It doesn't matter, grizzly. No offense. They were both mature deer.

Every time we have a discussion like this.....the detractors (the same ones who accuse me of attempting to detract from their accomplishments) skip right over the attempts and just call my taxidermist a hack.

It just gets old.

They were mature.

Well Jeff, if you are not having to hunt them, where is the challenge. Heck I would just stay home if it was that easy where I hunt.

LT

I learn more each year. For the last 5 years or so I have slowly gotten better at hunting deer 2.5 years old. I have NEVER killed a mature deer. I have seen 2 maybe 3 mature deer in the last 5 years,two of themwithin 35 yards, but I could not get a shot due to 35 mph winds on one, and the other was behind too much cover. So I put myself at around 5% knowledeable about some of the characteristics of seeing mature deer.........that is SEEING. Hunting them on the other hand, I put myself at 0% since I have never killed one or even launched an arrow on one.

Not trying to offend you Jeff, I wasjust curious. I sent the jaw bone to the state biologist on all my bucks, thought you might have done the same.I must have missed the other post what dose your taxidermist say?

I know enough to get myself into "trouble" every now and then

Anybody who thinks they know everything about mature whitetails has a lot to learn.

Farmcntry and I use the same taxi....

His name is Keith Bowman....and he's a national champion in his field. He's regarded as a deer "expert" in these parts. He jawbone ages every deer he's asked to (by his clients) and others where people are simply "interested". I can tell you that my bio and Keith are on a first name basis......and there's a lot of mutual respect, there. Keith (and his son) has taken some WONDERFUL animals from our state.....and most from right around his home (Stokes county).

He did the work on my '06 buck and aged him at 3.5yrs. He did the taxi work on my '07 buck (a buck I'd been hunting for 3 seasons) and aged him at 4.5yrs. I had no idea on my '06 buck.....but the '07 one....I thought HAD to be at least 4.5.

I don't claim to know anything about "mature buck hunting" in general......because I've always claimed I don't go out looking for these guys. In my woods....I find that practice "futile". I hunt the does and take what I can during the magic time.

That's why I said.....It doesn't bother me if people want to refer to this mature buck hunting as being very, very hard.....or very, very easy. I'll take either description and be OK with it.

So....I dont know anything.....other than I seem to be in the right places at the right times.

Thats OK by me Jeff and for the recored, I thinkyour an accomplished hunter. I've seen those twodeer and justtrying to get an idea of what your hunting.

I didn't see 110% so I couldn't HONESTLY vote. I just know I forgot more than Greg H knows.

Nothing like beginners luck is there GMMAT!!