Good mass seems hard to come by in my area ,most bucks that have good length have really spindly tines and beams , seems like all the Midwest deer have those chunky racks!!TheLBLman":137s3sgv said:Honestly, I care very little about what they "score", but I do care how they "look" to me.JAY B":137s3sgv said:And it's all in fun, gotta find some way to pass the time till deer season right ! . . . . . I know if he walked by me I would not be adding up score in my head, I would be to busy trying to settle myself down enough to take the safety off
What I "like" most in antlers is "mass",
and that's the one thing even heavily high-graded antlers in TN will typically have on mature bucks, MASS.
But "mass" doesn't do much for "score", typically.
The last mature buck I killed was in Nov 2014 (believed to be 6 1/2).
It was about a year later I "scored" him, although I was quick to measure his basal circumferences (were right at 5").
For me, the best "trophy" antlers are defined by uniqueness and mass, not score,
although I do appreciate it when one that is massive & unique, also scores well.
I'm just happy to go hunting, talk about hunting, run my trail cams, and do some fishing in between.
Going to put doe meat in the freezer to have "enough", and if see a mature buck with decent mass, he goes there too.
Last couple years, I've blown a couple good opportunities, and beyond that, decided to pass on some good bucks which had majorily broken antlers. Just hate it when one I've been watching finally gives me an opportunity, then I notice he's broken off an entire main beam!
A few years ago, I let walk one of the largest antlered mature bucks I've ever seen in TN (honestly believe he would have gross scored in the 170's as a clean mainframe 10-pointer). Had him dead to rights at about 15 yards, rifle in hand, crosshairs on him, then noticed he had broken off an entire main beam, so just watched him walk away. The next year was exciting in looking forward to seeing him again, with both antlers, as I believe he was only 4 1/2 when I gave him a pass.
Since he never showed up on any trail cam pics over a wide area, believe he simply died post-rut. IMO, natural mortality (which includes predation by coyotes) is probably around 40% (in many areas) on 4 1/2-yr-old bucks, and commonly they die in January-February, about the time they shed an antler. Something about the blood smell from a shed antler will cause coyotes to target a specific buck, unfortunately, at a time when that buck may be at his weakest moment and most vulnerable to dogs & coyotes for an entire year.
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TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
In my hunting areas, that is also the case, but mainly because "most" of those seen with good tine length, are typically only 2 1/2 or 3 1/2, and typically get killed at those ages (hunters high-grading the antlers). Most of the bucks which survive to maturity are the ones fewer hunters desired to shoot, and these are typically short-tined antlered bucks, commonly those that presented with 8 or fewer mainframe points (short ones at that) when they were 2 1/2 to 3 1/2.JAY B":2vfojjnn said:
I cannot tell you how many times I've seen truly top-end 2 1/2-yr-old bucks (by antler score, usually due to long tines) get immediately shot, while the same hunter will repeatedly let walk below averaged antlered 4 1/2-yr-old bucks. A friend of mine killed a true TN stud of a buck last year that was fully mature. There is no telling how many times that particular buck had been passed up by numerous hunters when he was 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 years of age. He never had more than 7 tines, and they were never more than average length at best. Even last year, my hunting buddy thought this was a different buck when he shot it, and likely would have given this fully mature (and MASSIVE) buck a pass.
landman
Well-Known Member
JAY B":15wb8mir said:
Very Nice buck
This picture gives you a ruler.....
That ear is 6" long, average ear length for adult deer
From that you can see a lot or not a much as some believe, I'm with LBLMan, that it's in the low 140" range, looking at the ear tells you the main beam may be 22-23"
Great Buck for Most Every Hunter, for many a Buck of a Lifetime
Good Luck with Him
I was going by the beams on this buck below when guessing the trail cam bucks beam length, they look like they are at least 2" longer as the buck belows beams do not curve in at all ! Crazy how closely these bucks resemble each other also!landman":5yckz6qj said:
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elknturkey
Well-Known Member
Going to be shy of 150. Very nice mature deer.
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Realtree
Well-Known Member
Stud for sure!!
ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER
Well-Known Member
142,very nice buck
Main beams look to be around 25", I'm gonna say he'll score in the mid 140's
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megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I was thinking 24-25" beams when I saw the original pic... after seeing the second pic, I think they are every bit of 27-28" beams. He should hit mid 150's with a couple inches to spare.
Heckuva buck, even though he's narrow. Lay the same antlers out another 6", and I bet some peeps would guess he would hit 170"... amazing how much spread can make one over guess or under guess score. Good luck with him, there aren't many out there like him!
Heckuva buck, even though he's narrow. Lay the same antlers out another 6", and I bet some peeps would guess he would hit 170"... amazing how much spread can make one over guess or under guess score. Good luck with him, there aren't many out there like him!
Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
Spread will fool you... especially going away. I'd much rather have the mass and tine length. Good buck! Hope you get a shot at him.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Mike Belt":2clfv8cw said:
I agree with you mike
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Hollar Hunter
Well-Known Member
With having the short G2's I'd guess high 140's... Awesome beams and a great buck! Hope your buddy gets him!
