Judge this buck

gledeasy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
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246
I'm curious as to what caliber of buck you guys think this one is? With the bucks I've found I'm pretty sure he's my #1.

Some quick background, I started hunting some new area and the first year lucked into a good buck. Since, I've spent a lot of time learning this area and trying to judge deer on the fly. Last year a few things exposed my shortcomings in this category. This year I have been really trying to slow myself down.

This buck first crossed my trail cam in late July.

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Aside from the antlers, his body size was the first indicator leaving me to believe he was the buck to go after.

I laid eyes on him a couple times in early August and his frame looked like it finished nicely.

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This day him and his buddies strolled past me at 56 yards with no worries in the world. It was a week before the archery opener and I was hopeful history would repeat itself.

Opening day came and he got past with no opportunity. That night he came by at 80 yards but it took too long and I lost light. The next morning I saw him surrounded by multiple hunters. I continued to hunt during the archery but never saw him again. I began wondering if I was chasing a ghost, but then he crossed my camera once again.

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Muzzleloader starts next week. I debated on sharing, but I'd like to hear some thoughts on this buck to pass up the time. Hopefully I can pull through to see how we did.
 
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The one in the trail cameras looks to me like the buck on the left in the top daylight pictures. I’d put him closer to 160”. The buck on the right looks to be 175”.
 
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gledeasy

gledeasy

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 12, 2015
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246
These guesses are where I was thinking. Upper mid 20"s for width?
 

Ledd Slinger

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Mar 19, 2018
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121
These guesses are where I was thinking. Upper mid 20"s for width?

Yep. That first color photo shows his width pretty good. Tips of the ears when out in alert are roughly 23" wide. So I would say he'll be in the 25" to 26" area.
 
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gledeasy

gledeasy

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 12, 2015
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246
Which buck are you talking? Do you agree that the trail cams have the smaller one?


The trail cam pics are of the buck on the right of the daylight pics. I have more cam pics and the day pictures are screen shots of video. This I'm 99.9% certain of.

I've had, what I believe to be, the buck on the left in bow range. He's not a bad buck in his own right.
 
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gledeasy

gledeasy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
246
Yep. That first color photo shows his width pretty good. Tips of the ears when out in alert are roughly 23" wide. So I would say he'll be in the 25" to 26" area.


I have a buck on the wall that's 26". Taking that pic and him had me thinking he would be about the same.

I saw a buck this morning that I think is wider. I wish I could have gotten pics. I'd love to have a 30"
 

Ledd Slinger

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 19, 2018
Messages
121
I have a buck on the wall that's 26". Taking that pic and him had me thinking he would be about the same.

I saw a buck this morning that I think is wider. I wish I could have gotten pics. I'd love to have a 30"

Yeah width looks cool, but it's only 1 measurement for score (inside spread) unless the main beams happen to grow longer with the extra spread. The buck in my avatar photo has only a 24" outside spread but he green gross scored 201-2/8" B&C. Tine length is where the score is at ;)
 
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gledeasy

gledeasy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
246
Little update. Opening day came and who did I find? You got it! First time I've seen the buck in a month.

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After I lost visual of him I figured he had bedded. I took my time knowing he was in there. Even checked my camera on the way to him.

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I saw a butt of a deer going through the sage about where I thought he was. I went after it but it ended up not being him. After regrouping I lined myself back up to where I thought he was. I hadn't quite gotten there when two bucks stood up. After a minute they walked off. Thinking they may pick up the other buck I watched. Little did I know they were all bedded together and I had walked right into the middle of them. As I was watching the bucks walk away, the big buck was watching me from behind. He bailed, I got my scope on him, and in the end I didn't shoot.

As of now still grinding.
 
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