A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

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PAbigbear
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A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby PAbigbear » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:11 pm

I thought a group of hardcore, dedicated deer hunters may appreciate seeing this post. This journey began back in 2007 with a public land buck who would later became known as "Sticker." There won't be any hero shots, so if you only clicked to see one, you can probably hit back now. I've never spent so much time dedicated to one deer or had one deer consume my thoughts so much. He has taught me so much, even without ever knowingly laying eyes on him. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to try and match wits with this savvy, old warrior. I can only hope one day, if it hasn't happened yet, he'll just bed down on his favorite point overlooking the valley below and drift off on his own terms.

2007-The first ever picture I was able to capture on trail cam. Here in the big woods area I estimated him at 4 years old.
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2008=this is the year he popped a sticker off his G2, forever giving him his name.
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2009
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2010
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2011
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2012
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2013
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2014
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2015-This was the last year he made the antler restriction requirements here.
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2016-No longer legal to harvest for me. I estimate him at 13 years old.
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mainebowhunter
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:14 pm

Wow...amazing he made it that long.
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DeerDylan
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby DeerDylan » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:52 pm

Wow is right! Smart old dude. It's interesting to see him showing up on the same camera locations at the same time each year (at least it looks that way). I have heard about it but that's some very solid proof.

Do you get him on camera all throughout the year usually? Through pictures have you seen his range increase or decrease? Any other pictures of him that you'd like to share?

Awesome history. What a cool animal. Thanks for posting!
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Hawthorne
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Hawthorne » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:54 pm

That's incredible he lived that long on public land. What is the habitat like? Looks like 2008 was his peak
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby creepingdeth » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:56 pm

wow... fantastic. Would be fun to know the times of the year , also. Good job :handgestures-thumbupright: :handgestures-thumbupright:
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:11 pm

That's awesome. You ever see him in the field or find any of his sheds?
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Nocturnal
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Nocturnal » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:46 pm

Wow! That goes beyond impressive.
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Muy Grande
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Muy Grande » Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:21 pm

Very cool!
Findian
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Findian » Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:57 pm

Wow, that's cool. It always amazes me how old them big woods bucks can get. My uncle shoot one that was aged at 14 years old by the DNR.
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flinginairos
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby flinginairos » Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:59 pm

That is amazing!
Bowhunter4life
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Bowhunter4life » Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:30 pm

That is very cool to see and especially a public land buck to make it that long. Thanks for sharing that. Good stuff
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Dhurtubise
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Dhurtubise » Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:33 am

Great story and post! It's amazing how many seasons he made it through. I just recently read that of all the states PA has the most hunters per square mile (20) which makes this even more incredible in my eyes.

I'm curious if you ever found his sheds over the years.

Also, with this kind of rich history with the buck, obviously your feelings about hunting him must have evolved. What year would you have probably passed on shooting him - was it his legal antler point year (2014), or at 8 when he started to take a dive (7 points, less mass) or at another time?

Also, using trail cams in 2007 was not all that common I think. I would be interested in knowing the evolution of the equipment with which you managed to keep tabs on him over the years. The early ones look like 35mm camera shots.

Although I have never had this kind of rich long lasting history with any animal, I can relate with my first target buck whom I was absolutely obsessed with. It was in my second year of hunting (not so long ago because I've only got 5 under my belt). I was really trying hard to get this one very old and very large buck - other bucks looked doe sized beside him. He had me patterned much better than I had him figured out and I never did lay eyes on him. I had hundreds of photos of him at night and in daylight. The last day of the season, he left me both his antlers as a souvenir - sort of like saying nice try and better luck next year.

I returned the following year to see if I could get a pulse on him. He was nowhere near as present. I only managed a couple of grainy pictures of him. He looked really old and slumpy, his coat looked loose on him and he had lost probably close to half his antler mass. I don't think I could have brought myself to take him that year even though I had spent countless nights thinking about him and playing out in my mind what it would be like to have him walk out of the woods. I was happier thinking he would live out his life to a more natural death - hoping he would while away in his sleep rather than be ripped a part by wolves. Sort of that feeling you expressed at the end of your post.
JoeRE
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby JoeRE » Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:53 am

That's really cool.

Would be interested in hearing more if you have a few minutes to write - how big was his range, what kind of terrain he lived in, did you ever nail down his bedding locations, what was his personality - how dominant etc?

Thanks for sharing!
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby vtbuck » Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:11 am

Awesome pics and story! Raised a couple questions in my head.
PAbigbear, in the years you received pics of him was it always the same location, around the same date, did he run with any other identifiable bucks year to year?
Did he become less nocturnal after his prime years?
Reason I ask is I get velvet pics of the same bucks together year after year. Always before season opens.
Then, late season they magically reappear.
I use to think this was just to mess with me. Now I realize it's a combination of food, cover, water, and other reasons I haven't identified yet.
Sorry, rambling again.
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Re: A Buck Named Sticker: 10 Years of Photos

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:33 am

That is a rare buck no doubt. I see many guys with 4-5 years of history but 10+ is just incredible. :o


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