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What to do?

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Elvis188

Well-Known Member
First let me apologize about the picture quality. I had this buck show up last year. When I first saw him on camera I immediately pegged him as 3 ½. He was a Typical 6x7 with a split G-3 on his Right side making him a 6x8, plus a couple of 1" kickers on his bases. I told myself that he needed two more years and could be something really special. 2015 Pics Below



http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2092&pictureid=20010&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2092&pictureid=20011&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2092&pictureid=20013&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2092&pictureid=20012&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2092&pictureid=20014&thumb=1



He made it thru last season. This year, I believe he is 4 ½. He has taken another jump and is a pure 7x8 Typical. He has a 1” matching kicker on each base as well. 2016 Pics below



http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2093&pictureid=20015&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2093&pictureid=20016&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2093&pictureid=20017&thumb=1


http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=2093&pictureid=20018&thumb=1




So, here are my questions. Do you think I am correct on his age? Do you think I am nuts giving him another year? I think I have a good handle on his score and while he is the deer of a lifetime for most everyone, am I stupid for trying to let him have one more year to become a true world class animal?
 
That would be a Hard deer to pass! I wouldn't pass if it's on public that's for sure. Could be world class next year... Thanks for sharing! Keep us updated with whatever you decide.
 
That's a giant. I couldn't pass him but more power to you if that's what you decide to do!
 
Like usual pics aren't showing up for me- but having said that I'm a guy who always has a case of the next years. So without seeing him I say shoot your #2 and kill a once in a lifetime next year :)
 
What are his chances of survival? If he has a good survival rate I think you are correct. Next year he could be world class. He would be bigger than anything I have ever killed but if his chances of making it are good i would probably gamble.
 
Thanks! Stud of a buck- Only you can choose.
But there are plenty of studs out there- not all
Have "potential" like Him. Goodluck either way!
 
If you think he has a good chance of surviving, then go for it and let him walk. Lots of variables out of our control though. I would be hard pressed to let him pass on hoof. Trophy class buck either way.
 
Unbelievable buck for his age! I'd just about guarantee I wouldn't be able to pass him. BUT....the potential is unreal with that guy! Typical 8 point sides are crazy rare. If you think he's in a safe area, stay away so he's comfortable on your property, hunt other areas and find those sheds!
 
Shoot him are you kidding. Unless you have a large managed neighborhood where everyone agreed not to shoot him you would regret it a long time if you never saw him again after you passed.
 
He actually lives next door on 900 acres owned by a guy who won’t let anyone hunt. I have the only grain within 1 ½ miles of where he lives. It is a 10 acre soybean field that will not be harvested and it sits a mile off of any public road. I don’t have any pics of him in the beans yet, but with 10 acres he can enter anywhere so he could be using them now. The pictures are coming out of a ½ acre food plot with a green mix, plus an all you can eat corn buffet about 150 yards from the bean field.


I have about 2,000 acres on this piece of property (pasture) and have multiple food plots and feeders out. The deer aren’t hitting any of them hard except for this one spot and there are probably 25 different bucks coming into this half acre every night. It is hard to pick a second deer to shoot when the majority want to go to the same spot and once it gets cold this winter they will be all over the beans.


As I said in the original post, I think I have a good idea on what he will score but am curious what you guys think. How big do you really think he is?
 
I wouldn't even hunt that property as not to tempt myself to kill him. His body looks like he's only 3
 
900 acres next door no hunting. IMO & experience- id bet you 75%+ he survives. Nothing is for sure in hunting but what fun is it without some "risks". But that's just me, I find the "risk" of letting a younger buck go very exciting and fulfilling. Even if I didn't see him again, something about killing prime younger bucks that are true genetic gems would have me dissapointed i shot him. I know folks see it different though. The folks who "would have to kill him" - even though he's obviously young and obviously has the peak 1% genetics.... would you shoot the same age deer that scores 120"? Probably not. Which- if conservation, management & improving the area for EVERYONE is at all part of the equation- it makes no sense (if that's true) to target & shoot the best genetic young deer on the farm. But- that's just my 2 cents. Heck- another risk is he makes it this year but someone else gets him when he's a mammoth - I kinda look at that as "passing it forward" even if I don't get the arrow in him. My most rewarding hunts I forever will remember and I'm most proud of are deer that were "big" I passed and caught up to them years later. Just my perspective. I hope that dude gets to have a lot of fun with the ladies all November.
 
