Well, there ya have it. Even if it was the same buck, who cares? It's not like the hunter slipped into someone's yard and killed their pet! Deer travel between low-fenced ranches. Sometimes as much as 5 miles in a day during the rut.

Some of y'all are ridiculous. Is it jealousy or this new age thought that degrading someone's achievements makes you better? Either way to all the guys running down this post, let's see yalls LF 160+'s. I have time I'll wait, but hurry every chance you get....

Wow this is pretty interesting regardless. If it is the same deer, I think it makes for a very interesting story. If it's not the same deer, its pretty crazy too. You could be talking like a father/son scenario. There's no doubt these two share some genes if its not the same deer. I'd love to be able to get into to contact with some people and try to figure this out. Very interesting.

Thanks for the support drop, I dunno if everybody is degrading it though. I think people are just pointing something out. I know I didnt shoot the deer in someones backyard so its all good. I'm still not totally convinced its the same deer to be honest. Same blood line, thats for sure!

I agree the buck has very similar traits, but also agree with Bobo that the buck on the cover looks alot older than the TC pic the OP posted at the feeder.

I just don't think it's good form to post "Looks like someone figured out the location!!!!" without knowing facts.

badger, did you miss the gent's earlier post?

I don't think anyone was really accusing Badgerman of anything, but just poking a bit. It's hard to read someone from words on a forum so I wouldn't let it bother you and once again congrats on a great animal.

119! I dont see that many deductions stxranchman! Please share.

Score sheet is posted on page two His abnormal points are listed in the G4, 5 and 6 columns.

Oh! Yea I'm not understanding the whole non typical thing. Never killed or shot one. Heckmor seen one in person.

Gross typical includes all inches on the typical frame.

Gross NT includes all NT points and the gross typical frame.

Net typical deducts for all differences in symmetry on the typical frame plus all abnormal points.

Net NT adds all NT points,

less symmetry deducts, to the net typical frame.

That's about as well as I can explain it. stx or other pros, feel free to critique. I'm wrong all the time!

Those are B&C and P&Y guidelines. SCI and a couple other organizations go off gross score, only. They give the buck credit for everything he grew.

I'll leave the debate over my last sentence to those who care about such things.

I'm pretty good when it's a clean rack. But throw anything unusual I'm screwed.

Check this out

Can you blow up the text so we read it?

Couldnt figure out how to blow it up, but here is the article:

Everyone loves a little controversy,
right?
Justin Hanke shook up the
Mills County hunting community
last week, bagging
the tremendous buck featured
in the Mills County General
Store Advertisement, above
left. The buck is also pictured
right just after Hanke harvested
the deer with his cross bow.
The huge buck sports an
impressive and unique set of
antlers. This unique set of antlers
is where the controversy
comes into the conversation.
Goldthwaite Eagle Reader
Jeff Jarrel emailed me as soon
as he saw the photo of this
buck last week.
“As soon as I saw the harvest
photo, the end of that
right main beam was like
someone’s signature to me,”
said Jarrel.
Jarrel went on to say, “It
stuck out like a sore thumb
and I remembered your article
[in the Mills County hunting
Guide Pg. 12]. I find it hard
to believe there are two deer
with so similar characteristics
at exactly the same point on a
rack being one year apart and
it not be the same deer.”
I then involved my local
Wildlife Biologist in the buck
identification conversation.
“I have no idea and would
Above are some photos of the Mills County Hunting Guide Cover buck last year.
not speculate,” said Texas
Parks & Wildlife Biologist
Dan Davis. “It would be nice
to think that they are two different
bucks. There may be
another big one out there and
some little babies to follow in
Dad’s footsteps.”
Without DNA evidence before
and after, we’ll probably
never know the final answer.
This type of discussion is one
of the special things about
Mills County deer hunting
on a low fence ranch. These
campfire controversies keep
the sport alive generation after
generation.
No matter what, this mature
buck had time to spread his
fine genetics to his offspring
in the deer herd in the area.
The bucks continue to get better
each year in Mills County
because hunters continue to
let bucks reach maturity.

I managed to muddle through it. 2nd sentence says it all. Congrats again!

Is it the same deer? No one really knows for sure, but this guy had two bucks that looked very similar. Both were killed last year. There is another thread were he has pics of both bucks but can't find it right now.
http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5427732/1

Well how old does he look? I got him at 4.5

What does the other side of his jaw look like?

No pictures of the other side.

I would call him a 4 yr old but would like to see the other side since I could possibly see 5 yr old also. Lot of wear on the last cusp and hard to see if it is flat or angled downward to the outside.

So he scored 164 as a 4 year old. I'll always wonder what he would have done as a 5,6,7. I wont lose any sleep over it though, trust me!

I would think looking at the pics I would still call him a 5 yr old. The (sharpness of the) lingual crests are worn pretty good also. If you get a pic of the other side of his jawbone it would help. I have seen bucks that have less wear on one side vs the other side.

I think at 5, 6, 7, he'll look great on the wall each of those years. Congratulations again on a great buck!