December Buck returns after 3 year absence

[Native Hunter]

I checked a couple of cameras at lunch today and couldn't believe my eyes. A deer is back that I hadn't seen since December 2013. There is no doubt it is him, because you can check out the little kicker on his right G2. Check out the history pics below:

Interested in your thoughts on why such a long absence and why back now???? Also wonder if you agree with my aging of 6.5 this year.


2012 - First year I saw the deer. Came in December 2012 and had a broken beam on the left side. I aged the deer that year at 2.5.



2013 - The last year I saw this buck. He grew some from the year before.



Here he is back in 2016. He has gained a little mass and length, but pretty much just a slightly bigger version of 2013.

 

[Bill]

That is pretty crazy.
I'm on board with 2.5 in 2012 so 6.5 makes sense.
I bet he was close. Any properties near by recently sold or leased to new hunters?
If he's been snug for 3 years somewhere I would think he had to be pressured out of it.

 

[Native Hunter]

That is pretty crazy.
I'm on board with 2.5 in 2012 so 6.5 makes sense.
I bet he was close. Any properties near by recently sold or leased to new hunters?
If he's been snug for 3 years somewhere I would think he had to be pressured out of it.

Bill, no property changes I know of, but it could very well have been someone in a 2 mile radius rabbit hunting with beagles or something like that.

I was glad to see this deer, but don't really have a hope of him staying. When he was here before, he was one of those deer that came in about the first of December (presumably for the second rut) and would leave in the late spring. But you never know. Things are different now and he may be old enough to like an easy lifestyle like he could find here.

I just know I would like to have the answer to about 5 questions. The first would be. "where the heck have you been living?"

 

[Mortenson]

Wow what a good surprise! They never cease to amaze me. Hope he stays put!

 

[Bill]

Do you remeber any bully bucks back in 13?
If it was stress from other bucks that made hime leave that shouldn't be the case now.
I would doubt anyone is going to push him around. Would be nice to see what he looked on Haloween day. I bet he was a tank.

 

[bwoods11]

That's a nice one!!

 

[Native Hunter]

Do you remeber any bully bucks back in 13?
If it was stress from other bucks that made hime leave that shouldn't be the case now.
I would doubt anyone is going to push him around. Would be nice to see what he looked on Haloween day. I bet he was a tank.

I agree that he was probably a tank on Halloween day.

Yes, 2013 was the best year I had for big deer. The two below were still here when he came, and I had just killed the one that both of them would run from.

PS: Take a close look at the body of the daylight buck.





Same two fighting for SECOND place.

 

[Bill]

Never seen a deer with a body like that. Looks like an oversized blocky labrador retriever body.

They could be what made him leave. Who wants their butt handed to them daily?

 

[Native Hunter]

Never seen a deer with a body like that. Looks like an oversized blocky labrador retriever body.

They could be what made him leave. Who wants their butt handed to them daily?

Or as someone once said, "An oak stump with a head coming out of it...."

 

[swat1018]

With the way you were talking recently about all of your mature bucks getting killed, you probably have your answer.

 

[Native Hunter]

With the way you were talking recently about all of your mature bucks getting killed, you probably have your answer.

Good point. I've been thinking along those lines. If he wants to stay now, he should have not problem pushing some scrawny little 2 year olds around.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I think you could throw a saddle on the daylight buck. Night - time bucks aren't slackers though !!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

He looks older that 2.5 to me in 2012. I'd say 3.5 at least. Awesome buck regardless of his current age though. Shoot him, send in a tooth and let us know-

 

[Native Hunter]

He looks older that 2.5 to me in 2012. I'd say 3.5 at least. Awesome buck regardless of his current age though. Shoot him, send in a tooth and let us know-

I'm fresh out of buck tags this year, but if he hangs around until next year we will try to do it.......