At what age do you take a chance?
06-27-2008, 06:19 AM
#21
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention.
I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention.
06-27-2008, 06:27 AM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 1,559
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.
06-27-2008, 06:28 AM
#23
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
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.
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.
06-27-2008, 06:35 AM
#24
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
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.
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.
06-27-2008, 08:37 AM
#25
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: IOWA
Posts: 400
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: davidmil
That's why I said 90 percent of the people would be wrong. I left room for dillusional people to be right. LOL
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.
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??
06-27-2008, 04:51 PM
#27
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: IOWA
Posts: 400
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: fletch920
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??
ORIGINAL: davidmil
That's why I said 90 percent of the people would be wrong. I left room for dillusional people to be right. LOL
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.
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??
06-27-2008, 05:06 PM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lake County, Il
Posts: 2,205
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.
06-27-2008, 05:06 PM
#29
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RAYVILLE,LA.
Posts: 818
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!
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!
06-27-2008, 05:12 PM
#30
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RAYVILLE,LA.
Posts: 818
RE: At what age do you take a chance?
ORIGINAL: early in
A buck younger than 3 1/2 wouldn't be "mature", how else would he get YOUR attention? Would "inches" have anything to do with it?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention.
I "might" shoot a younger buck if he gets my attention.