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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
I'm really interested in knowing how people can look at a buck from a treestand 25 yards away and know with certainty whether he is 3.5 or 4.5 years old? Anybody can pick out the 1.5 year olds and 2.5 year olds, but once they hit 3.5 they all look mature to me (at least on TV - I don't think I've ever seen a 3.5 year old buck in Michigan, except at the zoo).
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
Someone mentioned shooting a buck with a broken rack. Here is an example of that. Our place is not high fenced but we do share one fence line with a high fence. We were working around the place and saw the buck hang his antler in the fence and break it off while still in velvet. I saw the buck probably 10 times while hunting. He was 3 1/2 then. Fast forward one year. His right side was 1/2 of a typical 10, but his left side still showed the affects of the damage from the year before. It had a brow tine, a funny 3 to 5 inch kicker off the back of the rack and then just the big split. I had decided to shot him, but when I got the chance he had again damaged his left antler, so after a lot of thought I decided to let him go. With out the damage I think he would have been a typical 10 point and on this place we really don't have that many. Most of ours are slick 8's. He was put on the don't shot list for the year with the hopes that we would help from the management side of the world. Turns out that at the end of season another hunter in a low light situation confused him with another buck and shot him, but at least he got though the rut. I don't regret my decision. With a complete set of antlers I would have shot him, without I let him walk. I also included a pic of the buck that I did shoot. He was aged at 4 1/2.
-john Buck before breaking his antler.  Buck after damage.  Buck I took instead.  |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: gzg38b I'm really interested in knowing how people can look at a buck from a treestand 25 yards away and know with certainty whether he is 3.5 or 4.5 years old? Anybody can pick out the 1.5 year olds and 2.5 year olds, but once they hit 3.5 they all look mature to me (at least on TV - I don't think I've ever seen a 3.5 year old buck in Michigan, except at the zoo). it's only a guess, looking at your deer in the avatar I would guess 3.5. |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
I'm really interested in knowing how people can look at a buck from a treestand 25 yards away and know with certainty whether he is 3.5 or 4.5 years old? But for my purposes (and it seems a LOT of others)....as long as I know he's 3.5.....I don't care if he's 3.5 or 10.;) |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
qzq38b in our neck of the woods the deer are fairly hard to age, but I cheat and have game cameras out. I have been fairly lucky at finding the same backs over multiple years which really helps with the aging.
-john |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
the more I hunt deer.....the more I find I respect the guys who DO put age structure before " of antler. And Hillbilly.....Don't make fun of me because I can read and write But the guy shooting the 100"'ers with the "jawbones" might could. :eek:;):D |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: Germ ORIGINAL: gzg38b I'm really interested in knowing how people can look at a buck from a treestand 25 yards away and know with certainty whether he is 3.5 or 4.5 years old? Anybody can pick out the 1.5 year olds and 2.5 year olds, but once they hit 3.5 they all look mature to me (at least on TV - I don't think I've ever seen a 3.5 year old buck in Michigan, except at the zoo). it's only a guess, looking at your deer in the avatar I would guess 3.5. I never had him aged, so I have no idea how old he was. He could have been 4.5 with a small rack, or 2.5 with a huge body. Who knows how old he was?  |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
you may also have to take a hunter's safety course, so I'd get to checkin' asap. Generally other states hunting licenses are respected as far as hunter's safety is concerned (although you never know with kookifornia), but whether another country's license will pass the mustard is questionable I would think I hope you can understand this without needing a translator:D;) Your M.O. form the political forum precedes you. Stick around. This place can be fun, too. |
RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
ORIGINAL: gzg38b ORIGINAL: Germ ORIGINAL: gzg38b I'm really interested in knowing how people can look at a buck from a treestand 25 yards away and know with certainty whether he is 3.5 or 4.5 years old? Anybody can pick out the 1.5 year olds and 2.5 year olds, but once they hit 3.5 they all look mature to me (at least on TV - I don't think I've ever seen a 3.5 year old buck in Michigan, except at the zoo). it's only a guess, looking at your deer in the avatar I would guess 3.5. I never had him aged, so I have no idea how old he was. He could have been 4.5 with a small rack, or 2.5 with a huge body. Who knows how old he was?
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RE: Mature buck "Age structure" the "Great Equalizer"?
Yep who knows, and from the looks of him who cares[8D] He is a pig!!!! I don't know if I've ever seen theentire deer in that photo. Congrats.;) |
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