Morning Buck Fix Video

[bigbendmarine]

For those who've seen my land tour thread, you might recall several annual posts speaking to wild cherry trees drawing bucks out into the open behind my home around July. With thanks to the most productive cherry tree on our place this year, got to see / watch behavior among an interesting bachelor group this morning.

The drama featured three primary characters. In order of appearance they're a buck I named "Split-Ear", "Wide 8", and a new fella on the scene, "Pale 12."

Split-Ear and Wide 8 have been stuck to each other's hips the past month or so, with Wide 8 acting submissive to Split-Ear's lead. Obvious that Wide 8 is submissive to Pale 12 in the clip as well. Not quite as obvious that Split-Ear's happy to submit to Pale 12 and that sure goes vice versa. Wouldn't surprise me if they duke it out a few months down the road assuming neither strays too far or runs out into one of two nearby highways just yards away (very well might).

Respecting there's a huge amount of shared knowledge and many years of observation among many forum members, be interested to hear y'all's take on behaviors shown in the clip, guesses on age, rough estimates on scores that might be expected if racks aren't broken up too much, and which buck you would first target and for what reasons / which of the three you'd give passes and why.

 

[Telemark]

I would probably shoot Pale 12 because he looks like the oldest deer and because Split Ear is likely to be there next year.

 

[Baker]

Great stuff. Love watching bachelor groups. Looks like a group of two and three year olds to me. Suspect they will work out most of the dominance issues this summer and be just fine with each other come fall. That said I find most natural buck mortality with the three and four year olds as they are trying to fight their way into the breeding pool.

Love the setting with the trees, bird house et al.

 

[John-W-WI]

Interesting... I honestly have not had much opportunity to observe bachelor groups. My farm is a doe farm until October. Interesting how much time they spend pushing each other around. Pale 12 and Split Ear both look mature'ish to me. Its tough for me to judge this time of year and your location.

-John

 

[bigbendmarine]

Interesting... I honestly have not had much opportunity to observe bachelor groups. My farm is a doe farm until October. Interesting how much time they spend pushing each other around. Pale 12 and Split Ear both look mature'ish to me. Its tough for me to judge this time of year and your location.

-John

Can't lie, John-W-WI, I have a tough time judging our bucks age wise as well!

Here in FL it's pretty easy to gauge them until they're 3, but after that they often look similar from year to year until all of a sudden they look REALLY old / are obviously declining. Outside of clover growth carrying over into the spring and summer, I've done ZERO feeding this year / and no real supplementation beyond a couple of mineral blocks. Property is not fenced either (fence that is visible is to protect my INSIDE house yard FROM the deer).

Age wise, only one I can offer bit of educated guess on is Split Ear as have bit of history with him. I go back and forth on whether or not he's 3 or 4 this year but it's absolutely one or the other. If only 3, he was a heck of a 2 year old last year for our neck of the woods. Here's a pic of him in the fall of 18.



In ways Split-Ear looks as mature to me as Pale 12... sure carrying a full belly that's starting to sag a bit and brisket looks like it's showing a bit more than younger bucks. But something about Pale 12 looks like he's older / wiser / or maybe just more tired and conserving energy a bit more like an older buck (or us older fellas) might. That sure doesn't sound very empirical / scientific, and that said from some certain angles and looking at his face alone he looks kind of young too.

Difficulty in my gauging age may just be consequence of good many area bucks being harvested around the 3.5 year old range / not having lots of older bucks to compare younger ones with. About once a year will have one come through I feel comfortable saying looks to be fully mature, but even then kind of have hard time pegging good precise age, and though bodies look more mature on those sometimes the horn mass actually seems to be less favorable than with the 3.5 year olds -- then again maybe that's due to being bucks given passes due to inferior rack development. Thus far those are bucks I've not laid eyes on from the stand and who've only popped on cameras a few times each year, and often during nocturnal visits (all signs of a deer smart enough to make it to maturity... ).

Here's one such buck that briefly triggered a few cameras last year...

 

[Bill]

Far out guess when it comes to FL. I could be way wrong. Split ear 135”.

He looks older to me even though his body may be a tad smaller. He just seems thicker all the way through. They could be the same age but just have different characteristics. He was definitely not submitting when he was against fence. Tail never quit twitching even when got off the ropes.

I agree, they are going to square off at some point.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Split ear... looks older to me even though his body may be a tad smaller. He just seems thicker all the way through. They could be the same age but just have different characteristics.

Bill, had the luxury of seeing Split Ear and Wide 8 again yesterday morning and snapped a few pics of them walking together. Think you're 100% right on your observations and that's looking at multiple pics showing them at multiple angles. Split Ear doesn't have quite the long-legged look and does look thicker all the way through, with his chest bigger and proportional to his rump, whereas Wide 8's chest looks smaller than his rump.







On very related note, thought it fortuitous that Grant Woods shared a pretty decent video on aging bucks at the very same time I shared my post. For anybody else who might see this and like me struggles a bit on judging age on the hoof think it's worth a watch.

 

[bigbendmarine]

And one more pic share just for fun... got la bit lucky with this capture as took it at quite a distance just as Split Ear and Wide 8 were about to leave my view. Just as I went to take the shot noticed at least 6 or 7 does and junior bucks clearing out of their path. Didn't manage to capture them all in the frame but still thought the snapshot captured the essence of the moment.

 

[Bill]

Wait til late October. Or when ever you’re pre rut starts....

 

[Telemark]

I have to admit I'm a bit jealous of your place. I can just imagine taking a whisky out on the porch and watching the animals while listening to Seminole Wind.

 

[Mortenson]

Beautiful pictures. That 6x4 is unique.