Top 5 Bucks Killed at Presidents Island

[UpperTully]

I've said this countless times pertaining to the unprotected lands along the Miss River. After the 2011, 2015/2016 and 2018 record book floods. The deer have been hammered to dang near nothing.

It's not near as bad as you say on the land I own. We have a good share of 3.5 yr old bucks. Just no monsters this year. It's in lauderdale county. It seems to be doing much better than most of the places I hunt in Fayette county. We were covered up in water for months but the deer either came back or found some high spots to hang out on. But in all honesty, I keep coming back to this thread hoping for the pics of the top 5 bucks from presidents island! I'm sure someone has a TWRA connection to get the pics from all the hunts. Maybe we could have a vote on the top 5 based purely on pictures.

That's good to hear! You own land below the bluff?

 

[UpperTully]

One of the TWRA guys told me only 4 deer in over a dozen years would have meet the 20" rule at PI. Ironically enough, the only deer checked in this year was a 20" 9pt.


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He either is lying or doesnt know squat. Hell ive seen 6 in 2 years on more heavily pressured wmas with same restrictions

No offense but I'd be more apt to find your claim far fetched. I'm not saying the 20 inchers don't exist but they are very uncommon along the river. This would mean you're passing on a significant number of shooter bucks then. How many of those tall, not so wide and heavy bucks have you seen compared to the 6- 20 inchers.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

 

[Andy S.]

For reference, I measured a few bucks of mine that were 18" inside (perpendicular to skull plate), and they measured right at 20" outside. They had average to slightly above average H3 and H4 mass measurements. I consider my 18" inside bucks to be above average on inside width, but not "wide" per se.

 

[UpperTully]

they are very uncommon along the river.

Since the rule, 4 last year 6 this year so they are very common[/quote]

Ok, lets say that's true for this year. For the sake of entertaining your claims because there is no way of physically knowing how many are actually killed due the lack of data TWRA collects.

For 2019 that's 6 20" bucks out of the 18 bucks harvested to date from the 29,819 acres that fall under the 9pt/20" rule.
For 2018 that's 4 20" bucks out of the 28 bucks harvested from the 29,819 acres that fall under the 9pt/20" rule.

For 2019 that averages 1 20"+ buck harvested per 4,969 acres.
For 2018 that averages 1 20"+ buck harvested per 7,454 acres.

2019 harvest averages are 1 legal buck harvested per 1,656 acres.
2018 harvest averages are 1 legal buck harvested per 1,064 acres.

That doesn't seem to very common to me.

 

[UpperTully]

I think you misunderstood his post. Only 4 bucks killed (not walking around alive) on PI over last decade would have met the minimum spread requirement. PI is known for more narrow, tall and heavy racks, no overly wide racks.

They havent been killed because they havent been legal.

The officer was ONLY referring to bucks that were killed, not what was walking around on the island. Regardless of how one sees it, the island isn't known for 20" outside spread deer. Yes some exist, but they're in the minority. I've worked on/around the island for 23 years.

I have too. I spent a number of years working for Wepfer Marine. I spent many days and nights looking at bucks while I would be working around McKellar Lake and around the river side of Presidents Island.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

:roll:

 

[Ahuntin1]

That's good to hear! You own land below the bluff?

its on an island

 

[Roost 1]

I have found this 20" spread thing pretty interesting. Interesting enough that I just asked my taxidermist, who is one of the most popular in western KY. He takes in 500-600 bucks per year from 6/7 counties in west KY and a few counties in north middle TN. He told me he'll average around 25 bucks out of roughly 600 that have a true 20" spread. That would be less than
5% and I would not consider that common at all.. TWF if you are hunting public land in TN and seeing that many big deer I'd go back and delete all my comments in this thread for fear of people figuring out where I hunt. Your spot is apparently better than PI. If I'm misunderstanding what you are saying I apologize in advance.

 

[Stingray]

Nice buck with good mass long armed out to the camera....I would love to know what it scored.

I think I can find out , I'll let you know

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

 

[Andy S.]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

That helps explain things.

 

[Roost 1]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

In my area even with ears is usually 15" outside.

 

[ZachMarkus]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

In my area even with ears is usually 15" outside.

Same here roost, that's how I've always judged the spread from the field, even with the ears is around 15"


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[AT Hiker]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

That helps explain things.

Mule deer, all day long. I just don't think we have mule deer here. If so, I've been wasting a drive every year.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

That helps explain things.

Not a problem, its a great antler reg. Really glad they passed it.

 

[cbhunter]

op:

 

[Headhunter]

Deer past the ears tend to make 20" outside

Not even close to true. Deer past the ears are generally 16" or 17". When seen from the front or behind, deer past that appear to be past their hips are generally 20". If you shot deer that were just outside the ears with a 20" rule, you would be wrong 99 percent of the time.

 

[deerfever]

Maybe this will help! 20 appears to be well outside of the ears according to this. Most places in my area have a 15 inch outside rule.

 

[megalomaniac]

20 outside is about the same as 18 inside unless he has no mass.... or about an inch and a half of daylight between the ear and the main beam.

Stupid rule tho. Still doesnt protect the best 3.5 yos.

There just isn't a single good rule correlating antlers with age. Lots of generalities, but the best bucks shatter all the generalities.



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