Mature Bucks, Small Racks

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bones09
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Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby bones09 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:53 am

In the B&C thread there was a fair amount of talk about mature bucks that never would've grown a B&C rack, or even a 150" rack for that matter. Anybody got pics? I'll dig some up myself..


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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby PK_ » Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:08 am

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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby Stanley » Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:09 am

bones09 wrote:In the B&C thread there was a fair amount of talk about mature bucks that never would've grown a B&C rack, or even a 150" rack for that matter. Anybody got pics? I'll dig some up myself..

The majority of bucks will never produce a 170 inch rack. Certain areas have a better chance for some reason or another.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby Brad » Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:46 am

I shot a buck in 2011 with my bow (in my avatar) who I shot for a 2.5 year old buck. He net scored 97" which would be typical for a lot of 2.5 year old bucks, but he field dressed at 200 lbs on Halloween in the rut. I do not know what he weighed on the hoof but I have always wondered if he wasn't a little older, certainly not a mature buck by any means but I have always wondered based on his body shape and weight. Most of the 2.5 year olds in my area dress out about 150, so I have always wondered.

That same year my brother in law shot a buck who was clearly mature yet had a smaller 125" ish rack, but he was a real big body (not weighed) and was nearly black, I guessed him at 4 years old without having any real proof to back it up. This particular spot has great food and good genetics so it makes a guy wonder.

I have seen a ton of bucks in that 120-130" range that I think are a lot older than given credit for, but hard to tell without photo's, sheds or teeth aging.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby Ridgerunner7 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:58 am

Brad Lamont wrote:
I have seen a ton of bucks in that 120-130" range that I think are a lot older than given credit for, but hard to tell without photo's, sheds or teeth aging.

We see that very often around my area Brad. Lots of mature deer don't break that 130 mark.

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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby magicman54494 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:40 am

I think a 150" rack is a huge rack. I have killed a lot of deer in the north and one would have made 150 if not for a broken tine. Many that were 4 1/2, 4 or 5 of them being between 5 1/2 & 7 1/2. These deer weren't going to get any bigger. I shot a 5 1/2 Y.O. that won't break 120". I helped a guy drag one out 2 years ago in Minn. that I believe was 5 1/2. It might have grossed between 115 - 120. I think the average max rack gross score for northwoods bucks is around 140" maybe a bit more. I believe they have the age and genetics but lack the feed to do any better.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby G3s » Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:45 am

I have shot a number of bucks that are 4 1/2 and older that would score less than 130". It is pretty uncommon to see a buck over the 130" mark here and in the U.P. I think we lack the good food and minerals in the soil to really produce a large amount of monster racks.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:03 pm

Here is some interesting aging info...

http://www.oakridgeoutdoors.com/Trophy_Room.html
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby gogebicbuckslayer » Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:30 pm

That link was very interesting ed thanks, I've took a couple u.p. bucks that tipped scales at 200lbs and wouldn't score100 inches. Kinda makes sense now.

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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby headgear » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:24 pm

magicman54494 wrote:I think a 150" rack is a huge rack. I have killed a lot of deer in the north and one would have made 150 if not for a broken tine. Many that were 4 1/2, 4 or 5 of them being between 5 1/2 & 7 1/2. These deer weren't going to get any bigger. I shot a 5 1/2 Y.O. that won't break 120". I helped a guy drag one out 2 years ago in Minn. that I believe was 5 1/2. It might have grossed between 115 - 120. I think the average max rack gross score for northwoods bucks is around 140" maybe a bit more. I believe they have the age and genetics but lack the feed to do any better.


