RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

I believe you are mistaken thinking the 5 point is MUCH older. Old deer almost ALWAYS grow an impressive rack. Unless injured I'm guessing your 5 pointer is either just a larger bodied yearling or a 2 year old. Chances of a 5 year old with a tiny 5 point rack are next to ZERO IMO.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

I believe this was your comment on a reply to another members question..

"Shoot whatever makes you happy and will be proud of" or "only you can answer that question"

So my question to you is...why doesn't your own answer apply to your question?

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

My thoughts exactly. However, everyone seems to think that 2.5 and 3.5 year old bucks have reached their full potential. People a whitetail deer does not reach his full potentian and is not fully mature until around age 6. After that they usually start declining a bit.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

I agree 100%

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

Kroje:

That's why I'm asking the question! If I thought shooting the old guy was the right thing to do.....it would make my decision a lot easier. I'd "like" to shoot an 8-pointer. I've never shot an 8-pointer. But....if it would help out with the deer herd around here.....I'd like to take the "right" deer for the herd. I'd like to educate myself to the best of my (and everyone here's) ability.....and THEN make an eductated decision.

If this deer's a 2.5 yr old......then he's either a very odd deer.....or all of my other bucks I'm seeing are 1.5. He's much darker coated in pigment.....and his muzzle is very greyish.

Tell ya what.....I'm gonna continue to pass on him.....and we'll talk about him next year if he makes it through gun season. I'm all for an experiment!

Jeff

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

I'm pretty darn certain that most of the bucks I see when hunting are one and a half. I don't know where you hunt, but I believe this is the case in many areas. I'd also be surprised that a 5 year old deer would only grow 5 points unless there is something wrong with it. IMHO, it's difficult to age a more mature buckon the hoof anyway unless you live in an area where 5 and 6 year old bucks are commonand you see them all the time. Around here, 5 1/2 year old deer are rare and if that's what I held out for, I'd never get a deer.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

I hunt my families land and it is not alot. I have access to 240 acres so I have to do what I can. That being said there is no way I would pass up what I considered a nice buck. The thought of he "might" be around next year is not near what the thought of "he probably won't" be around next year is. If I don't take him then someone will. It might be another hunter, a poacher, or someone in their car. The chances of a deer making it to 4 or 5 in my area is not real good.So I think all the answers to this have varying situations that must be taken into account.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

SB
young deer can have some gray on them and be dark colored. Color is not even in my criteria when I try to field age a deer. body size, rack size(mass especially), and body shape. 1.5 yr old bucks around here can go from spikes to 12" 8's. once a deer gets old, he's going to be impressive.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

Deer color / muzzle color has nothing to do with age. A gray face on a buck is not necessarily old...though it generally is older.

Many guys that are used to hunting yearlings with small racks have never seen a truely mature and therefore BIG buck. A yearling usually looks similar to a doe. When in rut the neck will swell and appear bigger. A 2 year old will have a larger body frame, but still be lean. Usually a bit front heavy. Even a 3 1/2 year old is still fairly sleek though at that age they are usually pretty muscular and very front heavy (with a huge rutting neck). Once a buck reaches 4 he gets very big and fills out all the way through. A 4 year old is no longer front heavy. At 5 and 6 a buck will develop the pot belly and these are the deer capable of going 250++ pounds. Most hunters will never encounter a truely mature buck. Many large racked deer are only 3 year olds.

RE: To all the "Mature Deer"/"Trophy" hunters
 

Lol. Id take the younger one regardless of rack. I hunt for the better meat. Just like this weekend. I had a couple of giant mud movers with great big tusks(boar hogs) in a field and a few smaller ones. I arrowed the smallest, a 150lber because the meat is better. But to each his own. As long as the meat is not wasted for a set of antlers.