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Stud East TN buck - Age Guesses?

JCDEERMAN said:
Can't judge on most bucks this time of year - it's just a guess. On this one, I believe you're correct on 4.5+
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rodeojoe said:
Velvet hunt buck for sure!!!
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Im torn on whether to go after him during velvet hunt. I dont want to have the meat spoil or have any issues keeping the head and cape. Since this would be my biggest buck I would for sure have him mounted. Any suggestions from anyone on how to go about keeping the head cold or frozen until you get him to a taxidermist? Ive never had one mounted so im completely new to that process.
 
I killed one on the first velvet hunt in 2019. He ran 65 yards and I gutted him immediately and loaded him up. I called my buddy (taxidermist) and asked what I needed to do. He said cape him out and throw the head/cape in the freezer. For the meat, you could quarter it out and put in a cooler on ice until you're ready to cut up. We have the convenience of a walk in cooler and that's what I used. @AT Hiker may have a few tips on preservation.
 
Just handle it like a newborn baby. Get it skinned out ASAP and remember that any cuts or knicks are harder to hide in a short haired deer.
Some velvet antlers are resistant and some are fragile little punks, caution on the fragile side.
I'd sit it unbagged in a freezer to get it cool before I bagged it. I also suggest not bagging the antlers at first either, let them cool and dry. Don't let them freeze to the side of a freezer either.
Wouldn't hurt to give it a light spray of permethrin either. You could spray the whole animal just don't saturate it.
If your comfortable tube skinning the cape all the way to the back of the ears from the belly then do so, helps with freezing and thawing.
 
He's back! Came in at 11:30AM Friday and has mostly been coming in at night lately. Hoping to give him a ride in the F150 here soon!
 

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He looks like a nice deer but I have no clue how old. I was wondering in the first pics why do 3 of them look dark and one day? All the time stamps appear to be near the same time
 
bigjohn said:
He looks like a nice deer but I have no clue how old. I was wondering in the first pics why do 3 of them look dark and one day? All the time stamps appear to be near the same time
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Those are the screenshot timestamps on my phone, not the time the pic was taken on the trail camera.
 
No pics since last Friday... Of course just in time for the velvet hunt. Oh well if it's not meant to be this weekend, hopefully bow season I can get him. He has virtually had no pattern all summer, so I am getting the feeling he is gonna be tough to kill.
 
East TN Bowhunter said:
No pics since last Friday... Of course just in time for the velvet hunt. Oh well if it's not meant to be this weekend, hopefully bow season I can get him. He has virtually had no pattern all summer, so I am getting the feeling he is gonna be tough to kill.
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He has a pattern right now... unfortunately it's just not on your property and he's only hitting your cam site infrequently. Perhaps bumped off his primary area by a dog or human.

...well, now that I think about it... when I say pattern, I'm referring to what I know... mixed timber blocks interspersed with ag fields and pasture land. If he lives in a huge block of unbroken timber, I have no idea how bucks behave this time of the year... may be totally different behaviors that what I've experienced
 
megalomaniac said:
...well, now that I think about it... when I say pattern, I'm referring to what I know... mixed timber blocks interspersed with ag fields and pasture land. If he lives in a huge block of unbroken timber, I have no idea how bucks behave this time of the year... may be totally different behaviors that what I've experienced
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As to actual route, pretty random. But even at this time of year they will hit a salt lick almost every day if it is within their normal range.
 
He was there Saturday morning at 10AM as well as Sunday evening at 8:30PM so I definitely could have killed him Saturday, but I chose not to. It was 92 degrees Saturday and Sunday here in East TN and that was just too much for me. I enjoy the anticipation of the trail cam pics anyway lol
 

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