Sound about right for the majority of northwood deer I run across, however I have known a few guys who have taken some 160-170 and even the rare 180 deer in NE MN. The are likely your genetic freaks but they scored high without the food, however it could be noted that had they grow up in farm country they could have added some serious inches.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby magicman54494 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:50 pm

headgear wrote:
magicman54494 wrote:I think a 150" rack is a huge rack. I have killed a lot of deer in the north and one would have made 150 if not for a broken tine. Many that were 4 1/2, 4 or 5 of them being between 5 1/2 & 7 1/2. These deer weren't going to get any bigger. I shot a 5 1/2 Y.O. that won't break 120". I helped a guy drag one out 2 years ago in Minn. that I believe was 5 1/2. It might have grossed between 115 - 120. I think the average max rack gross score for northwoods bucks is around 140" maybe a bit more. I believe they have the age and genetics but lack the feed to do any better.


Sound about right for the majority of northwood deer I run across, however I have known a few guys who have taken some 160-170 and even the rare 180 deer in NE MN. The are likely your genetic freaks but they scored high without the food, however it could be noted that had they grow up in farm country they could have added some serious inches.


There are a few out there. The area I hunt has given up one deer that broke the 200" mark non typical. That was quite a few years ago. I know of a few in the 170's as well.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby gjs4 » Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:30 am

a few western NY bucks off the farm farm I have logged

123" 2.5 yo
123" 4.5 yo
132" 2.5 yo ~165 pds (brothers this yr- 13 scorable mainframe 9)
139" 5.5 yo 230+ pd (dressed!!)
131" 5.5 yo
129" 3.5 yo ~175 pd
118" 3.5 yo 196 pd
121" 3.5 yo 164 pd
116" 3.5 yo 159 pd
124" 2.5 yo 162 pd
12x 2.5 yo

found a 119 with axe handle mass 4.5

a buddy shot a 149" (that i would guess to 5.5) that was only 142pds (post chase phase)

142" ohio 4.5 yo
110" ohio 2.5 yo

these were all based off tooth wear

Looking at trail cam pictures I have sen bucks from 50-135 at 2.5 with the majority falling in the 80-110 area
3.5 would average 120-130, and 4.5 and up 130-145. Usually have one in the 150 + range running through my binos at some point and have seen a handful of B&C animals. Suburbia mixed with ag (corn is rimary though beans are starting to make a show) with old mast trees (soft & hard) intermixed. Within an hour of here a few booners are usually shot but off the cuff 80% are 2.5 and younger with the majority (3/4s of tha) being 1.5.

A local deer farm has 1.5 that go up to the 130s as a side note....just to highlight nutrition and stress

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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby Ridgerunner7 » Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:05 am

Here are a few of many sample pics I have of mature deer with small racks. This seems to be the norm around my area. I'd say 90% of the older bucks that I see only sport 8pt racks. Seeing a 10 point feels like hitting the lottery sometimes. Don't get me wrong...we have the capability of growing some great deer here but this is by far and away the norm at least for me and my hunting circle for the last 15-20 years. It's as if the 10pt gene is all but eliminated in some areas. There are some guys around me holding out for 6pts or better or the occasional guy waiting for 8pt or better but all of the young bucks with the best antler potential get shot at a very young age when they don't take age into consideration.
All of these bucks are "known" older deer of 4+ that I've had history with through hunting and trail cam photos. Also I might add that these bucks once they hit 3 years old seem to put on 5-10" of antler per year. These are nice deer no doubt but none would likely break 130".

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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby G3s » Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:20 pm

These deer are all 3 1/2 or older and I would consider older deer, inferior antlers.
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Re: Mature Bucks, Small Racks

Unread postby JoeRE » Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:48 pm

In Iowa where I spend the most time hunting there is the best nutrition and year round food in the world. As I have gotten more familiar with the true mature bucks, it has surprised me how many small antlered mature bucks are out there.

If I believed the hype I would think every second mature Iowa whitetail is a booner haha. Over half the bucks would never reach 150" even if left alive to age 6 or 7 and the air gets really really thin above the 160" mark. A lot are around 130"

I am pretty sure there are some studies out there discussing antler potential passing from parents to fawns in deer and what comes from mom, dad, etc for a given fawn.


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