I've never shot a clean 5x5, a 10 pointer. I passed on one this year because he had a snapped off g-2. He would have grossed about 133". In my mind he wasn't "clean" anymore. He wasn't what I had in mind. It is my choice isn't it? I decided to wait for something else. No problem with that is there?

Nah, he gets mounted just like I shot him. Some year I'm going to hopefully get a crack at a busted up goofy looking rack and I'll put him on the wall for that reason alone, not because he's an older deer. After that most busted up racks would get a pass from me being I do like Inches as well.

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Greg, would you have shot him, if he had that g2?

Yes. I've stated it many times in the "goal" threads. I want a clean 5x5 or something bigger than X.

I see your point...but to play Devil's Advocate...He doesnt have that g2. Would you have shot that 80" 2.5 if he was a 125" instead? Well of course, but it doesn't.

Some guys are on the age trip, some on the antlers trip, and some are both. They recognize and respect how older bucks are smarter and wiser, yet they want to take them out on top...to them, it would be kind of a shame to Kill the buck when he wasn't on his prime (antler speaking) But Im like you, barely busted up, Im droppin the hammer.....It may come with success, ifI killed a mature deer year in and year out, I too would start looking to fill some other criteria...just the nature of things.





To take it to the extreme though for those stating age is the only thing that matters. Say you have seen an absolute monarch of a buck with a noticeable scar one time feeding over the summer...The next time you see him is November 23. He is missing his complete left side, and the right side busted off only 3 inches from the bottom...not even the brow tine remains...you recognize him from the scar...would you shoot this buck based on body size alone, or would you let him pass a year finding ita shame to kill a 160 class deer when he only had 3" of horn on his head? Again, no right or wrong...this just highlights how there is another side to it.

There is only one reason to hold off for a 4.5 yr old buck. That reason is that the age will produce and exceptional set of antlers (kind of why nobody ever talks about shooting a doe of X yrs, just weight). If you are able to hold out for a mature deer and he presents himself with damaged goods you should be able to hold out a little longer.

I have shot enough bucks with broken tines and beams in my past that I would like to say I would pass, but I obviously haven't done that yet.

I'd drop the hammer on him......and he's going on my wall.....with the trail cam photos, below. This isn't the popular stance. It's mine. If I could find the dropped antlers or a shed....I'd incorporate them into the mount....but not on his head. I'd have him (a true "monarch") mounted as I shot him. What a story that head would tell.

I see your side of the argument, but really, id want the whole bone up there. Just cant see myself pulling the trigger on that animal. Call me superficial, but i want the whole package.

To each his own, I guess. I'm on neither the age or the antler trip, I'm on the deer one. If it gets my knees shaking, and it's legal, it's gonna get lead or carbon flung at it.
And honestly, I love busted up racks. Here's a prime example. My dad killed this buck about 5 years ago in Illinois, the thing took up the whole bed of the truck. He was aged at 6.5-7.5 years old. You know how many scoreable points he has? If you counted 5, you're right. He'd be an 8, if he had all of his points. And I'm gonna guess that IF this buck had all of his points still in tact, he'd only gross 120" TOPS. Once again, to each his own.