Nice pic

[BSK]

Neither of these bucks are anything special antler-wise, but I just thought this was a beautiful picture!

 

[Shed Hunter]

Great pic and good lookin bucks!

Now post the booner you're hiding from us

 

[BSK]

Now post the booner you're hiding from us

So far, all I've got is a BUNCH of bucks just like those two above. I've got more 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year-old bucks than I've ever picked up in a summer census, but no mature bucks yet.

 

[Hollar Hunter]

Great looking pic!

 

[MUP]

Dang, is that nearest buck a 5 pt? Looks like a buck from the deer gene pool around my place! Brow-tineless

 

[BSK]

Dang, is that nearest buck a 5 pt? Looks like a buck from the deer gene pool around my place! Brow-tineless

A big 6 point (basic-frame 8 with no browtines). I've actually got two different bucks on camera like that this year. Very rare in my area.

 

[MUP]

The norm in mine :/ Remember the wide 4 pt from two years ago I posted? Very common on my place.

 

[RUGER]

Very cool pic for sure.

 

[WORM82]

I thought if a buck lived past 1 1/2 years old it was considered mature in TN? Lol. Nice pics.

 

[TheLBLman]

That is a very nice pic.

What ages are you giving those two bucks?

 

[deerhunter10]

very nice.

 

[BSK]

That is a very nice pic.

What ages are you giving those two bucks?

They're both middle-aged bucks (2 1/2 or 3 1/2). In summer, those two ages are the most difficult to differentiate.

And interestingly, this year we've photographed the second highest number of resident bucks 2 1/2 or older that we've seen before in a summer census. Our summer resident record for bucks 2 1/2+ is 11 and we've got 10 on film so far this year.

 

[TheLBLman]

I know one "might" be 3 1/2, but if my average 2 1/2 looked like either of those, I'd be happy.

Of course, I prefer long brows, but even browless, the one on the left looks overall "decent" for a 2 1/2. Scores are for ballgames; give me mass on a mature buck; mass trumps score; and a browless buck can become a massive buck.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Considering you told me your region averages 80-85 for 2.5 bucks (with the assumption they are 2.5) the one on the left is probably average and the right is likely above average.

I would be happy with 10 bucks like that in the summer. You might get to watch one or two grow into a mature buck!

 

[Boone 58]

Awesome pic, nice detail! almost HD looking.

 

[Boone 58]

Dang, is that nearest buck a 5 pt? Looks like a buck from the deer gene pool around my place! Brow-tineless

A big 6 point (basic-frame 8 with no browtines). I've actually got two different bucks on camera like that this year. Very rare in my area.

Real common in my area Bsk! almost none from fighting or only one or neither...



had the one below on cam for 2 years with no brow guards and was killed when he was 3.5....shortly after this photo in the youth hunt in nov.

 

[Nealmeally]

I also have a bunch of 1.5 and 2.5 year olds, more than ever. Have a bachelor group of eight 1.5 year olds.. Never saw this many young bucks on this farm, been hunting it 20 years.

 

[Droopy]

Nice

 

[woodchuckc]

Nice!
I've got the "no brow tines gene" dominating in my area - I would say that close to half of the bucks I see and get on camera either have no brows at all or just short nubby ones.

 

[BSK]

Considering you told me your region averages 80-85 for 2.5 bucks (with the assumption they are 2.5) the one on the left is probably average and the right is likely above average.

In fact, I think our 2 1/2s are above average while the 3 1/2s are below average this year. Here's a prime example of one of the 2 1/2 year-old bucks. Nothing special, but definitely above average.




Another 2 1/2:

I would be happy with 10 bucks like that in the summer. You might get to watch one or two grow into a mature buck!

Normally we do have at least one resident mature buck, but even when we don't, mature bucks will show up once the crops in the nearby bottomlands have been harvested and the acorns begin to fall.