I know bucks can make the biggest antler gains between 4 and 5 yo, so the question is do you think this deer is old enough he isn’t going to get better or do you think he still has some potential to really impress?

I know what my answer is but what say the forum?

He might gain some for next year, but he looks mature to me.

How wide is he?

Real healthy looking buck with great frame. I think he might add a little mass and some tine length with another good year. Definitely wouldn't give him two years. He's close to peaking! Good luck.

I am assuming this deer is not within a high fence and somewhere in Texas between I-20/I-30 and I-10.

Body size alone, he seems like a shooter to me. Antlers might add 5% to his score next year?

My thought is if a shot presents itself this year, I wouldn't get greedy on score and rolling dice on 'what-ifs' for next season.

He is mature and just seems like a very solid 10/11 point mainframe buck. IR camera images and camera angles can be deceiving and he may surprise you and be a little better than you think based on this picture.

6 YO....

Not the best posture or way he is standing to age from but he is mature...how mature depends on other photos of him. Pointed rear end makes him either 5 or 7 in my book from this one photo. Not every deer makes jumps at the same age class. I have seen bucks make huge jumps from 3 to 4 and not much after that. Then seen bucks that were not much at 4 jump at 5 and 6. Seen bucks that were not much at 5 or 6 make a huge jump at 7 or 8. What the range conditions were like when they were born, genetics of that particular area and the range conditions the year you get photos or see the buck dictate what he will look like at that time. I have seen bucks that were 120 to maybe 130 class at 3 or 4 yrs old be mid to upper 150's or better at 7 or 8 yrs old. Some bucks never have the genetics to be more than 110-120 class at any age.

On a place i hunted in central tx they jumped between 4-5 with best racks at 6 usually. Another place in the panhandle I saw great jumps later, 5-6 with best racks at 7 or 8.

Couple more views of him:





Low fence southern Oklahoma. Second season hunting it, first year where protein was available all year.

I'd shoot that dude.

Shoot on sight or regret it later.

Second that.

Boom.

Peaked and now starting the downhill slide.

Bang bang you're dead

He is mature. I wouldn’t let paralysis by analysis stop me from shooting that buck if I liked him.

I agree. This is a fully mature deer, a good shot opportunity is all you need. A bow shot opportunity would only be better. If you decide to pass, just send me coords and a permission slip!

I am on a small place and I am pretty picky about what I shoot, that one I would squeeze the trigger on

I would call him 5. If he is five he should make a substantial jump if he survives another season. I don't see the skull divide typical on bucks that are 6+. Also being Oklahoma the bodies run bigger on average for what we see here. The risk of course is he is gonna roam beyond your confines.

take hime, might be better next year? could be not as nice.

like others have said he is not a youngster, so probably wouldn't be much more, or even less if you let him walk.

That buck is in his prime. If he was on my place I'd shoot him.

He's ready for a dirtnap!

While he might gain some next year, what will the conditions be?
We have a 8 and 9 we were saving for this year. The 8 was right at 20: last year, the 9 about 18". This year the 8 is now a 10, but looks to have lost a couple inches, the 9 is still a 9 and lost also. All but one feeder on the lease has free choice protein and water near by. We had about 6" of rain from March thru the end of August.

SHOOT that 5.5/6.5 yo buck....good luck hunting