The more we see of this deer the more we think he is on the younger ice of things. I don’t see him older than 4 and maybe even a 3....certainly doesn’t look mature does he? Have very few pics that show any size to his body. My son even thinks maybe he gets a pass this year. Are we crazy?

Really hard to tell from those angles on walking photos. He is at least middle-aged...3-4 yrs old from those pics. A standing broadside pic is the best. I would shoot him on my place as a 4 yr old age guess from those two photos. Bucks of that caliber here don't get a pass due to age. If I was certain he would make and was a 3 or 4 yr old, I would love to see him get another year. Nothing wrong with giving him a pass if you have good neighbors. Bucks are just now start to fill out their body as their antler growth reaches the end. They can put on a lot of weight and change their look in the 4-5 weeks.

Here’s a few more pics of him where I can definitively ID him as the same buck. I think I have two similar bucks running around but one has a drop and one does not.

Edit, I can’t get picture uploaded to work. Maybe send a few more later. This B&W pic makes him Look older but I think it’s posture as the deer in back looks older than the 2.5 he is as well.

Some other targets. Not sure these are the same due to lack of drop in the photos. I thought the night pic was the same buck as above but now that I look at it more I just don’t see the drop, and it would be on the close side so it should show up.

Very difficult since he is stretched out walking in that pic. Makes him look long and skinny. He could also just be a much smaller bodied buck than other bucks in his age class. Might have even been born to a doe that bred causing him to be born very late compared to the rest of the fawns on your place.

Ugghh, I have two good broadside pics of the target buck but neither will load. Don’t know why.

STx, I appreciate your help on him. It’s a tough thing, thinking what could be next year as I think he has some more potential but at the same time we lost a 160” 11 pt 3.5yo last year from ?? And I would really like for my son to take this guy rather than someone else or nature. I get it, nature happens. Just tough when you see it happen to such nice animals. I know the neighbors on three sides hunt more exclusively but I don’t know if anyone hunts north of me and that’s the closest to this guys home. Will get in touch with them and see what’s up. Will help sway the opinion.

Tbh, not sure my son would have the willpower to turn this guy down if he saw him in real life. Good to hear he wouldn’t get a pass on other places as well.

Cool thing is we found one of his sheds from last year. Know it was his as it has the split g2. Will be cool to match it to this rack. His brows last year were sub 6 inches, he took a big jump this year

These pics suck. Are you having a problem figuring out how to upload them?

You can roll the dice but there are 3 things that can happen to that buck if you let him go...and 2 of them are not good. He can improve with age, he can die/be killed or he can go downhill. Many people, myself include like to see them get to a mature age and my case I would love to see them at 7. Many areas bucks never see 4 yrs of age and there are many more that never see 3 yrs of age. You know you area and neighbors so it is a roll of the dice that you have to make. I am one that always tell people that if they like the deer.... kill him. If you want to let him walk...let him walk another year. Do not let someone else make your decisions for you based off of their personal goals. You can't manage what someone else is going to do, you can only manage what you would do.

yes

"Man, I sure regret killing that monster drop tine buck this year"....said no one, ever.

Kill that buck. Unless you have a wall full of 180's....

Yes

Yup!

yep in a heartbeat

Best answer!!

I would

Be nice to let him pass on those genes a couple times, BUT I know what I would...

Yep. Shoot a deer if you want.

Yes sir.

shoot!!!!!!!

Looks like a 3 year old to me.

Pass for me until I could get a good age on him. One place I have is 5.5yr minimum and my trophy place is a very strict 7.5yr old minimum. Like you shoot one not approved you off and the deer is confiscated.

Wow, how do you determine age between 6.5 and 7.5? Pretty strict and who has the final say on age, cementum, photos, molars?

Experience with the herd and history with most of the deer. Its all pretty open for discussion but lease manager will have final say. Most deer will be well scouted before season ever opens and we will know most of what is there except the few travelers that will come through. A hit list for trophies, management, and culls will be in place.

So you use photos mainly. Do you guys ever verify age or once you set the trophy,cull, management photos up, it’s ok to shoot those deer regardless and you don’t have to worry?

Just trying to figure out your last sentence in your initial post on this, the part where you can be kicked off and deer taken if the age is wrong...basically what you meant is you aren’t allowed to shoot anything other than what’s on the list unless it’s older than dirt