Whoo Hoo! (or, I got a slightly weird buck Wed...) with pics

[erik the bold]

Got an "official" (by DNR standard) 11-point buck at about 5:15 on Wednesday afternoon. Couple of tines were knocked off from fightin' or something, so they actually count them as if they were there. Got him with Mossberg 835 12ga using Lightfield 1-1/4oz 2-3/4 sabot. Neck shot at 70 yards.

Deer dressed out at 140 pounds, so it was decent size. Only weird thing, is when you look at the teeth, This guy figures out to only be 1-1/2 years old, not 2-1/2

Anyone ever see this before? Or do they just eat real good near my house? I mean the rack didn't have a whole lot of mass, but the overall length was close to 18". I had planned on trying to avoid the yearlings and go for something more mature.

Since this was my second buck ever, I was pretty happy until yesterday morning. Just about the time I was leaving for work, a massive (12 point +, big brow tines, 200 lb? thru my spotting scope) buck came out of the tree line, came right out to the gut pile from this deer and stood there sniffing for about 3-4 minutes before kicking the pile and wandering away. Oh well, maybe that one will come back this weekend......

 

[dakotasin]

i don't see him as a weird buck at all... it appears, and sounds like, you got a buck that had superior genetics. hopefully he passed those genes on (the rut is pretty much over here, so good chance of that if you are much in the northern u.s.).

a buck w/ great genes will display a better rack, sooner, and in its prime becomes a true trophy.

congrats on your buck, and enjoy some fine eatin'!

 

[erik the bold]

If it's superior genes, I hope he passed them on. The rut is just getting started here and we've got 11 days to go. (then it's muzzle-loader time )

 

[ranburr]

I am kind of curious. If you wanted to shoot a mature buck, why did you shoot a 1.5 yr old? Antlers are not an indication of age.

ranburr

 

[erik the bold]

If you wanted to shoot a mature buck, why did you shoot a 1.5 yr old? Antlers are not an indication of age

This appeared to be a 2-1/2 yr old.

If you know some other way to estimate their age at 5:20pm (near dark) in the fog at 70 yards when facing you straight on, I'd really like to hear it........

 

[WhiteKnight]

Do you have any more pictures of the performance of the lightfield? I'm using that same slug for deer this year, and I'm interested in how it works on game.

 

[erik the bold]

Do you have any more pictures of the performance of the lightfield? I'm using that same slug for deer this year, and I'm interested in how it works on game.

Can you be more specific? I used the Lightfields for the past couple of years because it's extremely accurate thru mine and my wife's Mossbergs. She has a 20ga bantam and with the rifle sights can post 3" groups at 100 yards. Mine is a 835 12 ga with the integral scope mount and a Nikon scope, will hold 1-1/2 to 2" groups at 100. Both are using rifled barrels.

We've been using the 2-3/4" sabot slugs as they seem a bit more accurate than the 3 or 3-1/2" ones. The 2-3/4" also (in 12 ga) sports a 546 grain slug. When Lightfield claims max expansion, I believe them. The last two bucks we took dropped in their tracks when hit. Wife's 1st one was chest cavity shot at 50 yards or so, when we opened him up, there were only remnants of heart and lungs, no identifiable pieces. Mine was neck shot at about 70 yards, the deer barely quivered when it dropped. Upon inspection, found significant damage to major arteries, veins, and windpipe. (they were missing in about a 1-2" area) Was amazed to find the plastic portion of the sabot imbedded in the neck, while we never did find the slug.

PM me if you have a specific picture you're looking for......

Good luck hunting!

 

[DigMe]

Are you in the witness protection program?

brad cook

 

[ARGarrison]

White Knight,

I am using Lightfield's 2 3/4" sabot slugs also. Every deer I've taken has been a through and through, thus no slug to recover and look at. I've never dropped a deer where it stood, though. They've always ran.

 

[ranburr]

"This appeared to be a 2-1/2 yr old.

If you know some other way to estimate their age at 5:20pm (near dark) in the fog at 70 yards when facing you straight on, I'd really like to hear it........"

