Bittersweet Buck

[FarmlandQDM]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/FarmlandQDM/DSC00517.jpg

I shot this one in October and he scored 158 1/8 gross and 150 4/8 net. He's a really nice buck but looking at his teeth I aged him at 3.5. Like Oldbuck, we are striving to shoot only 4.5 and older deer on our farm and from my bowstand I thought he was older. Many people have told me this is a great buck, and it is, but I can't stop thinking about what he could have been next year (DEAD DEER DON'T GROW). I preach QDM to everyone and not shooting less than 4.5 year old bucks and I don't like the fact that I misjudged this buck's age.

...and the sweet part...

I know this is going to kill many people on here but I've always been a gun hunter and this fall was the first year I started bow hunting ... it's a nice first buck.

 

[Ghost]

Nice first bowkill Rob!

Congrats, that's a dandy buck, don't beat yourself up too bad.....

 

[alaskanwhtail]

Holy thats a damn nice buck, I woulda said 4.5 +. At least he spread his seeds. Congrats on a first Bow buck, thats a really nice buck even though he just started to mature.

 

[DOUBLE LUNG]

That is a great looking buck.

 

[Bowhunt]

Looks like some good genetics in your area. Nice Deer and congradulations!

 

[Old Buck]

Do you have any other photos, especially field photos? It looks big for a 3 1/2? No matter what, that is a good first bow kill. Welcome to a new addiction-bowhunting big bucks

!

Old Buck

 

[Ogz]

We're finding that most bucks aged using tooth wear end up aging one year older when using cementum annuli. He's probably older than you think. Great buck regardless!!

 

[quackmaster]

tooth wear can sometimes be misleading. It all depends on what those teeth are crunching on.

 

[FarmlandQDM]

I shot this buck the last day of October and was not able to find him. The neighbors shotgun hunters found him Dec. 5, so I don't have any better photos of my first buck, just the rack. Losing him gave me a pretty bad taste for bow hunting right away but I arrowed a couple does and got my confidence back. Finding the buck at the end of the season was real icing on the cake and now I'm hooked on bow hunting.

For what it's worth, the jaw was shown to a biologist in my area and he said the deer was 3.5, maybe 2.5, but not 4.5.

I'd like to pull a tooth and have it aged by cross-section to know for sure. Does anyone know where I could send a tooth and have it aged or could I do it myself?

 

[ibohunt65]

www.wildlifeanalyticallabs.com will provide the info for sending in a tooth for aging. Only 20 bucks but it takes several months. Quicker if you pay more.

 

[Bakes]

Definatly not 2.5 years old, looks like a nice clean 3.5er to me. I must say he had booner written all over him if the left beam could add that G-5 it needs so desperatly. Both g-2's look as if they might of had some stickers coming as well.

Congrats on a fine first bow kill.

 

[blake]

Welcome to bow hunting Rob. Sorry that your first bow experience turned slightly sore for you, it has happen a time or two to most of us.

I am glad that you harvested some does and got your confidence back. Bow hunting is a great sport, I am sure that you will enjoy it in the future. Congratulations on getting your buck rack.

 

[Big Timber]

Don't sweat it!
Like Ogz said, sometimes visually judging tooth wear is misleading. CA is a better judge of age. That's an extremely nice buck, first one or not.'

Congrats on a beautiful buck!

BT