wtnhunt Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 Seen this buck 3 times now and had some great archery range opportunities on him with my accura in my hands. Figure he is a 3.5 year old. Has decent mass goofed up right side. This afternoon had him come from about 130 yards away in my beans and end up right under me. Think he spotted my finger on my phone pushing the button to snap a pic on my ungloved hands and was not quite sure what was different. Side stepped, trotted out of view, then heard him walk off once he was in the woods. We still get another week of muzzleloader before our long rifle season opens. With 2 already down from the girls don't really need the meat, would be giving away most of it. Not really one I would want to have a shoulder mount on, really hoping to see something better we have not gotten pics of. So with having seen only one better buck that may not still be alive, take him out of the gene pool or give him a pass with hopes he makes it to next season and maybe has matched antlers? There was another similar buck I had seen with a beam with only a fork and had a pretty right side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 That’s up to you William, my thoughts are your wife and daughter have both killed a good one, I’m thinking you hold out for something possibly bigger and give this guy a chance to get to 4 1/2? Also, if you were doing it for meat, do you have an antlerless tag?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 with two down, Im guessing it's not a "meat" thing at your house...you know letting it go prob. will result in your daughter or wife shooting him next year, and I know your ok with that!..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 2 hours ago, Maine Hntr said: That’s up to you William, my thoughts are your wife and daughter have both killed a good one, I’m thinking you hold out for something possibly bigger and give this guy a chance to get to 4 1/2? Also, if you were doing it for meat, do you have an antlerless tag? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Allowed 3 antlerless a day here, from archery season start in Sept. to season end in January. 2 hours ago, Mathews XT Man said: with two down, Im guessing it's not a "meat" thing at your house...you know letting it go prob. will result in your daughter or wife shooting him next year, and I know your ok with that!..lol Right, we have plenty of deer meat and have already given some away. No guarantees this buck will make it to January with the pressure around us, but no doubt I squeeze the trigger its one less possible nice ones for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris76 Posted November 17, 2019 Report Share Posted November 17, 2019 If you don’t need the meat I would diff pass on him. He is a nice buck but if he makes it next year he will be a great buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted November 23, 2019 Report Share Posted November 23, 2019 Your call William. I understand your concern about hunting pressure but bucks are pretty good at avoiding it. As with any buck, there's no guarantee this one will. He'll be better next year if he makes it through the season though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2019 Thanks for the replies. Have not seen him again and no more trail cam pics of him. Seems like the primary rut here was peaking about a week ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted November 24, 2019 Report Share Posted November 24, 2019 Sounds like letting him go is the consensus. I agree. Killing a big bodied 4.5 or older buck is pretty special regardless of the antlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2019 8 hours ago, fly said: Sounds like letting him go is the consensus. I agree. Killing a big bodied 4.5 or older buck is pretty special regardless of the antlers. Yep, especially on a small farm where just seeing bucks make it to 4.5 is pretty special. I know there was a wide 8 we had gotten pics of that was probably at least 4.5 and had physically seen an ugly racked big bodied deer I am sure was at least 4.5. No sign of either back around at this point but you never know when or if they may show back up. Either of those despite not being shoulder mount material would have tripped my trigger. This one would do it, but not gotten any pics of him since late October. May be hunting a ghost. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted November 25, 2019 Report Share Posted November 25, 2019 Yea, I've got several that my cam got a picture of one time and never saw again. That 8 is a beauty with a huge body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 11/25/2019 at 7:55 AM, fly said: Yea, I've got several that my cam got a picture of one time and never saw again. That 8 is a beauty with a huge body Had pics of that 8 after crops behind us came out at the same camera for about 2 weeks, then no more. Figured he was a 4.5 or older, and would have guessed he was 20 inches inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2019 Was the best one I have had opportunities on and at this point things are not looking so good. Not getting many trail cam pics of deer and not seeing all that many while hunting. Oh well the girls had a good season and that was what mattered most to me this year. Don't know with how things are going if I will be able to do any hunting next year, so would be nice to kill one but do still have about a month left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 7, 2019 Report Share Posted December 7, 2019 Had a buck here too that appeared during the rut. One time on cam and GONE! He must have chased a hot doe in here, came thru with her, and followed her out. THAT has happened nearly every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2019 Secondary rutting activity should be picking up here anytime now. Went for probably 5 or 6 sits with seeing only buttons and young bucks, no does at all. Finally saw at least 3 different does yesterday and a young 7 i have seen the past several times I have been. Will hopefully have right wind to hunt the beans in our back field tomorrow. Wind this morning was supposed to be all wrong for that stand according to the forecasts I checked and turned out to not be the case. Sat over the bottom and saw the same little 7 again, all I saw. Was a fresh bed right behind that stand and some coke can sized cedars that were recently thrashed. Yeah funny how some years you get regulars you see often and get trail cam pics of a couple nice ones on more than one occasion. This year seems like we have more passers through that get a pic or two made only to never be seen again. Unfortunately the few that have been good enough to grab my attention have passed through at the right place but in the middle of the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 8, 2019 Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 If I can get back to my plot, I need to pull card, nearly two weeks since I been back there. Not sure what is around at this point here. Deep snow, and it pulled all the frost out, need big equipment to plow off road to freeze it back down now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 8, 2019 Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 6 hours ago, Mathews XT Man said: Deep snow, put chains on all 4 tires on my Ranger, with temp at 36 and snow packy, it went through, but that was all it wanted. Was pushing snow all the way without getting "Highsided". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 On 11/24/2019 at 4:47 AM, wtnhunt said: This one would do it, but not gotten any pics of him since late October. May be hunting a ghost. lol Saw this one this morning. Didn't get a great look with the binos but good enough that I am pretty sure it was him. Never had a chance for a shot. He popped out twice in front of me right after legal shooting light steady on the move like he was on a mission. Tried grunting, he circled around behind me and stayed just off the main trail in the gully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Just popped back out tracking and would not stop. Picked a spot and shot as he trotted into it, the 308 eld x hand load dropped him in his tracks. Pics to come soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Way to go William! got an 8 here about that size...they sure know how to lay low and not be seen. If you not do what you did, you prob not get another look at him either...sneeky 'ol critter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Chaching!!! Hope the drag isn't too bad. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 18 minutes ago, Rhino said: Chaching!!! Hope the drag isn't too bad. ? Pulled the Kubota right up to him, actually not too sure it is the same 8pt as in the tc pic, but too good for the backyard to let walk. Will post camera pics and story soon. Had to use timer and tripod. Fun part begins in a few minutes after I drink a cup of coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 great one William. I don't believe that is the same one, not as wide but certainly more length it appears. Beautiful deer, Congrats on a great season to you and your family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Maine Hntr said: I don't believe that is the same one, not as wide but certainly more length it appears Yeah, after looking closer it was definitely not the wide heavy bodied 8. I thought while in the stand because of the spread it was the deer in the tc pic. We had gotten tc pics of the wide 8 on Friday and again on Sunday night. He may also still be around. I don't think we had any tc pics of the deer I shot this morning, but he should have passed one of my cameras this morning. This deer I think may have only been a 3.5 year old, or he was rundown hard from chasing does. Inside spread is 17.5 inches and he only weighed 160 lbs if the scale I am using was right. That other 8 was a lot bigger in the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 tines look taller too...still a good buck anyway you look at it! Congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 (edited) Congratulations William! Great buck for your neck of the woods! He's a better buck than the one in the trail cam pic. If you get him scored I bet he'll surprise you. The buck in the pic is still around for the family Christmas hunt too. Edited December 12, 2019 by Rhino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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