Confused about these 8's?
 

I'm trying to figure out if the wide 8 from this year is the same from last year and has just got shorter tines and a little wider rack with age. And is the younger tall 8 from last year the 8 I shot this year?? I attempt to manage my deer a little here and I passed on that tall 8 last year to let him get another year on him.. With most of the bucks around here being 8 pointers things get confusing when i'm trying to figure out what deer are still alive and around from the year before.

Top pics look to be older deer 4.5 yr or better and a weak genetic. He has gotten as big as he will.

The one you shot and the one on bottom are prolly brothers and looks to still be growin.

My quick opinion

You never know. Unless you have some kind of markings on the hide that can help ID. it. I have shot deer, from year to year that have almost identical racks. I was looking at a rack from 15 years ago and it looks identical to two others I have from just a few years ago. Genetics is a crazy thing.

The genetics here are pretty bad. All mature deer seem to be 8 pointers and I haven't seen anything bigger than the bucks in those pictures in many years. All three deer I have mounted are 8's and all are similar. I set up a few mineral sites this past spring and will plant some type of food plot this spring. I have a feeling I'm just going to be growing bigger 8's though.. Which is ok by me. Maybe one day some big boys will wander in here and mix up the gene pool a little. Never have in my 20 years of hunting here but heck anything is possible.

IMO the first pic from last year looks to be the deer you shot this year, second pic is another older buck, my opinion he is 5-6 years old, the third and fourth pics are a third buck around 3.5-4.5 yo.
RR

If you see a 1.5yo or 2.5yo 10pt etc... I'd try to avoid shooting them and let them do more breeding.

I think this is what happens, a hunter sees a nice 2.5yo 10pt and thinks it's a monster/older deer than it really is and shoots it, not all the 2.5yo 8pts are left and do the breeding, hence we have 8pts all over.

From what I gather about our area, it seems whatever the buck shows at 2.5yo is what he'll show the rest of his life... an 8pt will always be an 8pt etc... they may grow some stickers etc... but main frame from what I've seen over the years remains the same.