Plodder

I have been weighing harvested deer for the last 10 years. All deer were weighed after being field dressed. I mainly hunt in Central MN (farms/woods). I was wondering if anyone else weigh their deer and what they weigh on average? The does we weigh are usually in the 105-120 pound category and the bucks in the 115-150. We have weighed a doe as high as 135 and a couple of the nicer bucks went 185, 193, and 205. The 193 had a P&Y score of 143. I hear from other hunters who "guess" there deer weights in the 150's for does and 180 and above for bucks, I just don't see it. The deer are not small for MN where I hunt. Just looking for other observations! We use a Hanson game scale. Someone I hunt with shot a nice 8 pointer the other day, only 115 or so. Thanks and have a great season!

Dacotah

My Dad shot a non-typical next door to you in central North Dakota that weighed 230 field dressed. I was with when he was weighed, and was one heck of a big deer. So I know first hand they can get at least that big. I should add that it was the biggest deer I've even seen in person by far.





Edited by - Dacotah on 09/25/2002 14:51:22

HuntingBry

Blodder and Dacotah, coming from where you guys do I would imagine you come across some big bodied deer. However, I think most guys guess how big their deer are by how bad their back hurts from dragging the thing.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> I think there is a lot of overestimating done by a lot of hunters. This year I shot the biggest doe I have ever shot and she went 110 dressed and I would guess she was 135 to 140 on the hoof. Dragging her I would have guessed her at a lot more and she looked big when alive. So I gotta agree, most people are either mistaken or trying to pad their egos.

Edited by - huntingbry on 09/25/2002 15:10:09

Bill Curlis

The first deer i ever shot weighed 225 field dressed on a scale at the butcher. Won the big buck contest for that year. I have never been over 180 since. That deer came from Ohio farm land. I have seen bigger.

skeeter 7MM

Up here a lot of our mature bucks are in the 300 range on the hoof, choice farmland, harsh climate and longer lifespan attribute to the sizes for sure.

Does skinned out most ave. 100-120.

However the only time I have asked weight is at the butcher shop. The biggest deer last fall at the shop I saw was a Mulie buck, skinned out it was 324...a small horse!

BrianDamage

there's a picture of the world's biggest (not rack size) deer killed by hunter in Leonard Lee Rue III ' &quot;The Deer of North America&quot;.....killed in the late 50's... estimated live weight of 450 lbs
[*]NRA Annual Member www.nra.org[*]TNUSA Annual Member www.tnugent.com[*]NAHC[*]GOA[*]IDPA

bugsNbows

I'd also say that alot of overestimating occurs. I hunt western NY and we also weigh all deer on a hanson hanging scale. Our largest buck was a 193lb ten pointer. It was taken about 15 years ago! The average 2.5 year old in our area weighs around 150-160 lbs. dressed. Yearlings are about 110-120 lbs. But to hear everybody talk, every deer taken is over 200 lbs. I don't buy it for a minute. I'll guarantee that a long, tough drag enters into the equation... along with &quot;braggin' rights&quot;.

trapperDave

I agree most people dont know squat about judging dressed weight,the exception would be a livestock farmer or butcher.

shed33

Plodder,

In 1996 my brother and I started weighing bucks with a certified 300lb scale. We have never weighed a doe but our bucks over that past 7 season (counting this one) have field dressed any where from 160lbs to 220 lbs. Whitetails only. We live in Northern Idaho. Our deer put on good weight if they get passed 3 1/2. Especially in the agricultural areas. The Mountain/Forest Land bucks tend to weigh less based on my observations versus others bucks from the farm country. My uncle owns a butcher shop and he keeps track of all the weights. We see the tendancies there. Most of our harvests come from the Mountain/Forest Habitat. I tried to attach a bunch of photos of those bucks to this post, but I couldnt get it to work. The bucks over the past seven years are all at least 3 1/2 years old and score on a gross scale from 115 to 140 class.

Good post, I often think &quot;estimated&quot; weights are overexaggerated. That's why we bought the scale.

Good Luck
Shed33

BOWFANATIC

We only weigh them when we harvest something that looks bigger than normal. In 1992 I shot a doe that went 193 pounds field dressed<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>
Last year my buck went 185 , the year before I got an 8pt that weighed 180. But on average , I would say 110-120 for does and 130-150 for bucks.



Edited by - bowfanatic on 09/26/2002 13:42:41