What age is mature?
10-18-2007, 10:06 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: What age is mature?
Depends on who you ask but a buck usually puts on massive antler growth between the age of 3.5 and 4.5. I understand a buck is not "mature" until at least 5.5 years......
10-18-2007, 10:22 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: central IL
Posts: 258
RE: What age is mature?
I have been bowhunting for 11 years now and have probably seen a total of a dozen deer thet were mature in my opinoin. Is this about the average, or do I just suck?
I hunt on average of three times a week exept for November, when I take most of the month off. That's alot of hours between mature bucks.
I'm still holding out, but maybe I need to re-think things.
I hunt on average of three times a week exept for November, when I take most of the month off. That's alot of hours between mature bucks.
I'm still holding out, but maybe I need to re-think things.
10-19-2007, 12:32 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ND
Posts: 1,627
RE: What age is mature?
ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer
Depends on who you ask but a buck usually puts on massive antler growth between the age of 3.5 and 4.5. I understand a buck is not "mature" until at least 5.5 years......
Depends on who you ask but a buck usually puts on massive antler growth between the age of 3.5 and 4.5. I understand a buck is not "mature" until at least 5.5 years......
Tim
10-19-2007, 12:40 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Posts: 4,436
RE: What age is mature?
I use to think 3.5 was ...but thats more like an 18 -21 year old man... today I'd say 5.5 ...or a man in his mid 30's..
Its when we get fat.. pop bellies and care more about survival (so we can hunt)than sex!
same with an old buck..hes mature after 5
Its when we get fat.. pop bellies and care more about survival (so we can hunt)than sex!
same with an old buck..hes mature after 5
10-19-2007, 07:29 AM
#10
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: What age is mature?
I'm a newcomer to this.....but I look at it this way....
When Lisa and I go out, sometimes.....we're "mature" in certain environments, "old" in some, and in the "average" range to even "youngsters" in a few places. I don't think it's any different with deer.....if we're using "relative" terms. I have to think about how many "mature" deer I see (or know of) in the woods I hunt. In 3 years....I've seen exactly 2 mature bucks....and I have trail cam photos of 2 others. Factor in the size of the herd I hunt.....and a "mature" deer (in relative terms) in my woods is probably 2.5-3.5. I absolutely know that he's not "mature" in terms of actual age structure.....but if I hold out for an age-structured "mature" deer....I'm severely limiting my chances at harvesting a buck, at all. I'm torn.
It's the reason I may not shoot one, this year (or in subsequent seasons). I might also take a 2.5 yr old, but I won't know until he's standing in front of me.
When Lisa and I go out, sometimes.....we're "mature" in certain environments, "old" in some
, and in the "average" range to even "youngsters" in a few places. I don't think it's any different with deer.....if we're using "relative" terms. I have to think about how many "mature" deer I see (or know of) in the woods I hunt. In 3 years....I've seen exactly 2 mature bucks....and I have trail cam photos of 2 others. Factor in the size of the herd I hunt.....and a "mature" deer (in relative terms) in my woods is probably 2.5-3.5. I absolutely know that he's not "mature" in terms of actual age structure.....but if I hold out for an age-structured "mature" deer....I'm severely limiting my chances at harvesting a buck, at all. I'm torn.It's the reason I may not shoot one, this year (or in subsequent seasons). I might also take a 2.5 yr old, but I won't know until he's standing in front of me.