Well, I read these posts about shooting trophies and I can't help but think of my experience on 11/30. While hunting a new area I was fortunate to take a nice buck. He would score as a typical 7 point but actually had 10 scorable points with a 3" drop tine. The deer will only gross low 120's but he was very unique. While admiring the kill I began to try and guess the age of the deer. Estimating 3-1/2, I proceeded to the locker to get the deer processed. I was fortunate that there was a game biologist there that scored the deer for me. The deer was 5-1/2 years old. This really made me realize how difficult it can be to judge a deer on the hoof. I've been hunting for over 30 years with the last 12 exclusively with a bow. I try and keep my scores over 130 P&Y but it's not always easy. I've gone 3-4 years without a buck before. I just wanted to express my opinion that trophies are within ones own eyes. I will never just kill to do so, I always have my own guidelines that I try and follow. I'm very fortunate in that I hunt at least 3 days a week on an evening or morning and all day on weekends. I keep a log of everyday I hunt and it's really amazing to go back and relive some of these moments. Well, my will score out like this.
Right Side G-1 - 4" Left Side G-1 - 3-1/2"
G-2 - 10-1/2" G-2 - 10"
G-3 - 7" G-3 - none
G-4 - 2" G-4 - none
Circ. 14" Circ. 13-1/2"
Main Bm 20-1/2" Main Bm 20"
I/S spread 15"
Non-typical pts. 5"

A very unique rack. I'll try and get some pictures and post. Good luck on your hunts.

J. Shoot

Searching

Sounds like a good buck to me, score doesn't mean anything if you like the rack. Lets see them pictures!

"We do not inherit our wildlife from our fathers, we only borrow it from our children."

I agree with rooster. Sounds like a nice buck. If you don't want him, send him over to me. I'll hang him on my wall! LOL

KEEP IT LEGAL. KEEP IT SAFE. OR WE MAY NOT GET TO KEEP IT AT ALL.

To me every non-typical is a shooter, I just love a non-typical rack.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

Sounds like a nice buck! Contrary to some, (other threads) a trophy is in the eyes of the hunter shooting the animal. You only have to please yourself!!!!!!

Sounds like a really neat looking deer. Congrats, and can't wait to see the pictures.

JRW

A 5 1/2 year old buck is a trophy in
anyones book. Score means nothing
when it comes to the difficulty of taking
that animal...age/experience, on the
other hand, is a different story. Though
I have gone several years before without
tagging one, I always hold out for a
mature buck and love the challenge it
brings. I've been lucky enough to take
some nice bucks with a bow and the one
I'm proudest of is a nontypical I shot
last year. He was 5 1/2-6 1/2 yrs old and
scored a big fat zero...even though his
right side has over 100" of antler. Just
because a buck doesn't score well doesn't
make him any easier to put a tag on.

Congrats to you<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>. Can't wait for the pics.


TB