Age progression

[packmule]

2015

 

[tdub24]

That's pretty cool and a good looking buck all grown up!

 

[packmule]

That's the first double drop looking buck I've ever had. Knew he'd be the first one I got on camera bc he lives on our field year-round. He has a couple running buddies that don't look bad and one is old as dirt.

 

[sneakypete]

Very cool!

 

[tdcour]

Not sure I would have passed him up last year but double drops are worth the wait!

 

[packmule]

I have a self-imposed 5yo requirement so my wife & I always have decent deer to look forward to. She just fell in love with a different 4yo last year and I couldn't tell her no. So after those small scale battles that occurred between them, he was limping and her pride was hurt, just waiting to see what that deer looks like this year. If his injury didn't phase him he's going to be a monster. My neighbor to my North has a deer Summering on their place that Winters on ours and if the description is right, he's going to try my patience.

 

[packmule]

Bad thing is, I know those drops probably won't be there next year.

 

[Matthoek21]

Yea but one more year and he will be a bruiser, drop tines or not. Great pictures and good luck either way.

 

[packmule]

He will be. It's a high pressure area though so if he's seen he's shot showing that much character.

 

[Matthoek21]

I bet. That's the way it is around here to. Hard to manage them when everybody else shoots em when they're 2 1/2 years old.

 

[packmule]

1 tag for a 13" deer instead of 2 has cut down on it some, but it can be frustrating when you have a lot of old deer running around on a place you treat like a refuge.

 

[Matthoek21]

I totally understand. We have point restrictions here in some counties but not all. Wish they would at least do that statewide. It has helped where implemented. Hunting for me is a maturation process. Once you've shot several you naturally want to do better. It's hard for me to understand why someone who has shot a bunch of small bucks would still shoot small bucks. I truly get just as much enjoyment out of shooting a big ol fat doe. It's not like you got bragging rights with a little 3 point. If you need the meat I understand but most don't need it. We get 12 tags here. 2 bucks and rest doe. Sorry if I sound snobby. I do believe kids should be able to shoot whatever.

 

[packmule]

Not sounding snobby. We have a spike rule and a 13" rule. I don't want a point rule bc that's basically an 8pt rule and a lot of our top end bucks start out as yearling 8pts. Not really a fan of the spike rule either just bc most will be yearlings as well or caused by injury. I'm all for kids killing stuff, but I'm also a believer that if places are treated right, they shouldn't have an issue killing a respectable buck if you just take them. They can absorb a whole lot by just sitting and watching. With as fragmented as the land is, I'm not shooting does unless they just group up and take over a food source. Then my nephew can tee off on the ring leader of the group. So far that's only had to happen once in 8yrs. Unfortunately 6 bucks came by that morning before the big doe group showed up and I made him hold off on a couple of them that were middle aged and didn't even tell him one came out and crossed in a hurry that was a 7yo buck. Too far for him to shoot and he'd finally quit shaking from the other bucks.

 

[Matthoek21]

I agree. Looks like we feel the same way. I held my son off an a 2 1/2-3 1/2 year old 10 point one year, he was wanting to shoot him but you could tell he was young. Good deer for a kid but was going to be a great deer in another 2 years or so. We held off. He still brings that hunt up every now and then. Lol.