I know that’s vast majority of country. That was in back of my mind when discussing it. Heck- why I said twice “not what I’m telling people to pass or shoot!!” Any video anyone does- will be a few dbag comments. I wonder if I’ll get a few more on this one?!?!
.What would you say is the #1 thing that helps these bucks survive to that age? Big blocks of timber, neighbors, food? Our properties have plenty of food, no pressure and lots of native grasses but just lacking big blocks of timber. Is it true that does tend to bed closest to the food sources and bucks furthest from them? As we evolve as hunters and are setting higher goals it just doesn’t seem attainable in our area of the state. Really frustrating at times.I know that’s vast majority of country. That was in back of my mind when discussing it. Heck- why I said twice “not what I’m telling people to pass or shoot!!” Any video anyone does- will be a few dbag comments. I wonder if I’ll get a few more on this one?!?!
I’ve been there a million times!!!! Been places u can’t get bucks to 3.5. Or even 2.5 in MI!!!
What state u in?
Top reasons it’s hard:
1) neighbors mowing them down is #1 by a long long long long shot!!! Some are great and some are horrible- spectrum in between
2) habitat from browse to bedding to thermal cover to safety is not ideal for older bucks (or any bucks). Rarely do I see it done right.
3) must have 365 food. Clovers, natural browse, grain left going into spring, rye mixes, etc.
4) last - I do think big blocks of timber OR big nasty areas are key. When they are big enough that gun drives can’t push em out- that’s a key example. Smaller draws or small patches of timber are very difficult as easier to kill young & also…. Much easier to push bucks out by over pressuring, etc. Big timber or large thick areas is pretty important. Lacking timber- still ways to enhance it big time though. & big timber or small draws… we wanna have plenty of thermal & visual break up of cover. Cedars managed properly for example. Critical for older bucks!!!
& by no stretch should anyone think anyone’s farm is chalked full of 6 or 7 year olds. They are RARE anywhere. But- I’d say on average iowa farm for example, I’d wanna know there’s 1-2 5.5’s or older on average per year. Sometimes 0 & sometimes 3. But 1 or 2 on decent size farm done right is very doable imo.
I would say does & MATURE bucks bed in different areas. It’s simply a distance thing for just being in different area... mature bucks like solitude. They usually don’t bed with does IMO. They rule the little spot they bed in and it’s usually alone.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
I shot a rare 6 or 7 year old buck this year in Minnesota with the bow . His rack was slightly bigger in 21… but he got noticeably bigger in years 5 & 6…or 6 & 7.
I’m not positive on the age . They don’t get this old very often in my area.
I’m not positive on the age . They don’t get this old very often in my area.
Buckscrape
Well-Known Member
Great genetics there Skip. I agree. Takes the perfect set of circumstances for that to happen tho. I've had bucks peak at 4.5, they had the potential but their racks just never got that 'jump', simply because the weather just didn't cooperate as they aged.
One particular buck I killed was a survivor, made it to 9 or 10. Probably grew his most impressive set that yr. Not because it was his peak yr, but more so because the weather was the best that yr to fulfill his potential.
One particular buck I killed was a survivor, made it to 9 or 10. Probably grew his most impressive set that yr. Not because it was his peak yr, but more so because the weather was the best that yr to fulfill his potential.
whitetailserialkillers
Member
Security cover during daylight hours. That can be timber (with an understory), overgrown fields, brushy creek corridors, etc. don’t overlook small wood lots and old barns/homesteads. At night the deer will find food so focus on cover if you have the ability to do habitat work where you hunt.
whitetailserialkillers
Member
Awesome…congrats!
West Central Iowa. Just been trying so hard to put some contiguous acres together these last few years but not sure if it’s gonna be all for naught and we’d be better off selling everything and getting something in a better neighborhood. There just isn’t enough cover around here and nowhere for them to hide. I’m torn for sure.
203ntyp
PMA Member
Agree. From my experience the most important factor for mature buck is to have a sanctuary that never gets disturbed with shed hunting in March the only exception. Even a 5-acre patch is enough if they never get disturbed.
So- I posted a pic of my bros “giant 6 point” this year. The “who cares what he scores” type of buck. He was 10.5. His biggest rack EVER: 10.5. Ghostly deer but how does a deer jump around and then peak by a solid 10-15” at 10?!?! Bizarre!! Only reason I can come up with is: low stress that year (not sick, less parasites maybe, better food sources) & a good growing year for weather. Or maybe he didn’t rut very hard at 9.5. All these weird things happen but sure as it is: biggest rack at 10.5!!! Woulda shot him years earlier (glad we didn’t get him!) but deer are more survival machines than folks realize. Once they hit 4.5…. That’s when they START to get really smart & hard to hunt. 5-7… dudes are incredibly wise. Clearly the deer folks shoot often are 2-3 year olds … nice racks but really dumb.
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Now that’s a trophy!!!!! Even if he died of old age… Wow that dude had a lot of years of evading hunters. Giant!!!
Slick
Well-Known Member
That is a good Friend of mine from Manitoba where Ag land meets the bush. He has shed hunted for 50 years and if a serious shed collector ever saw his top 10 sheds they would soil themselves. One set weighs 12.5 pounds he has a matching set of an 8 point that would be one of the biggest known IMO. Puts on thousands of miles with snowmobile or 4 wheelers each spring. I have gone up there and done it myself. The sky is the limit you can drive and drive all day and never come close to where you started. He tells the story when he was a kid they would go to the town dump after deer season and there would be deer heads and hides laying all over in the pile and he would beg his Dad to let him take some of the big ones but his Dad would say there is a reason they are here at the dump because they are worthless. LOL things have changed a bit in 55 years!!!
Back to your post the vastness of Canada allows deer to get to a ripe old age if Wolves or Winter does not get them. That deer above was unique to him because he had so many years of it. He had the bottom jaw and I sent it to deerage.com and they determined 11.5 years.
letemgrow
PMA Member
Truer words have never been spoken.
I know.
. I knew that was the downside of even mentioning this stuff. I didn’t want it to come across elitist but I at least wanted to tell what I thought was the truth. I’ll make u feel better…. Where I grew up…. U didn’t see 2.5 year olds. U saw about 5 to 7 1.5’s in a whole season. There’s other parts of state where guys did get 2.5’s & up but they were incredibly rare where I hunted. Like, 3 years with seeing no 2.5’s.
I’ll show u 2 pics. Me & my bro. We shot these in MI & I swear this is the truth…. We hung them on the basketball hoop in town. These were 2.5’s & this was like shooting a 200” deer here. Cars came to look by the hundreds. The town newspaper did an article about both of these. Like “young kids shoot giant bucks”. It was HUUGGGGEEEE. So- if anyone thinks they hunted a worse area than me, I’d love to hear it!!!
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