Top States for Mature Buck Harvests

[Brian662]

And another thing, while I have seen a substantial increase in mature bucks, as have other friends in my circle - that still does not mean 150” deer are becoming common. They are still a very, very rare animal in these parts.

The deer on the right is a mature deer. So is the one in the background
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From the side. What do you think he scores - 100?

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Our average 5.5 yr old deer scores somewhere around 118 or 120. While more mature bucks is a great thing - by far the majority of hunters I know have never killed a 150” deer - or even a 140” deer. Killing five yr old 120” bucks is not going to bring a flood of non resident hunters into the state

I would shoot that deer in MN or WI easily. Love the tall frame and upward sweeping beams.

 

[Brian662]

I love score, but maturity is the thing that matters in my book. You very rarely can have score without age. High grading is having a massive effect on what animals make it though. Often times it’s the “wrong” ones making it to maturity.
Like this guy. I’ve had him for a couple years, he’s at least 7-8. But no one has wanted to put their tag on him in that time
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I have one in WI that has been a 100-110" 10 pointer for the time I've owned the property (4th year) and he's back again this year. Feel the same way, would love to harvest him but not when there are legitimate targets around with age and size.

 

[SwampCat]

I would shoot that deer in MN or WI easily. Love the tall frame and upward sweeping beams.

And we will also shoot him. There are not enough 145” deer to go around, and I have five grand daughters. I dont feel like he is going to make a big jump antler wise. Our deer usually start losing inches past five years old. Chances are very good - we wont see him.

 

[SwampCat]

I love score, but maturity is the thing that matters in my book. You very rarely can have score without age. High grading is having a massive effect on what animals make it though. Often times it’s the “wrong” ones making it to maturity.
Like this guy. I’ve had him for a couple years, he’s at least 7-8. But no one has wanted to put their tag on him in that time
View attachment 82715

We dont have that problem so much here - we are a two buck state

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I have one in WI that has been a 100-110" 10 pointer for the time I've owned the property (4th year) and he's back again this year. Feel the same way, would love to harvest him but not when there are legitimate targets around with age and size.

I dont even see those types of deer to the best of my knowledge.. Would have shot them if I did.

 

[Brian662]

Went back to find the thread where I talked about this deer. Shot him last night, hard quartering away at 20 yards, he was at 7 yards but no shot. He went 100 yards and got the weak knees before tipping over.
I'll see what the teeth say but I know he's at least 5.5 from personal camera history. WI archery tag on a mature deer ️

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Heck yeah! He’s a mature warrior. Eluded a lot of people to get to you. Good work

 

[Mortenson]

Thats a cool looking buck!

 

[Hoytvectrix]

It seems like a lot of Wisconsin bucks have heavier mass. We pretty much never have bucks with that much mass out to their tips, even as they get to 5-7 year olds.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

It seems like a lot of Wisconsin bucks have heavier mass. We pretty much never have bucks with that much mass out to their tips, even as they get to 5-7 year olds.

It’s funny i have a buddy with a place by Brian’s and he’s sending me these 2-3 year olds with just coke can bases

 

[Brian662]

We grow em thicc around here

 

[hillrunner]

Congrats, that'll get the heart pumping!

 

[Bill]

Congratulations. Tough to get one that old in bow range, well done.

 

[gwm]

Congrats Brian!

 

[BenA]

Love the mass Brian. Congrats!

 

[Brian662]

CWD test site had him at 5.5 based on tooth wear.

 

[Mortenson]

It’s funny i have a buddy with a place by Brian’s and he’s sending me these 2-3 year olds with just coke can bases

I mentioned here once that btwn sheds and racks we prbly have pushing a thousand antlers and zero of them have a 6" H1 circ

 

[Brian662]

This one was 6" and 6 1/8"
Last year was 6 4/8 and 6 5/8 I believe.
It certainly helps the score go up quick with nice mass measurements

 

[omicron1792]

I’ve talked to no less than 3 landowners in my immediate area this week. Just playing the beginning of deer season catch up game. Every. Single. One. Has complained they don’t have any good deer. One has no shooters, one had one but it disappeared and one has an old nasty buck but that’s it.

I made a post a couple years ago asking are the glory days over where I blamed tech, bait combined with xbows/modern muzzleloaders/500 yard out of the box rifles/etc and lack of restraint. I’m more and more validated in my opinion every single year.

Landowners, especially neighbors, always poor mouth deer during hunting season. They want to keep “their” booners secret.

 

[SwampCat]

I’ve talked to no less than 3 landowners in my immediate area this week. Just playing the beginning of deer season catch up game. Every. Single. One. Has complained they don’t have any good deer. One has no shooters, one had one but it disappeared and one has an old nasty buck but that’s it.

I made a post a couple years ago asking are the glory days over where I blamed tech, bait combined with xbows/modern muzzleloaders/500 yard out of the box rifles/etc and lack of restraint. I’m more and more validated in my opinion every single year.

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