glew22

First off let me start by saying I realize this is a nice buck. However, after seeing seeing bucks progress into maturity, I told myself I would only shoot a buck 3.5yrs+, regardless of antler size. I passed this buck @ 15 yrds in Nov, because I had him pegged as a 2.5. Unfortunately, the more I look at him the more I think 3.5. So bassically, did I make a mistake, is he 3.5 years old?

Maryland_Whitetail

I would say 3.5, going off of muscle tone and belly sag. But going off the first pic, I would say he has the same body characteristics as the other deer in the pic and would guess him at 2.5. Real hard to tell with that one. Looking at the horns, I would say 3.5, due to the mass compaired to the other deer. I know I would shoot him!!

kickin_buck

I do not believe you made a mistake, I think he is a 2.5. Either way, just think how good he is going to be next year if you decide to let him walk the rest of this year.

rogerstv

IMO - If you had to think about it, then it wasn't going to meet your standards. Don't beat yourself up. Generally a hunter only has a few seconds to field judge as they walk by. I figure when a shooter walks in I will know it without a doubt.

No mistake made. He is still living (assume) and going to get bigger cause you let him walk. I'd feel good about it myself.

glew22

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I really want to shoot a P&Y asap (score dosen't mean everything, but P&Y usually goes hand in hand with maturity in my area).

sportsman22

2.5 imo

i wouldnt be mad.. he will get bigger...

glew22

As far as field judging goes, I had the luxury of 50+ pictures of this buck, so I determined I was not going to shoot him prior to hunting (thinking he's 2.5). I really dont regret it at all, even if he is 3.5, it just means there will be another mature buck in the woods next year. And if he's 2.5, it means he's a downright stud. Also, The presence of two 5.5 year old bucks really shielded this guy from rigors of the rut. He's not the dominant buck by any means, which allowed him to focus on nutrition and building his body, opposed to chasing does, etc. This should directly translate to a large jump in antler growth next year. Lastly, even if he is 3.5, the transition from 3-4 has shown to be the largest year for increased antler growth in my experience. Thanks for the replies! Much appreciated.

PS: I forgot to comment on the last portion of the quote. 15 minutes prior to passing this deer I had the 5.5 yr old I call Whitey at 40 yards. I live and hunt in suburbia (I can see upwards of 20+ houses from some treestands). Therefore, the shot has to be picture perfect for me to take it, preferably @ 20 yards or less. But yes, in that case, I knew without a doubt he was a shooter. Maybe he'll show his face in daylight during late season.

HuntingBry

By comparing the body size in the first picture it looks like that buck may only be 2.5 years old. I don't think you made a mistake. For me, telling the difference between 2.5s and 3.5s is very difficult. You really cannot go by antlers, especially around here and they have very similar body types. In fact, without another buck around for comparison I cannot do it.

BTW, I got your PM and will respond as soon as I get a chance. A lot of questions in there to consider.

ABarOfSoap

theres no such thing as making a mistake by passing a buck up, if he was your deer you would of shoot him right away.

sr77

I would also go with 2.5....If that was your goal then I think you made the right choice. By 3.5 they start showing a little bit more of a gut and the legs appear a bit shorter in relation to the body, this is magnifyed the older they become. His build is very similar to the other buck in the pics which definately looks like a 2.5 year old. His rack though has some nice mass which can throw ya off. I would still say 2.5 old though....just my guess.

Shane