Casey Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Do you really care about the score of the deer?? I rather hunt for mature bucks and kill mature bucks than worry about score. Is there anyone else out there that feels the same way?? The more I see hunters post up pics and ask members to score or age the buck, the more I don't care about scoring. I try to guess score other deer so if someone asks me one day I can give them a a close score. But I could careless about Pope N Young Status or Boone N Crockett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaDeerHunter Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Personally no, I do not care. Last year we had a old deer on the farm with a rack that maybe would have scored 100''. I would have been just as happy to take out that old bruiser than the big racked deer that was running around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I agree with ya Casey to a certain extent. If I see a big mature buck, I'll take him, however I think it's fun to field judge deer and guess what they'll score as well as shoot a high scoring buck. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I don't care about score....not so much antler size either. for me I make it more of a challenge somewhat. Last year I told myself nothing less than a 6 point...ended up with a 5 point with my bow but he was a big 5 point. This year....I'll set a new challenge...but if I have a small buck come in but he's got a real funky rack, I'll take him. It's the uniqueness and the hunt that makes the story...not so much how big the rack is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorden Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 If I see a deer that is a "shooter" in my book, Ill take him if I get the chance. if he scores high then that is just a nice bonus:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthehuntinman Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I don't care about the score I just like to see if other peoples guess is close to what I think. I could shoot a doe and just be happy with that. Most of the time its harder to kill a big mature doe because they come through the woods with there head up and being alert at all times. If there is a buck that has a messed up set of antlers I would shoot him if he gave me the proper shot at him. So score does not matter to me I haven't killed a great big buck and I'm happy with all the ones I have got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Yeah it seems like everyone wants to know what a deer scores and what age they are this year. I've never seen so many threads with age and score guessing on bucks. No I personally do not care. An old deer is going to be the hardest deer to get and will in my opinion be the true trophy. Not one that scores higher and is still younger. Now if that old buck scores high along with age then you have one great buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiobuckhunter Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 yes and no for me i get 4 tags a year 3 of them are used for doe's and i save the last one for a big buck and usually mature and rack size goes hand in hand but not always my only exeption is if it is an odd ball rack with a lot of character then i will take him out. the goals i set are i won't shoot any deer under 140 from the beginning of season through the rut after the rut i lower my standards to nothing smaller than a p&y buck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Yeah it seems like everyone wants to know what a deer scores and what age they are this year. I've never seen so many threads with age and score guessing on bucks. No I personally do not care. An old deer is going to be the hardest deer to get and will in my opinion be the true trophy. Not one that scores higher and is still younger. Now if that old buck scores high along with age then you have one great buck. Great post. Ethan Givan a member here says I'm nuts, but if a 170 class buck walks by and I judge him at 3.5 years old, but with him is a 130 class and I think he's older than the 170, I'll try and shoot the older buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Great post. Ethan Givan a member here says I'm nuts, but if a 170 class buck walks by and I judge him at 3.5 years old, but with him is a 130 class and I think he's older than the 170, I'll try and shoot the older buck. A dream buck for me would be a 6 1/2+ year old 8 pointer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger-Hunter Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Scoring a buck's antlers is just something fun to participate in while not in the stand. It is a bit like being an arm-chair hunter. Just testing our ability to judge a deer. When it comes to hunting, I relate it to picking up a girl. Everyone wants a 10 with a great personality, but the reality is they are rare. We are usually happy with a 7 or an 8 that doesn't bust our "chops" about our outdoor activities. It's just fun to imagine getting the bruiser - the 220" buck and have your picture in the paper or have our peers congratulate us on a "Monster Buck" no different that we'd like our friends to pat us on the back for having a hot girlfriend. Just plain fun if it happened. The truth is, I don't know anyone that gets mad about only shooting an 8 pointer. Perhaps there are those folks, but they are a rarity. Personally I won't shoot a buck unless it is at least 2 1/2 years old, regardless of the antlers, unless it is the last hunt of the year and I have my out-of-state tag to be filled ($150). But that is for deer management purposes only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I have never scored a deer in my life. Even with the deer dead at my feet, I would need instructions on how to do it.....lol. I sure don't try to reduce my trophies down to mere numbers. I look at a deer, and I know what I like without trying to use some scoring system to tell me whether or not I should be happy with it. