bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Almost wouldn't believe it if I hadn't witnessed it through camera captures... so last spring before bucks were even putting on any bone I noticed a small yearling (at least THINK he was a yearling?!) that was hanging onto a doe group that was feeding, and he had a distinct split ear visible. Got a few pics of him that spring. First pic below is the first time I saw him... he's on the far right of the photo. Have to look closely, but split in ear is visible.
By November he'd bulked up a bit and sported horns, but not in ANY way tempting... relatively small racked and with about every point broken off.
Fast forward a SINGLE year and I get this photo from a stump holding a mineral block.
Already tempted me twice this season... first this past weekend on the opening weekend of gun season. Always find coat color variations interesting and his was WAY darker than any others.
And then this morning when I looked out the front window of my home as I prepared to head to work. He was initially feeding on live oak acorns right against my fence but ran out with the doe just a ways to put distance between himself and one of my dogs that had run out to bark at them.
If I didn't have the history capturing images of him and the distinct split-ear, I'd swear him to be at least 3 1/2, with the reminder I'm down in North Florida, not exactly the capital of high-scoring deer (just takes 100 to make the wildlife commission-coordinated Florida buck registry). Anyone else surprised a 2 1/2 would be shaping up this nicely down my way? Would y'all put him at 2 1/2 based on the history of pics as well??? Tempting as he already is, can hardly imagine giving him 2 more years if he's lucky enough to avoid other area hunters AND roads.
On the road note, sadly lost a young one just this week that I recognized from many game cam captures... buck on the left with split brow tines. Don't know what percentage on the forum are crazy enough in the desire to salvage bones, but cut his head and horns off late yesterday after he'd already grown fairly... uhmmmm... ripe -- main reason being I've been wanting to get my hands on a young buck skull to mount horns from my very first buck killed MANY moons ago, a small basket 8, and have had difficulty finding pedicles close enough in size to somewhat match. Guardedly optimistic his skull will work, though hate the way I got it.
By November he'd bulked up a bit and sported horns, but not in ANY way tempting... relatively small racked and with about every point broken off.
Fast forward a SINGLE year and I get this photo from a stump holding a mineral block.
Already tempted me twice this season... first this past weekend on the opening weekend of gun season. Always find coat color variations interesting and his was WAY darker than any others.
And then this morning when I looked out the front window of my home as I prepared to head to work. He was initially feeding on live oak acorns right against my fence but ran out with the doe just a ways to put distance between himself and one of my dogs that had run out to bark at them.
If I didn't have the history capturing images of him and the distinct split-ear, I'd swear him to be at least 3 1/2, with the reminder I'm down in North Florida, not exactly the capital of high-scoring deer (just takes 100 to make the wildlife commission-coordinated Florida buck registry). Anyone else surprised a 2 1/2 would be shaping up this nicely down my way? Would y'all put him at 2 1/2 based on the history of pics as well??? Tempting as he already is, can hardly imagine giving him 2 more years if he's lucky enough to avoid other area hunters AND roads.
On the road note, sadly lost a young one just this week that I recognized from many game cam captures... buck on the left with split brow tines. Don't know what percentage on the forum are crazy enough in the desire to salvage bones, but cut his head and horns off late yesterday after he'd already grown fairly... uhmmmm... ripe -- main reason being I've been wanting to get my hands on a young buck skull to mount horns from my very first buck killed MANY moons ago, a small basket 8, and have had difficulty finding pedicles close enough in size to somewhat match. Guardedly optimistic his skull will work, though hate the way I got it.
