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RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention. |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
Sounds like you get to do a lot of shooting at does, so that will keep you from getting bored. I would say it sounds like you have a pretty good thing going on here. How many bucks comes off your ground right now? If only one, maybe two bucks are coming off, then IMO waiting another year is not going to make a huge difference. It is your hunt, hunt it the way you want.
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RE: At what age do you take a chance?
EI...I'm not a mature buck hunter (I've never claimed otherwise). I'm an opportunist.
In my area....it's likely going to take a buck of 3.5yrs or older to top what I've already taken (inches of antler). Thats why I state I'm "likely" holding out for that age class deer. But rest assured.....if a 110" (or greater)2.5 yr old comes by my stand....I'm gonna try to kill him. When you hunt the woods I do....and have over 600 deer sightings in 2.5yrs........seeing only TWO animals from stand that were 3.5yrs (or older).....you see why I take this approach. I've been fortunate enough to kill every one I've ever seen. |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT EI...I'm not a mature buck hunter (I've never claimed otherwise). I'm an opportunist. In my area....it's likely going to take a buck of 3.5yrs or older to top what I've already taken (inches of antler). Thats why I state I'm "likely" holding out for that age class deer. But rest assured.....if a 110" (or greater)2.5 yr old comes by my stand....I'm gonna try to kill him. When you hunt the woods I do....and have over 600 deer sightings in 2.5yrs........seeing only TWO animals from stand that were 3.5yrs (or older).....you see why I take this approach. I've been fortunate enough to kill every one I've ever seen. |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: davidmil ORIGINAL: fletch920 In response to davidmil, I quite often know exactly how old the deer I see are. I have trail cam pics from year to year, shed antlers, etc. Also, in the midwest (and probably most places)it is pretty easy to tell a deers age by his body and antler mass up until about 4. We routinely send in a tooth for cross section and are seldom wrong.Also, I have several mature bucks that will share the same thousand to twelve hundred acre area. I will agree that the younger animals move off, but that is more for genetic purposes than rutting territory. And they move off long before they start to become mature with trophy potential. The 3 1/2 yr and older deeryou pass now are very likely to stay put. My young bucks (1 1/2 yr olds) move off and I get others moving in. Mature bucks will roam outside their main territory during peak rut, but that is for such a short time that it is worth the risk of letting them walk to me. It sounds like ICALL2MUCH will be in a very similar situation. I would agree that if you are hunting public ground with lots of pressure or a new piece of property it would be a much more difficult task. What a strange response. How does someone being right or posessing certain skills make them dillusional? That would suggest that you dont believe me? Does the LOL at the endnegate the backhanded insult?? |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
Let all keep in mind that even though a 3.5 year old might be the oldest deer you may be seeing in your woods, it still isnt a fully mature animal.
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RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: fletch920 ORIGINAL: davidmil ORIGINAL: fletch920 In response to davidmil, I quite often know exactly how old the deer I see are. I have trail cam pics from year to year, shed antlers, etc. Also, in the midwest (and probably most places)it is pretty easy to tell a deers age by his body and antler mass up until about 4. We routinely send in a tooth for cross section and are seldom wrong.Also, I have several mature bucks that will share the same thousand to twelve hundred acre area. I will agree that the younger animals move off, but that is more for genetic purposes than rutting territory. And they move off long before they start to become mature with trophy potential. The 3 1/2 yr and older deeryou pass now are very likely to stay put. My young bucks (1 1/2 yr olds) move off and I get others moving in. Mature bucks will roam outside their main territory during peak rut, but that is for such a short time that it is worth the risk of letting them walk to me. It sounds like ICALL2MUCH will be in a very similar situation. I would agree that if you are hunting public ground with lots of pressure or a new piece of property it would be a much more difficult task. What a strange response. How does someone being right or posessing certain skills make them dillusional? That would suggest that you dont believe me? Does the LOL at the endnegate the backhanded insult?? |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
Willie, It's a very personal descision. Only you can truly answer that question. If you consistently see older bucks you can pick and choose. Your trail cams may be a big help.
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RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: IL-Cornfed I think you have a tremendous opportunity on your property to produce some incredible whitetail with your management concept! I would strongly encourage you to go for it.... the only way to tag the older bucks you want is by passing the younger bucks up..... it's that simple.You can't shoot a 5 1/2 if you putyour tag on a 3 1/2. I don't have the luxury of unhunted neighboring properties but even so I don't shoot 3 1/2 year olds. I want the 4 1/2+ that score 150+. You certainly hunt an area that produce both the age and the scores..... go for it and best of luck to ya! |
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: early in ORIGINAL: GMMAT I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention. |
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