RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Fieldmouse, I must admit that your comment almost made me laugh out loud. Were you serious when you insinuated that anybody hunting in the "mid-Atlantic" area should see bucks like this "every day"? Are you for real? Yeah, no doubt that nice bucks exist where I hunt. I killed a 120" buck in 2002, which was my nicest so far and one of the top 3 that have been killed up there in the past 20 years. They're just not as big or as thick as they in some other areas. I hunt the mountains of western Maryland and that means two things: a screwy buck-to-doe ratio and a somewhat limited food supply. I'd love to know which pen you hunt in. Maybe you could take some pictures of your BC bucks.

Kudos to you! ;) [8D]

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

I have been bowhunting here for the last 4 years, and I have yet to see one even close to that. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have taken the shot, heck, some will look down on me for this, but I would shoot one half that size, at least for my first one.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

I'll be in Greenridge in about 3 weeks. Your right about Western Md and the deer. You have so many hunters a button buck dosen't stand a chance. They are there and I've got a few good spots. I prefer the residential areas though. I've got so many spots now it's nice to be able to pick the best honey holes. I will attemp an early season picture hunt this year. Stay tuned.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Great buck;) He would be a good buck for the aeras I hunt in Maine and New Hampshire. I have seen bigger but if a deer like this attempt to walk by I'd have to arrow him.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Around here, only about 1 out of 30 bucks will be that large. Pass him up here, and you may go several seasons without shooting one.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Very nice Buck-having lived in Illinois & Iowa all my life there is a very SMALL percent that would pass on that Buck no matter what you read. Those that would must have a special little PRIVATE honey hole for sure. I been doing this 48 years now & have Bowhunted some of the MOST prime spots around. You have a Buck to be proud of-especially where you are from. Oh, I doubt if you would get any laughs from anyone in Ill. , Iowa or Ws. either. Congrats. I have shot smaller for sure & having run a pro archery shop & lanes for 15 years (in the past) have seen tons of Bowshot deer from Prime Ill., Iowa areas. I have had Deer score gross 140, 125, 130, 115,151,153 to name a few that won our Big Buck contests. those over 140 just don't come around that much.
I passed on one buck that size last year at 20 yards because I KNEW 2 larger ones were in the area-I MISSED one (guess 160) at 32 yards.
This is a pic of one of my better bucks & I don't have that many for living in the GIANT DEER BELT (haha). good Luck to all this season.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

I took that same deer this past year!!!! Well, not the same one but one very similar. The dimensions are fairly close, I didn't have him scored so I'm just gonna go with yours. :D

But would I shoot him this up coming year? No, I'm holding out for bigger. That deer here would be a big 2.5 or average 3.5 year old. Mine was 2.5. So I'm thinking MD and MI are probably similar, can't get people here to stop shooting spikes and forks either, but there are a few big ones out there, see em every year.

Good luck, and nice buck. Hope you got him mounted like I did mine.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Nice buck, that is what i call a mount buck...........not a record but would make a nice mount.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

I've seen a few that big or bigger but it's bigger than anything that i've taken so i would definately shoot that buck!

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

i would shoot him with a bow not a rifle, nice deer though

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Rating him against bucks where I hunt I would give him about a 6-6.5, he is a nice looking buck that I would stick in a heart beat with a bow seeing as I have yet to kill my first buck with a bow, heck I would probably shoot him during gun season depending upon the property I was hunting.

I have seen numerous buck larger than him here, I killed an 8 point in 75 that had a 21 3/4 inch spread on the inside of his beams and the tines were about 17 inches, and the mass was a lot heavier, I had him mounted but never got him scored, he burnt up in a house fire in 82!:(

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Here in NJ on public land it would not even be a thought. Awesome buck my friend. WAS this public land or private land? I would shoot and hang him on the wall.


Brian

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Getting some of those whoppers on film shouldn't be a problem for you at all given the fact that you see a monster buck every time you head out to hunt and since there's zero pressure early in the season. Heck, you'll probably run out of film. I am honestly excited to see all of those 125" western Maryland deer that you drag outta the woods. [&:]
Now get that camera ready!

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

Stayt tuned. I realised this year I've never taken a picture of any kill except my pie ball. I guess the only reason for that was because I'm going to mount the deer. I'm not hunting western Md. though. Yes, where I do hunt 125s to 140s are there every day. The big ones I expect every day but you never know. My newest honey hole I have seen huge every time out. It's an incredible spot. There is a difference to being with in bow range or not. I could gun hunt and one would be on the wall but as you know shooting one with a bow is so much better. As far as hunting preasure, there is none except when they drive the park. Then my property gets better because they leave the park.

Don't worry, I'll close the petting zoo gate when I leave.:D:D:D

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

It is like I say-IF you are seeing big boys all the time there IS a SPECIAL reason for that honey hole. Good luck-I have a excellent spot too BUT don't see em everyday(4 or 5 theu the season) & one of my best friends came from Maryland to hunt here-Yes, he took a good Buck on his 3rd day. I also hunted the chesapeak bay area-saw some good mounts in sport shops but nothing like them in the woods. good luck to all this season.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

that is an average to above average deer in my area. I would take him.

RE: This buck versus the bucks in your area....
 

KY point of view. A nice deer that would be taken by most hunters. Would be very hard to let him pass.