good Season, took the 9pt a Big Doe and on the last day at 4:30 I shot what I thought was another Big Doe.
I walked up to the Deer, looked at it and right away got My Tags out and decided to fill it out first befor it started to get dark.
I filled out My remaining MLer Season Antlerless Tag and proceded to filed dress the Deer. Right away I knew something was'nt right as the Big Doe only had 1 hole (the rectum) I thought to Myself No Way is this a Button Buck, I grabbed the Deers Head and I was right it was'nt a Button Buck but a Buck that had recently dropped his rack, Dang!
Crap, I just filled out My Tag saying it was a (Female) I cant alter it.....good I had 1 remaming Deer Mamagement Permit left so I filled out that one saying it was a Male. You can Legally Tag a Buck on a Deer Mamagement Tag or a Antlerless Tag as long as it has a Antler that is 3" or shorter or is a Button Buck.
What bothered me is earlier in the Week My Buddy Jim also shot what he thought was a Big Doe and it also was a Buck that had just dropped his rack. I have never seen this befor ever during our Late Season MLer. We had a Bad Early start to Winter here, it started to Snow here a few days into out Shotgun Season in Mid November and never stopped. The Cold and Snow was relentless. Im thinking this was a reason for the Bucks to drop there racks so early, usually this does'nt happen around here untill late January or even February.
Since then I've heard of many Bucks taken around our area that also had dropped there racks early and were mistaken for Big Does. This wont be good for next year having all these Bucks Harvested that would'nt normally have been taken. Has anyone else in the North East experienced this also?
So all in all our Late Season Mler Season was good for me, in the 9 days of the Season I took a 9pt Buck a Big Doe and a Buck that had dropped his rack. And that were all Harvested with that dang 240gr XTP Bullet.
I'll see if Sabotloader will post a few Pics for me......
(BP)