How big is a 3 year old buck?
02-05-2004, 03:31 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 590
How big is a 3 year old buck?
I just wondered if people from around the country could give me a no BS idea of how big a 3 year old whitetail buck is in their area. How heavy and what PY/BC score is typical?
Here in western Montana, our 3 year olds weigh about 170-200 lbs. on the hoof, and net score about 105-120 B&C. In northeastern Montana, they might go 180-220 lbs. and score 110-125. I think the main difference is the eastern deer have more cultivated crops to choose from.
Between my brother, my mother, and myself, we've killed 6 bucks in the last five years that were all exactly 3 years old, so we've got a pretty good sample of that age class. Yet, we've never taken one more than 3 years old.
Here in western Montana, our 3 year olds weigh about 170-200 lbs. on the hoof, and net score about 105-120 B&C. In northeastern Montana, they might go 180-220 lbs. and score 110-125. I think the main difference is the eastern deer have more cultivated crops to choose from.
Between my brother, my mother, and myself, we've killed 6 bucks in the last five years that were all exactly 3 years old, so we've got a pretty good sample of that age class. Yet, we've never taken one more than 3 years old.
02-05-2004, 06:14 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: How big is a 3 year old buck?
That sounds about the right range for antler development, our 3 year olds would probably be on the lighter side of your range. Maybe 150 lbs. or so!
Nutrition and weather conditions down here play a big part in weight and antler development! Deer across the highway from me, deer could be quite a bit different one way or the other!
Nutrition and weather conditions down here play a big part in weight and antler development! Deer across the highway from me, deer could be quite a bit different one way or the other!
02-05-2004, 08:10 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Shakopee MN USA
Posts: 1,001
RE: How big is a 3 year old buck?
Between my brother, my mother, and myself, we've killed 6 bucks in the last five years that were all exactly 3 years old, so we've got a pretty good sample of that age class. Yet, we've never taken one more than 3 years old.
You want to know how to shoot bigger and older deer? Let them grow up and only shoot big ones.
Let the little ones walk.
02-06-2004, 07:46 AM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bonnots Mill Missouri USA
Posts: 237
RE: How big is a 3 year old buck?
In my area of Central MO, they will weigh in range of 140 to 180 lbs. field dress. Antler-wise somewhere between 110 and 150 will include most them. There are always a few exceptions either lower or higher.
02-06-2004, 02:14 PM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: West Central Illinois
Posts: 863
RE: How big is a 3 year old buck?
the gene pool in illinois is such that you can have very large deer by the time they reach 3 yrs old; my 16 pt buck ws 3 1/2 scored 222 non-typical and wighed ovr 240 pnds field dressed, although this is not the norm, a good 3 yr old will weigh about 180 #'s dressed and score around 130 or better