Hypothetical

You're hunting a one buck county and late in season two bucks present themselves; one a wide horned, 11 ptr., 4.5 yo that you estimate scoring 150ish, the other a tall basket, 6yo 10ptr. you estimate scoring 145". The question is what one are you taking and why????

Am I hunting here next year or is it a maybe next year situation?

If I'm hunting next year, I take the older one to let the 4.5 reach its peak......If not hunting next year I take the wide one.

I'd probably shoot the 6 year old. If they are only about 5" different in score and the 6 yo has one less point then I'd think he looks equally as impressive and then hopefully you can shoot the 11 point as a monster next year.

Hate basket racks of any score. I take the 11 pointer.

As far as you know, you'll be on the place the next year but you just never know. What is known is that it is late in current season...

I don't take either on and shoot a Doe. Why? She would be better eating especially late in the season.

I take the buck that gets my heat beating the hardest

I am taking the one I like the most every time. I am not much on spread so if I thought they 4.5 yr old would survive till next year then I would have no problem shooting the older basket racked buck.

If that’s the case you wouldn’t be out hunting at all. If you want a doe you would have already shot one.

Not to mention many one buck counties does are off the table with a rifle

I love those big basket bucks, so I would take the older one and hopefully see what the wide one becomes.

Personally, its simply the oldest 99% of the time. You made the comparison easy. 11pt frame has an exponential ability to jump to something very special in his post prime year's. Plus his survival odds also exceptional due to late season.

The current 6.5 year old is still a great deer and worthy of a tag.

Now if it was an 4.5 150in 8pt frame, I’d be hard pressed not to kill him at 4.5, even though it's counter to everything I said above. I have a big frame soft spot

The first one that presents a high-percentage shot.

Dang thats a tough one. I love me a wide buck but im also i sucker for a nice heavy basket rack. How big are his bases LOL? Ok in all reality ill take the older deer.

The 6 year old every time....even if he is 115"!

This

Sounds like the 10 has better tine length and tall. Id take that and a mature deer every time.

If you are hunting on 200 acres you take both!

In a 1 buck only AR county?

whichever one did it for me at that moment.....

in a similar situation few years back but they were 8's......opted for the wider/older buck that day.....still think about the tall basket on the other buck though.

The 4.5 is the one i would take. That might change if I could see them standing side by side.

At my age I am going for the 11.

I'll take the mature buck and leave the wide one to grow and breed. I've been doing that for 20 years and this year I have a 9 and a 10 that are both over 18". Unless I judge either to be 6.5, they'll get a pass this year too, most likely.

We'd get along good in the deer woods!

I would slap myself. Obviously I fell asleep in the blind and was dreaming.

M