thoughts on these two PA bucks

[phil@thesidehill]

so far these two are the most mature deer to get in front of the cam. i don't place too much stock in summer time buck pics, although i strongly believe i had both of these bucks in my plot frequently last december and january. the 6 pt had already shed his left side by the time i got my first pics of him in mid december. the 8 pt, was actually a 9 point with last year, with a small but scorable G4 on his right side....which i picked up in shed season...damn squirrels got to it first and did a number on it.

two pics of the big 6.




8 point

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Pretty young bucks... You gonna shoot em?

 

[Greta&Gus]

They both look like 3 year olds to me.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Pretty young bucks... You gonna shoot em?

Based on previous history...i believe that they are both at least 3 yr olds, with the 8 point being a 4 yr old. In my neck of the woods anything that makes it to a 3rd yr of life is a "mature" deer....far too many get shot in rifle season as 1 and 2 yr olds. The big 6's body looks a bit on the young side to me, but this time of year that can be deceiving, antler wise he seems to have more mass and beam length than our 2 yr olds typically have. The 8 has a pretty big pot belly and the back is pretty flat. the hams and front shoulders are blocky and muscled. Neck line and brisket meet pretty low, but has a little definition, but it is still summer. For me every 3 yr old is on the table. I'm not completely decided on the 6 (although I really like big 6's and 7's...i just think they are cool!), but the 8 point i'm pretty sure is no younger than 3 and most likely 4...so he could get an arrow flung at him. I typically have very little carry over between summer time bucks and the bucks that are around during our archery season. If there are other bucks that start to show up this fall and they fascinate me more, and that I feel I have a legit chance of getting a shot at, then that 8 point may get the pass.

here is a pic of the back end of the 8 pt....look at that belly!

 

[SD51555]

Darn nice deer! I'd love to see those guys in my neck of the woods. They could go from really nice to wall mounters if they can run the obstacle course this fall. I get what you're saying about the lack of survival. Ours almost never get past 2.5 yrs.

More importantly now... What ya got growing in the background there?

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Darn nice deer! I'd love to see those guys in my neck of the woods. They could go from really nice to wall mounters if they can run the obstacle course this fall. I get what you're saying about the lack of survival. Ours almost never get past 2.5 yrs.

More importantly now... What ya got growing in the background there?

Thanks SD! The hunter density in this state is nuts. Our rifle season is 12 days long and an immense amount of pressure gets applied. During Archery season the pressure immediately surrounding my property is not too bad at all....but come rifle season that changes drastically.

The plot is in strips. the foreground is pretty much the LC brassica mix. The tall mess above that is this spring's crimson clover planting with a lot of weeds....lots of rag weed. I just didn't have the time or energy to mow it over the summer. I did just mow it about 10 days ago. Will be spraying tonight and then broadcasting rye, oats, and medium red clover tomorrow.

in this pic you can see the strips better after mowing. to the left of the frame it is a solid block of brassica mix from top to bottom. that area was an expansion this year...i really like planting brassicas to establish a new area. the top two strips go on for a ways out of the frame to the right.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Looks like the deer are lovin' that brassica mix. Oughta keep 'em in good shape going into winter. The rye, oats & med. red will round out the menu. Nice job.

 

[SD51555]

They're working over those brassica already pre-frost?

 

[scott44]

Nice looking bucks! Good luck with them, deer around here don't touch the brassicas till later.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

After looking at a pic on my larger computer screen they def look mature! Man your plot looks great! Neon green!

 

[phil@thesidehill]

They're working over those brassica already pre-frost?

The first year I planted them it took the deer a little while to figure them out. Ever since then they have gotten on them a little earlier. The DER gets the attention in August and September. Radish greens start getting hit in late September and October. The PTT greens seem to be the only ones that require a few hard frosts....usually late October or early November they start getting hit and last until end of December. By this time the bulbs are all that are left and they usually make to about mid to late march.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

After looking at a pic on my larger computer screen they def look mature! Man your plot looks great! Neon green!

Thanks Jordan! The plots are doing well... Great growing year.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Nice bucks Phil. They'd both be on my hit list up here in NH too.

I have a friend from NH that comes down to PA every year during the week of Columbus Day to bow hunt. He shot his biggest buck ever last yr! 19" wide 10 pt with short tines and a lot of mass....a real old timer.