That's a truly world class typical that appears 3.5 years old. There are very few people on this planet who would pass him. With that being said you have a very unique circumstance where it's possible to let him walk and think he has a good chance of survival. If you decide to not hunt him then I would recommend a few things. One, don't hunt that property period to the point of sacrificing potentially your whole season for the chance at what could legitimately be a world record deer next year. Second, I would delete every picture posted and any details relating in any way to this deer, talk to no one about it and hope for the best. (Think about the world class deer out of up north where I believe the lease brought somewhere between 50,000-100,000 for a single season and was somewhere around 500 acres. Heard the primos powers to be paid out for it). He might not allow hunting now, but there is an amount of money that would change his mind.

The truth is that the vast majority of opinions you will hear in this thread are simply thoughts from people who have never dealt with a deer that big and have never even contemplated passing a deer 30 inches smaller than he currently is. This isn't a knock on anyone, but being an arm chair quarterback is always easy, for myself included. One comment I would key in on would be Sligh's. This man knows big deer and has tangible knowledge about what it takes to do what you are thinking about.

Good luck with your decision and whichever way you go just make sure you are at peace with it.
 
I would also guess his score around 165-175. He's narrow which hurts the main beams and I can't give him a tine over 8 .5 inches.
 
Thanks for all of the feedback.


Skip, I agree that this deer is a top 1% of genetics. If I shot him this year, I would be sick to my stomach. It would be like shooting a descent deer just because you were afraid the neighbor might get him. If he continues to grow like he did this year, he could be a 200” Net deer next season. Don’t get me wrong, I have no issues with shooting a net typical book deer (which I think he already is this year) In fact, I have been blessed with 3 over the years. I just believe if this guy makes it, he will be something extra, extra special.



We all dream of deer this big and we very seldom get a chance to take one when they reach full potential. If someone else gets him, I will be disappointed but also feel like I helped create that opportunity for them. Plus, he should spread a lot of genes this fall.


Now I said I thought I had a good feel for what he will score. Based on last year’s sheds which were in the mid 160’s with a 14” spread, here are the numbers I have come up with. Remember, I have 100’s of pictures to look at, so I have seen him from every angle, many, many times.


Left side 4-7-11-10-9-6 – Main Beam 25”
Right side 4-7-10-9-8-5-1-Main Beam 24”
Left Circumferences: 5-4-4-4
Right Circumferences: 5-4-4-4
Inside Spread: 15”
Gross: 189”


Somebody mentioned that being narrow hurt is main beams but that is not the case, they were 24” last year. It is also easy to forget that width only counts once but height and mass count every time.



Now, all I have to do is stay out of that part of the ranch. Should be a fun year. I will add daylight pics if he decides to show up in the day time. Thanks again for the comments and suggestions. Good luck to everyone this season.
 
PASS HIM. If you have already killed 3 book deer, you have nothing to prove (not that anyone does).

I too am in the camp of there being more pride in passing big deer, then filling tags.

Keep in mind- Do as I say, not as I do. But I am getting there.
 
Odds are against this being true... But I also think he may only be 3 this yr... Kill him and youll know :)
 
Body says young deer especially from not being run down by the rut. Great whitetail specimen!!! Can't help you on the shoot or pass question. Only you can make that decision. It would be a tough choice to make. Good luck.
 
Let him live!
THe guy who hunts my neighbors took a 3.5 year old two falls ago...scored 183 or 186, something like that. Does it look fantastic on his wall, yup. Does that out weigh what that deer could have turned into, nope.
 
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