Score or age?
- hunter_mike
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Re: Score or age?
I voted age because i have more respect for an older buck as it has made it more years without being killed by everyone out there shooting at him. The age thing does come with one catch, I am assuming that he also carries a big rack. Yes, Stanley's point proves true for me also, however I have yet to find myself in that situation or even near being in that situation in my entire life where I am presented with shots at two mature bucks at once. Hopefully someday I will.
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- backstraps
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Re: Score or age?
I voted score. I have to be honest I am in search of big bucks, and the bigger the better. However there is ONE reason I have in the pass and will continue to shoot/not shoot based on age.... if the deer is on a farm where I can feel good about letting him walk for a year or two and him not get shot-poached-hit on the road I will gladly pass him in hopes he gets closer to his potential.
I have not had good luck letting good deer walk in the pass though. I let a good 3.5 year old walk and the same season he was shot by a neighbor, and another 4.5 year old I gave a pass to got poached, and would have EASILY been my biggest deer.
For the most part though I only hunt a few private tracks of land, and public ground is where I tromp the most, so bring on the size. (But I have not seen many deer over 125-135 in the 2.5 year old range where I hunt)
I have not had good luck letting good deer walk in the pass though. I let a good 3.5 year old walk and the same season he was shot by a neighbor, and another 4.5 year old I gave a pass to got poached, and would have EASILY been my biggest deer.
For the most part though I only hunt a few private tracks of land, and public ground is where I tromp the most, so bring on the size. (But I have not seen many deer over 125-135 in the 2.5 year old range where I hunt)
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Re: Score or age?
Combination of both for me. Trying to kill 4 yr olds or better and 140" plus. I shot a 134" 8 pt last year that was 6 to 7 yrs old. Not much score but mega mass and old warrior. I will try and kill any 5 plus year old regardless of rack size if tags allow.
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Re: Score or age?
I really would like a massive tank buck with monster mass. They are tough to find and kill though! 160+ is fair game for me regardless of age,
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- PK_
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Re: Score or age?
Score, at this point.
I love chasing old battle tested mature bucks, but if a 3 and a 6 year old stepped out and the 3 had much more horn I feel sorry for him...
I love chasing old battle tested mature bucks, but if a 3 and a 6 year old stepped out and the 3 had much more horn I feel sorry for him...
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Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
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Re: Score or age?
Good honest answers everyone. I started out bowhunting telling myself I wouldn't shoot anything less than a 2 year old. Then it was not shooting anything less than 130", then 140" and now in the last few years the age of the deer I chase has become the main priority to me. I like big antlers but on a couple of occasions I have passed really good 3 year old bucks to put my tag on an older buck with a smaller rack and been wildly happy about it. Yea I love big antlers as much as the next guy but when I see a massive chested swollen necked toad of a buck swaggering toward me - thats what is about for me even if he has a somewhat smaller rack.
Last year late season was the first time I had two bucks in front of me at once just like the hypothetical scenario everyone talks about, one 140" that appeared to be a 3 year old, nice and sleek looking, the other around 130" with the massive chest and saggy neck and belly of a fully mature buck post-rut - he ended up being a 6 y.o. that I have seen off and on for 4 years. I took the old buck, he was skin and bones and still weighed 225 lbs. If the other buck had looked a bit older I probably would have shot him.
Last year late season was the first time I had two bucks in front of me at once just like the hypothetical scenario everyone talks about, one 140" that appeared to be a 3 year old, nice and sleek looking, the other around 130" with the massive chest and saggy neck and belly of a fully mature buck post-rut - he ended up being a 6 y.o. that I have seen off and on for 4 years. I took the old buck, he was skin and bones and still weighed 225 lbs. If the other buck had looked a bit older I probably would have shot him.
- Black Squirrel
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Re: Score or age?
I let a massive 6 pointer go last year. He was 4+ years old from trail camera pics and had a huge body. Do I guess I have to go with score. Although I kinda regret letting him go.
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Re: Score or age?
I voted age, but in actuality I will shoot whatever comes by first, I'm an equal opportunity big buck hunter. I guess I haven't got my hands on enough big bucks yet to be that picky.
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Re: Score or age?
I voted age, but honestly it's probably neither, different scenarios and experiences have historically allowed me to justify to myself shooting younger larger racked and older smaller racked deer. I even occasionally mix in the younger smaller racked deer if it is a neat encounter/hunt, for example my first bow buck off the ground or my first beast style kill. I do prefer to shoot the old warriors that others have no clue are even around.
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Re: Score or age?
TO be honest, for me neither of them really matter. I wont shoot small bucks, but if the hunt is an awesome hunt and something happens during the hunt that trips my brain into kill mode, I usually listen to it and proceed. Im not saying if I crawled in a stand and had a 180" walk past 5 minutes later, that I wouldn't shot him and be throwing pictures all over this webpage. But if a mid range buck comes in and does something so cool that I will look at the mount and think, "I cant believe that actually happened" Ill shoot him every time.
Its more about the hunt for me.
Its more about the hunt for me.
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Re: Score or age?
I picked score mainly because I am a horrible at judging age on the hoof, but I can always tell if it is a nice cage. Plus I haven't knocked down enough big ones yet, so I have to get some more under my belt before I could really answer this question.
- kurt
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Re: Score or age?
I picked age if I could choose but it really doesn't matter if its 160 2.5 im shooting and will be thrilled to harvest. that could change as I get older
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Re: Score or age?
I picked age, because I know that a buck typically becomes harder to kill the older he gets and I enjoy that challenge. The bigger antlers of a mature buck are a bonus that allows me to relive the hunt each time I look at them, but I have never entered a buck in any record books because score isn't all that important to me. I shoot what makes me happy
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