From what I can tell this is a legal buck, 3 up in my area. He looks to be really old and definitely on the decline for antler growth. He has been regularly showing up at my one stand location based on trail cam photos and I decided that if he shows up tomorrow, I’m flinging and arrow at him.
It really only matters what you think. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Some want antlers, others meat. As long as it's legal, to each his own.
Shoot it. That's one less I'll hit with my car. Hit 3 bucks in the last year. Really only matters what you think. I shot a spike or two with the bow when they were still legal. Any deer with a bow is a trophy.
We have a six point with a more conventional set of antlers at my camp in NY and each of us has passed him. I judge our 6 points to age as 2 1/2 and his body looks just like that. Your decision of course is your decision, I am not judging at all. I honestly don't see him as old or on the decline, just not a great set of antlers likely attributed to his body having taken most of his nutrition to grow the way it obviously has. The pictures show a rather short snout, no pot gut, or sag to his gut, not even a slight sway to his back, all of which don't put him in that old age category to me. Again, I am not judging your decision and it all would depend on how bad you wanted the meat, but that is not an ancient beast, just not grown up yet is all. You might be surprised what he would look like next year if he made it.
Good point - I never really thought about his body taking more of the nutrients versus his antlers. Also, this is the first year that I have been getting him on camera, I figured he was just a transplant from another part of the property that is thick and almost un-huntable.
I can't see 3up, can't even see 3 on a side actually, but what I do see is an extremely antler stunted 3 year old with a typical 3 year old body.
Now that his skeleton and muscles are at an adult size, his antlers could blow up next year.
He gets a pass from me.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
The HuntingPA.com Outdoor Community
2.8M posts
46.8K members
Since 2004
A forum community dedicated to Pennsylvania’s hunters and enthusiasts Come join the discussion about trails, licenses, fishing, game laws, styles, reviews, optics, accessories, classifieds, and more!