Ground Shrinkage

Out of the last 5 to 10 "shooter" bucks that you have harvested what percentage have you walked up on and thought Dang he's nice just not as big as I thought. For myself has happened at least the last 4 times. I have even had years where I didn't pull the trigger cause I wanted to be a good manager of my lease. Just wondered how many out there have experienced ground shrinkage with the bucks they have taken.

If you have not experienced ground shrinkage, sometimes significant shrinkage in your hunting life, then all you have ever shot is does.
I remember one monster buck that I truly thought would make the B&C book when I pulled the trigger. On the ground it was a small pencil 6 point. Of course I was 12 at the time. That thank God, has been my most shrinkage in all the bucks I have killed since.

Other than spikes, I've shot 6 bucks since 1998, 2 culls and 4 'shooters'. I haven't been disappointed in any of the shooters or felt their was any ground shrinkage. Like you, there have been many times I passed on deer that I knew would only get better. I'm not saying this is your case, but most of the people I know who experience ground shrinkage got excited when they saw a buck and made it into a shooter when it really wasn't (by lease standards, or whatever measure a deer is a 'shooter').

None of the last 10 or so. But I have definitely killed bucks during my life that had significant ground shrinkage. Understanding body types, how to age and rough score deer on the hoof is the key to avoiding ground shrinkage. When in doubt, always favor the ranch.

None of the last 10 I shot for trophies and they are all on my wall in the house. I did have several of those that grew a bunch on the ground.

Pics of the mounts?

That's a great problem!

he has a decent lil trophy room.....

Here we go...yes stx we need some pics of the ones that grew, fouz you throw in some you were close on. We'll make this one heck of a post quick..

I dunno know how to post pictures and am about to leave the office. But I do have some pretty badazz whitetail mounts. Be happy to share them another time. I have several larger, but one of my favorites is a life-sized 221 6/8 I killed hunting with stx. And he's only 13 7/8 inside! Another is a slick 12 point half-size jumping out of the wall through some cactus. He was 210 2/8 and he's 24 4/8 inside.

First buck I shot in Austin County.

Proportionately, he had a huge neck, broad shoulders, looked very muscular...I thought he was a mammoth.

Body was the size of a large labrador when I went to collect him.

It's weird because there are some massive bodied deer out there, but not this guy.

there is no "share another time," there is only share now.

I've had a couple shrink on me, but last year they seemed to grow as I walked up.

"I have several larger than the 221 6/8," I'm proud to know you, but I don't think I'm liking you right now.

First one is the 221 6/8 that was 13 7/8" inside.

Second was around 240

Third one was over 200

I would've been off 40+ inches on that middle one for sure based on that view. What were your guesses on the 3 scores before they were on the ground?

All my guesses where less than the actual scores by at least 10" or more. I always err on the low side.
These pics show size a bit better on that 2nd buck.

Those are awesome!

Sure does, shows his mass a lot better and all those extras.

These are few that grew when I got to them...

Here is one that I guided that grew a bunch when I saw him on the ground....guessed him the low 220's and he was low 240's and had 2 broken points.

I love that mount! Those other bucks aren't too shabby either

Wow, very impressive deer!!

I don't remember an instance of ground shrinkage until I shot my first central Texas 8 point. I grew up in NE Louisiana, and the deer were about 140 pounds for doe and 200 to 250 for bucks, with a big buck weighing near 300 (rare, but every now and then). So...got invited to hunt north of Austin. The place was crawling with deer. As the sun came up the does looked just like does back in Louisiana. Then, here came a perfectly proportioned 8 point. Man, he sure was pretty, with a nice wide rack. I put the old 270 on him and climbed down to walk over and look at him. He got smaller and smaller. I swear he was not much bigger than a large German Shepherd. I grabbed the rack and walked him back to the blind pretty easy. He actually had a total body weight of 125 pounds.

Only shot 2 bucks one grew one shrank

'Happens to all us mortals. Keep shooting the best you see. You'll get the hang of it.

Here's the 221 6/8 life-sized.

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This deer is 3 yrs old. What's he score?



Those are his 1, 2 and 3 yr sets of antlers. 3 being the ones on his head in these photos.


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The two photos above were earlier this summer. He's now coming up on 4.5 yrs. I think he went downhill a bit. What say you?

How about those beams?

By far the best mount I've ever seen! Incredible Deer ! Congrats!!

Most all Bucks appear bigger alive on the hoof to me. I always remind myself of that before I shoot. For me if I'm questioning if he's big enough then he's not big enough...All the shoulder mounts I have there was no doubt it was a mature shooter.

For me when I was younger and up until the mid 90's, we hunted where there was not a lot of deer. So you did not see a lot of deer much less a lot of bucks. When you start to see a lot of bucks then make that decision to pass up a buck, you start to look at a buck differently. You start to see things you do not see when you shoot the first buck you see each season. Spending time looking for sheds, carrying a video camera to shoot videos or still camera to take pics that you get back to camp or the house to look at have all really helped me judge deer much better.

I don't shoot any big Bucks so I shrinkage is one less thing I have to worry about.