Another Age w/ No Antlers

[Mortenson]

Thanks for looking. It's the same deer.

 

[Greta&Gus]

2.5.

 

[bueller]

1.5

 

[kl9]

1.5

 

[chummer]

2.5

 

[Turkey Creek]

2.5

 

[kl9]

In your location (N IL) that is a 1.5 y.o. all day long IMO. I'd put money on it

 

[Mortenson]

Rack is bigger than a yearling but his body is so tiny and a young looking face. Not really sure. Here he is with a more normal sized younger buck. Seems like a good 1 to lay off for a couple years anyway.

 

[Greta&Gus]

Wow. There is nothing more to say.

 

[bueller]

Maybe he is a 2.5 that is so lean from carrying that heavy rack around :eek:

 

[H20fwler]

Sometimes it's just hard to tell, wife's uncle shot this one that was aged by DNR at 3.5 years old.

 

[Mortenson]

That's a monster. If he's 3.5 and mine is 2.5, I'd say mine could look like that next year. I've seen DNR make some dubious calls before too!

 

[H20fwler]

I think the typical WR Hanson buck was 3.5 too? It's all about genetics and good habitat sometimes.

 

[Mortenson]

Yes i remember them saying that. I recall the article in NAW where it showed pics of what they speculated it would look like the following years. Frame getting bigger but adding on the junk. Who knows. You're certainly right it's about genetics. I wanted to shoot a doe the other day, but she was getting tended by a yearling buck that I wanted to breed. He was an 8 point with 2 little base stickers. Figured he may have decent genes.

Back to my buck, I got a trail cam pics of him on 11/05 when he should look huge, but he still looks like a yearling! Maybe he's been castrated? But then he wouldn't be scraping and rubbing right? A Hanson yearling? Probably just 2 year old that needs to be protected and hopefully can hide from the neighbors which will be tough.

 

[H20fwler]

A Hanson yearling that would be awesome for you next year if he can keep is head down.

I had this guy that I think was 1.5-2.5 show up in early Sept. I kept this pic of him in case he came around again, he was tight bellied/narrow brisket and looked very young but his rack looked like he could really get nice in a couple years.

 

[Mortenson]

Well, he couldn't keep his head down. Made it through the first two gun seasons, but got killed in the third (ML) by a guy who hunts the neighbor's across our fence. I probably take it too seriously, but it's a little frustrating for a couple reasons. The guy also took a beautiful 2.5 year old 8 pointer on opening day. And I shared trail cam pics with the landowner (he runs no cameras) and he agreed the buck would be recognizable and easy to pass. But he apparently doesn't share the pics or sentiment with his hunters, all the while he does share my mindset of holding for mature bucks. If a kid had shot the deer I'd be just fine with that, but this guy is a veteran old hunter with many buck kills over the years. I think it's just numbers to him. Just hate to see so many great young deer never get close to reaching their potential. I know it's the same problem most everyone has. Also I know not everyone will agree with me, or has the same harvest goals. Just had to vent a little.