Any Experts Out There?, Best guess at age and score....

Picked up this nice buck on the trail camera. Let's hear some age and score guesses. I'm saying 3 1/2 year old 120 class 9 pointer.

I would say you are about right on the age. My guess on the score would be around 126 inches gross. Dandy of a deer. But just think what he would be if he made it to next year. 140's at least. Great potential. Now with that being said... Would I let him pass? HELL NO! By the way, what is that on the ground in front of him? Trophy Buck?

Cargill Record Rack block. My wife works for Cargill so they are easy to get hold of for me.

I think he may be a year younger but very close in size. Is that a scar on his shoulder?

Probably 3.5 years and 128 +/- .5 class...but he wouldn't last long in most areas. Too many damned impatient hunters out there. RESPECT THE DEER! Give them a great lifetime before you have a lifetime of memories.

2-1/2, maybe 3-1/2

Mid 120's.

As I said in a previous thread a few weeks ago, If he's in range in my area, he's getting shot at. I would not hesitate to take him IF I see him. Anything with antlers gets blasted at on all properties around us. We try to be selective.....but a 3 1/2 year old buck is an old deer around us.

I'm not critiquing here, but our neighboring farmers allow "group hunting parties" from Kokomo and Tipton. I've talked to these guys, but they come up for the weekend, bring 5-10 people, and shoot to fill every tag they brought with them. I've seen 15 deer on a trailer by afternoon of open day of gun season. If it's brown it's down! It's hard to let good deer grow up when they get pummeled all around us.

In my ideal world, all of these guys grow up to be 5 1/2, but reality is, it ain't happening.

I know what you're saying, I'm just frustrated that so many "newbie" hunters are cocked and loaded when a young buck/doe walks in front of them. Most seasoned hunters are very selective, which I appreciate.

My Grandpa taught me patience when it comes to deer hunting, I think that may be a lesson that isn't being taught these days.

AJ

I understand what your saying but the rule where I hunt is, if it's brown it's down. Getting caught sorting through to take a bigger one is grounds for lost hunting rights. Right Rico. Besides, I want food for the freezer so size makes me no difference. Now don't get me wrong, I would love to shoot a nice trophy buck but until it comes past first I'll have to wait.

No worries man. I like does for food and buck's for trophies. Depending on which comes first is all up to mother nature.

PS: I like the phrase...If it's brown, it's down.

Ok here is my 2 cents. I guess I kinda started this by saying he would be a monster if he could grow up a bit. Well, I am guilty of shooting a buck Monday that would have been a monster if I would have given him the chance to grow up. A year and a half old 9 pointer with a decent rack and good spread. So with that being said what constitutes a trophy? Is it a 120 inch, 140, 160? As I sat in my stand and watched this buck for several minutes I told myself I was going to pass. I was able to take 3 pictures of him with my cell phone. Then as he walked right under me I could see that he had 9 points. I thought to myself, yes I should let him grow. But, I have shot 2 other bucks in my life. A small 6 pt and a goofy looking 8 point last year. I told myself he would be my biggest to date. So is he a trophy? Not by inches he isn't. He would be lucky to go 80 inches. But, I consider him a trophy because he was shot with a new bow that I have had for two weeks, he has 9 points, he was shot in a place I have been trying to get permission to hunt for several years and finally got permission 5 hours earlier, and he made me work REALLY hard to retreive him. I am seriously considering getting him mounted because he is a trophy to me. Will I reconsider if I shoot something bigger on my hunting ground in Ohio? I probably will.

Here is something else I want to add about trophy hunting. A good buddy of mine bought some hunting ground in Dekalb County this year. The trailcam pics he has are amazing. He could hardly wait for hunting season to start. Here it is 2 weeks into the season and no trophy buck yet. I can tell by talking to him that he is tired and stressed out. I am sure he will end up getting one of those "trophy bucks." He is probably out there right now and at the right time it will happen. But until then it's tick tock tick tock tick tock. I have the ut most respect for his passion and determination. Maybe I just don't have the patience.

So... as I climb down from my soap box, I had a goal this season to shoot a new personal best buck. I have met my goal now for 2 years in a row. Maybe next year a "trophy buck" will walk by my stand.

How much you wanna bet a 170 inch buck walks by my stand on Saturday morning?!?! Oh well I would probably miss!

The "trophy" is all about you. I have two bucks mounted, a six pointer that might score 75 inches and a wide 8 pointer I shot last year. The six pointer was my first buck. It was a no doubt decision that it was going on the wall! It was my first buck. The eight pointer I shot last year was thin and had 6 inch tines, but was almost 20" wide (maybe 90 inches?). I'm proud of both!

I also have every buck rack I have ever taken mounted on a board and they all hang in my office. Heck, I even did a skull mount on a whopper buck I found dead a couple years ago while 'shroom hunting.

I have a book with pictures of every deer I've ever taken and I can tell you the story of all of them.

I shot my buck Nov. 5th last year. I let the other two guys I hunt with pick their stand for opening day of gun season. I sat with my bow and a doe tag and watched a 125 chase does all morning. Luckily my little brother got him that night.