West Branch
5 year old buck +
These are the two best so far, should do pretty good with quite a bit more time to grow. Also had some daytime pics of both, but the angles were not as good.
Best So Far
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West Branch
5 year old buck +
I have to look back through 2014 pictures; I remember one with a split ear, but I think I only had a couple pictures in velvet and no hard antlers.
West Branch
5 year old buck +
I think I found him! Buck on the right was a 10 pt with short tines, a neighbor shot a small 10 pt last fall, I never actually saw the antlers and was thinking it might be this guy. When head turns you can see the split year. Same trail camera this year... Should be interesting to see it develop. We had pictures of the 6 pt there into January 2015, if he is back as a bigger 6 I would be ok with that.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Nice deer and great to be able to go back and pull history on one.
West Branch
5 year old buck +
I have some more pictures, but they aren't saved where I thought I saved them! Hopefully find them again. But I have made a few observations from looking through pictures this year. Here are some of my thoughts on our local deer.
The first two bucks have showed up a few more times. First one is a 9 pt similar to 2014. 2nd one is a 10 pt a bit wider and more mass than 2014 but still short tines. I think that both are at least 4.5 this year based on last years pictures. Had at least one other 3.5+ based on body size and antlers when it was next to some other smaller bucks. Here is what my guess at ages so far for 2015:
3.5+ - 3
2.5 - 4
1.5 - 7
This is on 7 cameras spread out on 600 acres. Cameras are all close to field edges or if in the woods they are not very far and right on the main trail. Only a couple of the cameras end up having pictures of the same bucks and doe/fawn groups from what I can tell. There are literally a couple miles of field edges with no cameras, and large blocks of woods that we stay out of, so there are a lot of areas deer can move without having pictures taken.
It seems like we have a lot more does and fawns showing up than prior years. There are also a decent amount of acorns, red and bur. I think the higher numbers of does and fawns at the food sources may be pushing the bucks back into the woods a bit. Buck pictures were only every couple weeks. Also, my brother had seen some of the bucks in the fields in August when we were not getting pictures on the camera. The cameras only cover a small area!
I am thinking that going into hunting season (including fawns) our local DPSM will be in the high teens, assuming that these deer are spread out a bit on neighboring properties. I will be bow hunting Nov 1-6. I am thinking that more does around should be good for getting bucks chasing does in that time frame. The last two years Nov 4-7 seemed to be the best days on our place and I was not hunting, firearms opener is the 7th this year, so I will be ready to hunt then as well.
The first two bucks have showed up a few more times. First one is a 9 pt similar to 2014. 2nd one is a 10 pt a bit wider and more mass than 2014 but still short tines. I think that both are at least 4.5 this year based on last years pictures. Had at least one other 3.5+ based on body size and antlers when it was next to some other smaller bucks. Here is what my guess at ages so far for 2015:
3.5+ - 3
2.5 - 4
1.5 - 7
This is on 7 cameras spread out on 600 acres. Cameras are all close to field edges or if in the woods they are not very far and right on the main trail. Only a couple of the cameras end up having pictures of the same bucks and doe/fawn groups from what I can tell. There are literally a couple miles of field edges with no cameras, and large blocks of woods that we stay out of, so there are a lot of areas deer can move without having pictures taken.
It seems like we have a lot more does and fawns showing up than prior years. There are also a decent amount of acorns, red and bur. I think the higher numbers of does and fawns at the food sources may be pushing the bucks back into the woods a bit. Buck pictures were only every couple weeks. Also, my brother had seen some of the bucks in the fields in August when we were not getting pictures on the camera. The cameras only cover a small area!
I am thinking that going into hunting season (including fawns) our local DPSM will be in the high teens, assuming that these deer are spread out a bit on neighboring properties. I will be bow hunting Nov 1-6. I am thinking that more does around should be good for getting bucks chasing does in that time frame. The last two years Nov 4-7 seemed to be the best days on our place and I was not hunting, firearms opener is the 7th this year, so I will be ready to hunt then as well.
West Branch
5 year old buck +
Here are a couple of pictures. First one OP is first picture. 2nd picture showed up a few times in July and August but most pictures were poor.
