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Young or old buck? #7361916 11/29/18 03:55 PM
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ChadTRG42 Offline OP
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We had this nice 8 in front of us for about 2 hours. My son wanted to shoot him really bad (for his first buck), but I told him to wait. I know we have bigger deer than this. I was showing these pics to a buddy, and he said this deer was older and needed to get shot. I though he was young. He was running around with a smaller 8 point, and the 2 bucks have been seen on camera together also. We passed on the deer, and I figured he'd be good in 1 to 2 years (hopefully!) This was the same hunt I shot the doe with my Glock. We were covered up in deer the whole hunt.

So, do we go back and shoot this deer as a good first buck for my 13 yr old, or let him walk to get bigger? (I'm not a deer expert on exact age and size, but I'm not 100% on this one)

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Last edited by ChadTRG42; 11/29/18 04:03 PM.

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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361918 11/29/18 03:56 PM
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DQ Kid Offline
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Middle age, 4.5-5+

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361929 11/29/18 04:02 PM
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3.5 is my guess.


“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: DQ Kid] #7361935 11/29/18 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by DQ Kid
Middle age, 4.5-5+


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
Mainstream news might be fun to watch
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361938 11/29/18 04:07 PM
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ChadTRG42 Offline OP
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So, should we have shot him??


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: DQ Kid] #7361939 11/29/18 04:07 PM
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Originally Posted by DQ Kid
Middle age, 4.5-5+


Yep X2 probably as good as he is going to get. I would let your son take him. 2cents


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361942 11/29/18 04:09 PM
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I'm thinking 5.5


In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361954 11/29/18 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by ChadTRG42
So, should we have shot him??

Mature, but not old. Yes he very well could be better next year. Should you have taken him? That is personal preference. If it were me and my boy, I would have let him take him for a first buck. He'll make a fine first Buck!

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: NMGW] #7361958 11/29/18 04:25 PM
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Originally Posted by NMGW
Originally Posted by DQ Kid
Middle age, 4.5-5+


Yep X2 probably as good as he is going to get. I would let your son take him. 2cents


Same. 8s like that are a dime a dozen and I think its unlikely he will do something spectacular.

That, and he is way better than my first (an 8 as well) buck.

If it was time for my son to get his first buck, that one would fit the bill for us just fine.

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361961 11/29/18 04:26 PM
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The next question would be, euro or shoulder mount?

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361967 11/29/18 04:32 PM
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He's middle aged and a 120s-130 buck. For an 8pt. that's a pretty good one, especially for a kid's first buck. I'd let him punch hole it personally.

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361968 11/29/18 04:36 PM
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The deer on our ranch are going to be nervous when my nephews and my son start hunting. I don't think we will give them free run to shoot whatever they want, but we wont make em wait for a mature buck either I don't think.

Not sure what I think of him, some picks he looks older some younger. He has some big shoulders, a small hump on his back, brisket sticks out. I think he could be an older buck.


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361969 11/29/18 04:37 PM
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Yeah, I'm kind of thinking I should have let him shoot it. I would do a Euro mount on this one. I'd make it a project for the both of us to make.

Last edited by ChadTRG42; 11/29/18 04:38 PM.

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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361975 11/29/18 04:43 PM
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I think we know what will happen if he shows up again, will be agreat first buck


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
Mainstream news might be fun to watch
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7361991 11/29/18 04:57 PM
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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362031 11/29/18 05:32 PM
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Yes Chad, that's a great first buck for your son. A lot nicer than my first buck!!


Originally Posted by Scott W
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362047 11/29/18 05:46 PM
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That's a 5 1/2 yr deer. Or to say it another way, I would say that is his 5th set of horn.


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362053 11/29/18 05:49 PM
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I agree on middle age. However, it's a rough year for antlers and he could only be 4.5. Our bucks make their best racks at 5.5+. He could easily, with good conditions, add 20" for next year. But he is pretty and would make a good trophy. If you have several larger bucks I'd hold out but that's hard for a young 'un.


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: DQ Kid] #7362075 11/29/18 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by DQ Kid
Middle age, 4.5-5+


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362114 11/29/18 06:51 PM
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Looks 5.5 yo at the least to me. Has too much of a brisket and some sway to his back.

edit- Looking again it may be 4.5, but I still think older.


Last edited by Nathan at Fork; 11/29/18 08:06 PM.

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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362141 11/29/18 07:15 PM
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You pre-rut, rut, or post rut where you are?

First two pics made me say 4.5 at minimum. Bottom two pics made me think 3.5-4.5. Put that all together and I think you have a 4.5 yr old. Could be 5.5...but not sure about where you are. We have a place south of Austin and they have already been rutting for a couple weeks and the big boys lost some weight and "look" a year younger than they actually are, unless you study them closely.

It would make a fine first buck. And you said he wants to shoot him really bad. This is a good lesson, where you aren't totally sure about the age or how he'd stack up against other deer, so you think about it....and then decide. Nothing wrong with waiting and thinking about big decisions. If it was a super stud 6.5 with a massive rack, there is no need to think, only to react accordingly. This one required some thought. That's totally fine.

If it were my son, and he was excited about it, I'd say let him sling some lead the next time he pops up. You still have a chance at a bigger boy coming in - in the meantime, but if this ends up being the biggest one that shows up, it would be a mighty fine story to post next week!


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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362145 11/29/18 07:19 PM
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I say 4.
Dont know about the .5
Always makes me smile when people feel the need to add the .5 to the age.
Maybe he was born early and is 4.6 or late and is 4.4
Its just semantics really

Last edited by sbushee; 11/29/18 07:21 PM.
Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362210 11/29/18 08:11 PM
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Re: Young or old deer? [Re: Son of a Blitch] #7362250 11/29/18 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by George - w/ Map My Ranch
You pre-rut, rut, or post rut where you are?

First two pics made me say 4.5 at minimum. Bottom two pics made me think 3.5-4.5. Put that all together and I think you have a 4.5 yr old. Could be 5.5...but not sure about where you are. We have a place south of Austin and they have already been rutting for a couple weeks and the big boys lost some weight and "look" a year younger than they actually are, unless you study them closely.

It would make a fine first buck. And you said he wants to shoot him really bad. This is a good lesson, where you aren't totally sure about the age or how he'd stack up against other deer, so you think about it....and then decide. Nothing wrong with waiting and thinking about big decisions. If it was a super stud 6.5 with a massive rack, there is no need to think, only to react accordingly. This one required some thought. That's totally fine.

If it were my son, and he was excited about it, I'd say let him sling some lead the next time he pops up. You still have a chance at a bigger boy coming in - in the meantime, but if this ends up being the biggest one that shows up, it would be a mighty fine story to post next week!


Agree completely. Great first buck. But even better you are teaching him about making deliberate decisions and patience while hunting.

Re: Young or old deer? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7362259 11/29/18 09:22 PM
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Great first buck for a 13 year old or any age person. I think it is 5.5 and yes let him shoot it up

Last edited by Stub; 11/29/18 09:23 PM.

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