GMMAT

I posted a question a while back in which I got a little grief about. The scenario I proposed was one which had a 2-1/2 yr old 10 point (150") and an old 5-1/2 yr old with a diminished or inferior rack uner your tree and broadside @ 15 yds. I asked which one you'd take (to the people who purport to hunt "trophy"/"Mature" whitetails.

I think the answer to this question, when answered honestly, is pretty eveident......and I've got the EXACT scenario I presented, to a lesser degree. I have a nice little 8-pointer with a perfectly symmetrical rack under my tree on Saturday (likely a 1-1/2 yr old)......and a MUCH older 5 pointer with a rack that is poisoning the gene pool (a LOT of the little bucks around here look like him). I came to full draw on the 8....without taking him......and I questioned my thinking when I got home. I felt kinda bad about what I was was thinking. I didn't like it. THE thing to do is to take the old guy out of the gene pool (in my eyes).

Any thoughts? Anybody else have a similar situation? Any of you trophy guys wanna chime in? Is this a fair question? Was my original scenario a fair question (It got little response).

Jeff

txjourneyman

Although I am not a "trophy" hunter,( I believe at this point in my journey that any deer taken with a bow is a trophy), I think the older more mature deer would be my choice. That buck being older and wiser would be a greater accomplishment than the younger buck therefore a greater trophy.

isatarak

I don't think I would classify myself as a trophy hunter, although I have killed some nice deer. In the first scenerio, I would take the 150" buck, although, I doubt seriously if I would ever see a 2 1/2 year old buck with a 150" rack. If I saw one with a rack like that, I would probably assume he was older.

In the second scenerio, neither deer would be a wall hanger, so I would have to decide based on whether I needed the meat that much. In that case, a doe would seem to be the better choice.

GR8atta2d

Actually that older buck is not really poisoning your gene poll. I just read where the younger bucks do much more of the breeding than the old ones. The old guy 5+ yearsmay breed 1-2 does a year and the young guys are running dipping thier wicks in 5-7. Check out this months Peterson Bowhunting for the story.

Germ

150'' 2 1/2 year old, have to let him grow, LOL

If they were both in front me at the same time I would take the 150'' without hesitation.

I have in past taken an older buck with a small rack, at this stage in my hunting life I will not. The neighbors or my uncle will shoot him during gun season.

ICALL2MUCH

I believe some people are missing the point of "trophy hunting". The object is to shoot a deer that is FULLY GROW AND REACHED HIS POTENTIAL. Shoot the older deer whenever possible. Pass on deer that will grow. Here is what makes big bucks:

Nutrition
Age(5-6)
Genes

Deer with these things will be bigger than you ever expected!!!!
Good luck and besure to take pictures!!!!!

livbucks

The older buck will do little breeding, especially with an inferior rack like that in comparison to the younger one. It's your tag, shoot the one you like. Personally, I would take the one that presented the best shot, if they are both of reasonable maturity as you say. I doubt that you will see his offspring in your area. Bucks disperse from their native range to avoid inbreeding.

livbucks

That is a fact. Just like middle aged men, middle aged bucks lose interest somewhat in chasing after tail. They will take it if it is laying in front of them, but that is about it. When a buck gets OLD, he will not breed at all.
This has been studied and proven.

GMMAT

I appreciate the information. Almost all of the youngsters look like him (racks). I guess I should take one of them.....

I just had a great idea!

My son has 2 tags!

Jeff

nchawkeye

SBG...Hunting for me is about having fun and doing what you want to do...I am lucky in that my family has 3 farms in eastern NC....I do like to kill good bucks...But the reality is that we need to take 40-50 deer a year on our farms to keep the population in check...We have recently changed farmers that tend our land (after about 25 years of having the same farmer)....The reason is this guy was spotlighting deer in the summer, shooting them in the guts, so they wouldn't fall in the field....This farmer hates deer because of the crop damage....As I am from a larger family and have plenty of nephews/nieces/cousins/ buddies etc I get a kick out of helping them kill deer every year...On many occasions I have passed on a buck and set them up in the stand the next day to let them kill him...I have killed hundreds of deer, we eat them all, or give them to a needy family...

One thing that I need to point out...unless you have big tract of land, management of a deer herd is very hard to do....We have noticed that when we keep the does in check that we do see more bucks during the rut looking for does....My point to all this is enjoy the time in the woods....If that nice 8 point is a good buck for you, don't feel bad about taking him...Its also hard to tell what that older buck was like a couple of years ago...He may have good genes but as you know nature and old age takes its toll...Just ask any guy over 50...

I see guys all the time that are "Big Buck Hunters"...They feel that their manhood relies on them killing a big buck every year...and when the opportunity comes (especially with a bow) they blow it...In my opinion, their is nothing wrong with taking does and getting your act together so when that buck does present a good shot you have enough experience to take care of business...Good Luck and have fun....