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Well, to me, I could care less about having a deer in the P&Y book for the sake of putting it in a book. I rarely shoot bucks under 2.5 yrs old. A score, however is a number, a number that is great for describing a deer's size, and comparison to others. But there are some super bucks that don't score very well. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. By the way. Ethan's right, you are crazy for not shooting the 170! Man aint no way a guy can look at a 130 class deer and think it's older than a 170 class! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Yea Casey I do care about the score of a deer. I'm not interested in high fence hunting and I don't pay a hefty fee to get one, but if I had the choice to shoot a deer that scored 170 inches at 4 years old and a 130 inch deer at 5 years old I'd take the 170 every time. I've got 2 in P&Y and 1 in B&C. For me scoring just adds another level to a sport I'm so passionate about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 A dream buck for me would be a 6 1/2+ year old 8 pointer. Amen! A buck with a huge body, swollen neck, a buck that looks like he has seen his fair share of battles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 By the way. Ethan's right, you are crazy for not shooting the 170! Man aint no way a guy can look at a 130 class deer and think it's older than a 170 class! Its all about genetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Yep, I care. I don't care to shoot a smaller deer, one that would score less than 120" or so. A lot depends on the time of the season for me. If a 120 walked by in October, he walks, but in late January? Different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion_70 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I could care less about score personally. Then again, hunting in Fl. a 120 is Buckzilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Right now, I'm at the point where any branch antlered buck would suit me, especially if I'm bowhunting. I figure get as many under your belt as you can so that later on you can afford to hold out for a bigger buck due to the number of smaller ones you've already shot in years past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I see you guys have been talking about me I dont care that much about score, but I want a buck I shoot to have a big rack of antlers. If a 150 inch 3.5 year old deer and a 135 inch 5.5 year old deer are both standing in front of me Im gonna shoot the the 3.5 year old. If a buck's rack looks good to me then I will shoot it. I see alot of mature bucks that I think have ugly looking racks, and I really wouldnt want to shoot them. Now Im not gonna shoot a young deer either...Ive let alot of young bucks walk. I dont want to shoot anything younger than 3.5 years. Guess im weird but oh well.:smoke: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 When determining shooters here I look at the body size of the deer. Score is not really an issue so much with hunting in the backyard here, because popers here are very rare. Sure I would like to kill mature deer with good scoring antlers though, everyone likes looking at big racked bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 He's gotta be 4.5 years old or older for me to consider taking him. Mature is mature regardless of rack size. The biggest problem that faces many "trophy hunters" is the misunderstanding of the correlation between antler development and age. The majority of bucks take a huge leap from 3.5 to 4.5 in terms of antler development. Some on the other hand (a very smaller percentile) take that leap from 4.5 to 5.5, some even older 5.5 to 6.5 and the small minority that never make that leap at all. But you can pretty much garauntee that most 4.5 year old bucks will not have a significant increase in antler development as they age...some will, don't get me wrong, but most will only add a few inches before they start going back down...Now if i had a 160 4.5 year old in front of me, i am pulling the trigger because he is mature, he could top off at 170 but the chances of me getting another whack at him next year are slim, so i am taking the shot...Bottom line is maturity - thats the best management policy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyman Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I don't much care about score, size, maturity, etc.. I just like to Deer hunt. I won't shoot immature bucks, but any doe or adult buck is fair game in my book, regardless of the weapon in my hands. I firmly believe "to each his own". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunt or be Hunted Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Yea Casey I do care about the score of a deer. I'm not interested in high fence hunting and I don't pay a hefty fee to get one, but if I had the choice to shoot a deer that scored 170 inches at 4 years old and a 130 inch deer at 5 years old I'd take the 170 every time. . Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodtrails Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 They are all trophies!!:death: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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