Let's see, the size of his neck, the way he walks, the shape of his head. I did not mean to upset you, I was just curious. I am assuming that you are trying to improve the quality of your deer and I was just pointing out that to do that you cannot shoot deer based on rack size. We have been running a management program on my ranch for 30+ years now. If you want real results you have to fight the urge to shoot a a deer based on rack size and weight. If your buck had managed to live another 3-4 years, you might be posting a picture of your latest Boone & Crocket entry. If you want the big boys, you have to pass up a lot of really good deer.

ranburr

 

[Matt G]

I wouldn't be so smug. I've been in the field for over 20 seasons, and I can't honestly say for certain whether a given buck is a 1.5 year old or a 2.5 year old. I can usually say "That one's old (3.5 years plus)," or "That one's younger (2.5 years or less)," but I'll hedge my guess.

On the hoof, in the field, it's easy to mistake --especially on a murky evening when you're in the field and would really like to score.

I once saw a really nice mature buck with a beautiful spread working his way around a brush pile toward me as I walked through a meadow. I stopped and dropped to my knee, and when the buck came out of the large-ish brush pile, I shot him. I went up to the downed buck, and scratched my head. The buck I had first seen had a spread well outside the ears and a body that would have gone 170 or so on the hoof. The little buck on the ground was a smallish six-pointer that was about 110 lbs. Clearly, the bigger buck had kicked the smaller younger buck out of the brush pile, and I'd just assumed it was the same one. How had I missed this?!? Well, my brain was on autopilot at this point. It was a deer, it had antlers, it had to be the same one. It's surprising what you can miss seeing in the field, once you've decided to shoot. Ah, well. That little 'un ate good, too.

 

[ranburr]

No one is being smug. It is not hard to judge a deer's age when you know what to look for and you do it for a number of years. As far as your encounter with the smaller buck, it is each persons decision whether or not to take a shot. Everyone makes a mistake once in awhile.

ranburr

 

[erik the bold]

Object is to fill the freezer first, and look for trophies second. (We only get two buck permits in MI) As my hunting area comprises only 3 acres, I'm pretty limited. However, I try to follow good management practices, and passed up two six points which I know were yearlings. We've also planted about a 1/4-acre food plot. Since I don't have the benefit of 30+ years of experience with deer (more like three), pardon my ignorance.

 

[Selfdfenz]

erik,

Congrats and good eating.

(if you surf the THR Hunting Tab very much you will know ambushes are common here)

S-

 

[ranburr]

That changes things a bit. If I only had 3 acres to hunt I would probably shoot anything that moves. You can't do any real management in an area that small. Unless, you are surrounded by thousands of acres doing a management program.

ranburr

 

[erik the bold]

Ranburr,

I own the three acres, and my one neighbor allows me on his property (another three acres) at will, but I back up to two corn/bean/wheat farms of about 1 square mile that traditionally do not allow anyone else on the property. They have a couple of heavily wooded areas within 150 yards of my blind, which contain a great amount of the whitetailed delicacies, which nessesitates that they be drawn in. We do what what we can improve our chances, including baiting (to keep the does around), sent lures, rattling, grunting, concealment, and our small food plot. We've been very successful this way, (5 deer in three years) but after the first week of open season, the bucks are a lot more wary. Any suggestions for bringing them in would be appreciated.........

 

[ranburr]

You are pretty limited on what you can do with 6 acres of land. You are obviously going to have to bring them to you. I love to rattle bucks up, it works very well during the rut If you are in an area with a good buck to doe ratio. Though not as effective, rattling will sometimes work outside of the rut, deer are curious animals and they often want to see who is making all that racket. I also have to stress that your rattling success has a lot to do with that ratio. Most places are way too doe heavy. I don't know the laws in MI, but you might want to consider a Sweeney game feeder. The only problem with feeders is that the really big boys will frequent them at night and they are not nearly as effective in farm country where there is plenty to eat. If you go the feeder route I would suggest that you supplement your corn with either peanuts or a high protein pellet. Older deer have a hard time eating corn, they can eat peanuts and protein pellets. Thus, you may bring in a big boy when he discovers that you have something that he can actually eat. If you use feeders, use them year round. Try all the odor attractant stuff like you are. I question just how good some of this stuff is, but it can't hurt. I have not used it, but a lot of people tell me that the Buck grub food attractant really works. Personally, I think the feeder will do the same thing. Once again, I don't know the laws there, but you could try running some deer dogs. They would certainly get the deer moving but it would be a real crap shoot as to whether or not they would drive a buck through your land. Finally, depending on your relatioship with the larger farmer. I would lease the hunting rights from him. Farmers and ranchers like tax-free cash payments! Agree to some reasonable terms, keep the place clean and help him fix a fence now and then. That is the best advice that I can give you. Good luck!

ranburr