I got on a lease for the first time with age restrictions and I need some help. I'm allowed one trophy buck (defined as any deer 4 or older) and a cull. I haven't seen any yet that I would shoot but I'm hoping to let my 12 year old take his first buck. I'm not sure I'm seeing any deer that fit the rules. Do y'all think any of these are 4+ or would be a potential cull? Based on comparing side by side with the other deer I'm thinking the back buck in picture 2 and the buck in 6 and 7 may be old enough.

I've heard area and conditions make a difference- This is in NE Burnet county with high hunter density (150 acres per hunter with half of it open pasture) on our place and the surrounding neighbors.

Also, we've seen lots of bucks but few does at the feeders. Is that normal with the current conditions or do I have a problem? I've been seeing the older bucks running off the smaller bucks and the few does that do show up to the feeders so that might explain it.


Picture 1


Picture 2


Picture 3


Picture 4


Picture 5


Picture 6


Picture 7


Picture 8


Picture 9

pic 6 and 7 would qualify in my opinion according to these photos.... game cam pics are hard to judge sometimes but I think you should be good to go!

All deer on here are 3.5 Actually IMO most of these bucks are 2.5-3.5 years old . Good Luck

pic 6 and 7 are of the same deer

Id like to see a closer pic of the back buck in pic 2...Hes nice

The deer in pic 3 looks to be 3.5 but I would take him out...


The buck in pic 7 would be a nice one to take wouldnt dout hes 4.5

All will get bigger with another year...the majority of them look to be 3.5...but looks like you got plenty of deer...and good ones at that...id hav to go after that 6 in pic 3 and the 8 in pic 7..but they are all nice deer so pop whichever one you want

Back buck in #2 looks 3.5, maybe 4.5. I'd have to see better pics of him. Sometimes they're diffifcult to age with their head down.

Buck in pic #7 looks 4.5 but more pics would be nice to get a better idea.

Nice bucks.

Here are a couple of more photos of the two bucks from 2 and 6&7. Sounds like they are the ones I need to be thinking about for my son. Thanks for the input.

Adopt me! Holy G everything's. Shoot this buck in this pic. He is either 4.5 or 5.5 and age is not important for your sons buck.

Not sure how it's a problem regarding bucks when all you see on your game cam is bucks. LOL Could be a shortage of doe problem. Evidently, that fence is only to keep out cattle. Nice bucks! Don't really see any culls, but don't know the place. Don't see any bucks in the pics that would go over 4 1/2, and would like to see another couple shots of those bigger ones. Oldest look 3 1/2 to 4 1/2, but likely 3 1/2, from what I can see, and just my guess. If I had a kid shootin on my place that took a 3 1/2 instead of a 4 1/2 that was the biggest in the bunch, I'd congratulate that kid.



JJ

Nice Bucks!!

That tall tined buck in pic #1 is mature buck. Definitely 4.5-5.5 yoa. They don't get much better than that in Burnet Co.

Keep in mind too that if the bucks are dominating a feeder then the does will generally keep away. Especially if there are good buck numbers on the property. Me experience is that the older, mature bucks will avoid feeders too.

The biggest, most mature bucks I've killed didn't come to a feeder. They might cruise by searching for does or a doe leads them into the area but I've seldom seen many mature hill country bucks hanging out in the feeders.

The two S. Texas leases I've been on over the years seldom ever had a mature buck come to 'em.

That tall tined deer is awsome!! No dout just went to the top of all these bucks!! deffinintly a mature deer im sayin 5 1/2...thoses g2s are sick! Im gona say the other 8 is 3.5 but if any of these bucks walk out for your kids first deer

Thanks for the help guys. I'm feeling a lot better about when to let him pull the trigger now.

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