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Think you'll get some 2014 shots?
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
OK, Steve...Time to stop showing off your skills with scout cams and just kill that thing this fall! ;) The next pics I'd want to see are a few in velvet and then a bunch with my hands around his antlers, smiling ear to ear. I suppose after that, a few showing the quality of the mount would be good, too.
Good luck on him this fall. He's a beast
Good luck on him this fall. He's a beast
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Thanks Guys. I knew that you habitat junkies would enjoy the trip through time. The trail cam pics ended on the second day of our firearms season last fall when I was blessed with the opportunity to harvest him. Pics are shown below.
All the mass that this deer had pushed him up to 164 5/8 gross, which was verified by two different scorers. My friends insisted that I take him to an award winning Tax Man, which I did. Problem is that he is so much in demand, he told me not to check back for a year. So hopefully I will have my mount before the end of this year and will post some pics when I get it.
This was special to me for multiple reasons. First, deer like this are uncommon in my area. Second, the deer loved my farm and wanted to be there. With all of the human activity I had the last two years (especially logging into August), I gave him more reasons to leave than stay, but 3 weeks after everyone cleared out, he was back to his home. Third, I started transforming my farm with no deer bedding on it into what it is now about 5 years ago. It's good to see the fruits of your labors.
Now I have my eye on some other boys that I know made it through season, including the one below that I have two years of history on. Note how as a 2 year old he had broken one beam almost entirely off, but look at the transformation one year later to him as a 3 years old (last year). I know he made it through season, and now I just have to convince him to live on my place instead of dropping in occasionally. If this boy don't scare the heck out of 170 this fall I will be surprised. What are your thoughts?
Anyway, glad to share my pics with everyone here. Not everyone understand the feeling that you get having 4 years of history on one, but I know you guys really do understand that.
Take Care - Steve
All the mass that this deer had pushed him up to 164 5/8 gross, which was verified by two different scorers. My friends insisted that I take him to an award winning Tax Man, which I did. Problem is that he is so much in demand, he told me not to check back for a year. So hopefully I will have my mount before the end of this year and will post some pics when I get it.
This was special to me for multiple reasons. First, deer like this are uncommon in my area. Second, the deer loved my farm and wanted to be there. With all of the human activity I had the last two years (especially logging into August), I gave him more reasons to leave than stay, but 3 weeks after everyone cleared out, he was back to his home. Third, I started transforming my farm with no deer bedding on it into what it is now about 5 years ago. It's good to see the fruits of your labors.
Now I have my eye on some other boys that I know made it through season, including the one below that I have two years of history on. Note how as a 2 year old he had broken one beam almost entirely off, but look at the transformation one year later to him as a 3 years old (last year). I know he made it through season, and now I just have to convince him to live on my place instead of dropping in occasionally. If this boy don't scare the heck out of 170 this fall I will be surprised. What are your thoughts?
Anyway, glad to share my pics with everyone here. Not everyone understand the feeling that you get having 4 years of history on one, but I know you guys really do understand that.
Take Care - Steve
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Snowball271
Yearling... With promise
Congrats on harvesting him. Beautiful buck. I had a buck I got a picture of with my first camera ever, first pull. This was post season(camera was Christmas gift)2011, which was my first season ever hunting. Became obsessed with bow hunting then on. Hunted him with quite a few pictures and a couple encounters 2012 and 2013. Dreamed many nights in the stand for him to be my first deer. Very small rack but heavy deer (not unusal for Maine). Then heard a "big buck" that was very heavy got hit and killed by a car in January. Pretty sure its him. Can only imagine having that much history and sealing the deal. Side note still have yet to harvest a deer. Bow hunting not that easy.Lol
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Wow your deer blew up from what I estimate 4.5 to 5.5!!! That's why I don't believe that a deer produces 80% of his max antler growth at 3.5. Your bucks rack exploded in that last yr before you harvested. No doubt your premium habitat helped:) I cannot wait to see pics of your new target buck. I bet he will flirt with your est an long as he stays healthy. Keep us updated an tks for posting
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
That would be tough to hear the one you were hunting got run over. The north side of my sanctuary borders a blacktop road and one young buck with future potential got smacked there last year while I was hunting in ML season. The land across the road is a jungle, so there is lots of crossing the road at that point.
I had to temporarily give up bow hunting a few years ago (because of time constraints for other commitments), but want to get started back as soon as I can find the time. I've killed several deer with a bow over the years and always enjoyed it, but never had a hunting place before now with very much potential for mature bucks. First thing on my "to do list" after retiring someday (and maybe even sooner than that) is go out an buy a new bow.
Glad to hear you are "hooked on the feeling" because there is not many things better to be hooked on! Good luck on your future hunting.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Jordan, I agree. It may happen in some areas of the country, but not around here. I can show you pics of another deer (still alive) that went from what I thought was a cull to a beautiful 140ish deer (last year) from 3 to 4, and I can't wait to see him this year. I'm also learning that some 3 year olds around here have huge bodies that will make you think they are old deer with poor racks. Then, give them one more year and they explode in antler growth. Trail cameras really have taught me a lot more about deer than I dreamed they would. And, what they have taught me about seasonal shifts could not have been learned any other way.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Speaking of seasonal shifts. The two below spent the whole summer on my place together. During the fall transition the larger one disappeared and the smaller one stayed on my place. I know the small one survived gun season and had pics of him this spring before he shed. I don't think either one of them are very old and that they both have good potential. The challenge is keeping them alive until they reach it.
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Both pretty bucks Native. That 8 is a solid p&y class buck! Is he 4 you think?
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Jordan, I was guessing him 4 last year when the pics was taken. It would be great to see him this year just to be able to see how much he changed. I'm almost certain I will see the other one this year.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Sandbur, unfortunately I didn't get a weight. I'm going to invest in some scales before this fall.
This deer was big, but there was one deer on the place this time that had a bigger body than him (although not much headgear). My son was after him but didn't get him. If we ever harvest this one, I will have to see the weight or won't be able to sleep.:) Check out the body below.
