Top States for Mature Buck Harvests

[BenA]

What would you say would be the main difference between Native’s acreages - which are not big tracts of land - and your place? He doesnt really control enough land to protect some of his bucks, while you are in a better position to do that with considerably more land. He always seems to have a 150 around and maybe even a gross b&c

I can't answer for @Native Hunter, but being in the same county, I think it's a combination of the excellent food and the right kind of cover. He's worked his tail off. I'm in the same county, but don't have the ag ground around me. I've worked on the cover, and I have extremely limited pressure. Roads on 3 sides of me, and a non-hunting neighbor on the other. I have had nothing that compares even on camera.

 

[SwampCat]

I can't answer for @Native Hunter, but being in the same county, I think it's a combination of the excellent food and the right kind of cover. He's worked his tail off. I'm in the same county, but don't have the ag ground around me. I've worked on the cover, and I have extremely limited pressure. Roads on 3 sides of me, and a non-hunting neighbor on the other. I have had nothing that compares even on camera.

Ag makes a huge difference in my area - good and bad

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Don’t let me come off too negative. Unless any have been killed I have 5 bucks 150 or better. I’ve seen two of them so far. I think the thing that is frustrating is never having the next level buck. That 170 plus. Just one glimpse on camera would be a game changer to know it’s out there. My neighborhood has all the ingredients so it’s not like I’m sitting in South Carolina wishing I had that. But to answer your question the best I can, he may have more selective neighbors or the neighbors he has don’t put in enough effort to destroy the top end age class. Or maybe mines just as good and I’m never satisfied lol

 

[BenA]

Ag makes a huge difference in my area - good and bad

He also has made a variety of the best food available uear round. Stuff that's not available anywhere else. It's like the garden of Eden.

 

[Native Hunter]

Just think where I would be now if I had gone to Tony’s boot camp……….

 

[SwampCat]

Don’t let me come off too negative. Unless any have been killed I have 5 bucks 150 or better. I’ve seen two of them so far. I think the thing that is frustrating is never having the next level buck. That 170 plus. Just one glimpse on camera would be a game changer to know it’s out there. My neighborhood has all the ingredients so it’s not like I’m sitting in South Carolina wishing I had that. But to answer your question the best I can, he may have more selective neighbors or the neighbors he has don’t put in enough effort to destroy the top end age class. Or maybe mines just as good and I’m never satisfied lol

Don’t let me come off too negative. Unless any have been killed I have 5 bucks 150 or better. I’ve seen two of them so far. I think the thing that is frustrating is never having the next level buck. That 170 plus. Just one glimpse on camera would be a game changer to know it’s out there. My neighborhood has all the ingredients so it’s not like I’m sitting in South Carolina wishing I had that. But to answer your question the best I can, he may have more selective neighbors or the neighbors he has don’t put in enough effort to destroy the top end age class. Or maybe mines just as good and I’m never satisfied lol

how old are those bucks? I can have 5.5 year old bucks score 150 and they might live to 8.5 and score 100. Our best out of 20, 5.5 year old deer will not ever make 170. Are you sure your deer have it in them? I am not talking about one deer five years ago that was a purebred freak - I am talking do 1 out of ten 5.5 year old bucks end up scaring 170? It is just not realistic to think 5.5 yr old 150 buck after buck never make it to 170 - that a 170 is anything but a freak. Me and my next door neighbor made a wildass educated guess that 1 out of 20 5.5 yr old bucks will make it to 150. Yes, I know of a NT that score 174 next to my property. And know a 180 killed in my county - but that is no where near enough frequency to think in my 4 yr old grand daughter’s lifetime, she has a reasonable chance of killing a 170” buck. In my area, it would be like logarithmic numbers - ten 140’s to equal one 150. Ten 150’s to equal one 160. While it might happen, it is not realistic. Do you know of a 170” deer killed within five miles of your place in the past three years? I dont mean to be negative at all. I could go 30 miles from my place in two different directions and be on ground that produces a gross 170 every other year - but not in my area.

 

[bwoods11]

I shot him in Northern Missouri on Halloween ! Two straight years ..,same stand!

 

[omicron1792]

I shot him in Northern Missouri on Halloween ! Two straight years ..,same stand! View attachment 84931View attachment 84932

Atta boy!

 

[Bill]

I shot him in Northern Missouri on Halloween ! Two straight years ..,same stand! View attachment 84931View attachment 84932

I know it isn't but man that first pic could have been taken on my farm. I love the N. MO rolling hills.