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Thoughts on age?

Outdoor Enthusiast

Outdoor Enthusiast

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
1,341
Location
Carthage, TN
What are your thoughts on age? The pic was taken last week.

Odd right side. Likely damage to the pedicle.

IMG_7353.webp
 
Outdoor Enthusiast said:
Another mature buck showed up. Unfortunately another buck with a below average rack.
Click to expand...
We hunters are often our own worst enemies when it comes to growing mature bucks with above average antlers 🫤

Most bucks I'm seeing that survive to maturity in TN are going to have below average racks.

Those with above average racks rarely live past 3 1/2.
Statewide, most are killed as 2 1/2s.

Mature bucks, even with below average antlers, can still be unique & prized trophy antlers.
This is especially the case to me when they start adding some non-typical tines or stickers, which often happens at 5 1/2 and older.
 
TheLBLman said:
We hunters are often our own worst enemies when it comes to growing mature bucks with above average antlers 🫤

Most bucks I'm seeing that survive to maturity in TN are going to have below average racks.

Those with above average racks rarely live past 3 1/2.
Statewide, most are killed as 2 1/2s.

Mature bucks, even with below average antlers, can still be unique & prized trophy antlers.
This is especially the case to me when they start adding some non-typical tines or stickers, which often happens at 5 1/2 and older.
Click to expand...
I've got some pretty good data from large properties that have experienced fairly intense high-grading over a number of years. In these examples, most top-end bucks get killed as 3 1/2 year-olds, with even a few top-end 2 1/2s getting shot. The long-term results are a major decline in the antler quality of available mature bucks. And this is not "culling out" good antler genetics. These properties still produce good 3 1/2 year-old bucks. The problem is, only the bottom half of the 3 1/2 year-olds are living to maturity. All the top-end 3 1/2s get shot, leaving few if any to reach maturity.

In an area experiencing little high-grading, what you will see in the buck population is the percentage of bucks of each age-class with 6 or fewer points declining with each year older until they almost vanish at maturity. On the flip side, the percentage of bucks with 9 or more points increase with each age-class older until 9+ point bucks are the majority by maturity. However, in the examples I mentioned above, everything goes normally up through 3 1/2. 6 or less point bucks decline with every age up to 3 1/2. 9+ point bucks increase up to 3 1/2. However, at maturity (4 1/2+), 6 or fewer point bucks suddenly dramatically increase and 9+ point bucks dramatically decline. Why? Again, because the best 3 1/2 year-olds all get killed, and only the underperforming 3 1/2s live to maturity.
 
TheLBLman said:
We hunters are often our own worst enemies when it comes to growing mature bucks with above average antlers 🫤

Most bucks I'm seeing that survive to maturity in TN are going to have below average racks.

Those with above average racks rarely live past 3 1/2.
Statewide, most are killed as 2 1/2s.

Mature bucks, even with below average antlers, can still be unique & prized trophy antlers.
This is especially the case to me when they start adding some non-typical tines or stickers, which often happens at 5 1/2 and older.
Click to expand...
Yep. I can definitely identify with the hunters that tend to high grade. But the first buck in this thread is not really the same category as the second. He has clearly sustained an injury. If not for that, I think he would have an average scoring rack for a mature buck in my area.

However, I am also not very good at killing mature bucks. So there is a real trade off if that is the only age class I target.
 

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