Rack size this year

[Whackumstackum]

and every 8 point isnt the same 8 point as last year as many times as you convince yourself it is.

A lot of “I’ve been hunting him for 3 years” dead deer that are only 3.5yrs old deer out there on the Facebook this year.

[2thDoc]

i bet. its interesting all the stuff you hear from people that think they have THE ANSWER.

when we know its nematodes.

[Model12]

And once a person drags a deer out of the woods........It weighs a lot more than it really does. If someone says a deer weighs X amount I want to see that on a scale.
Also. Hard to manage on small tracks of land. We let a high narrow racked 8 point go for 2 years. I planned to shoot him the third year. He never showed up all of 3rd season....Guess he walked out in front of somebody eise's rifle. This was a 200 acre tract which he could be off of in minutes.

[Silentweapon338]

Someone may "re-homed" him....

Sorry!

[2thDoc]

guess guess and guess some more

[Drakey]

We've been pretty much on par at the deer processor. Occasional 125-130 class, a few tipped over 220 lbs and the same folks bringing in their 2.5 yr old 6 and 8 pointers complaining that they can't grow big deer.

[Catdaddy]

and the same folks bringing in their 2.5 yr old 6 and 8 pointers complaining that they can't grow big deer.

Yep, like your neighbor killing a 135 lb 5 pt and telling you he was gray in the face and on the way down because he was an old deer.

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[Hambone]

Definitely not.....

[HT]

Talking about does - Haven't killed but maybe 2-3 does off my place in the last 3-4 years and I can visually see (and cameras confirm) the doe herd going down every year. I haven't seen but one big doe worth shooting on the farm and that was early season with fawns. Son killed a 2 1/2 yr old 10pt on Sept. 4th that was in a bachelor group of 10 bucks (3 10s in the group) in a cotton field. Was 16 bucks in the 40 acre field and only 4 does. I no this cause I was in a stand 400 yards away from him looking at it all take place. I went the evening before and saw the same thing and hardly no does, but none worth shooting to me. Bucks split up, moved off and only about 5 hung around. Occasionally see a couple (2 maybe 3) half grown does, but mostly its one doe and her offspring with cameras showing the same thing. But, I know what my problem is though, Habitat / food / bedding areas. All my clear-cuts and cutovers are grown now with pines close to their first thinning. While neighboring properties have the clear cuts and prime bedding areas. Even though my ag field is the only one around once neighbors start putting the corn out heavy it keeps them there. You don't get much protein from pine straw and a cotton bulb. And I'll be damn if I'm going to supplement.
Mass on the bucks I'm seeing is still close to the same for your older age bucks, but I'm starting to see alot of Broken tines, half racked bucks, weird looking racks (got one 4 1/2 year old deer that is thick, nice rack on right side. Left side shoots straight up like a 16in club, with 2 tines shooting towards his back with little kickers off that base). fucked up looking buck. I didn't run trail cameras at all last 2 years to see if he was like that in prior years. Only ran cameras this year in late September to confirm doe herd.

[Coastal Woodie]

Yep, like your neighbor killing a 135 lb 5 pt and telling you he was gray in the face and on the way down because he was an old deer.

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That's the truth, most people will never see a deer that is past his prime in SC.

[Whackumstackum]

That's the truth, most people will never see a deer that is past his prime in SC.

You are 100% correct. Here is an example. I let this deer walk last year a few times and this year in August because I wanted my son or DD to have an opportunity at him. Found him dead in September 100yds from where I’d left seen him. Jawbone aging these field deer is tough but knowing his history I’d say he was 8.5 ish. First pic is 2022 and last is this year on August 17th. I’ve been hunting this property for 17 years and we have fantastic neighbors on both sides and we all benefit from our decisions.
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[TheVisorGuy]

That was a warrior

[Coastal Woodie]

That was a brute, he looks 8 1/2 + all day long.

I still need to send a set of incisors off to get aged from a buck I killed a couple years ago. I’m guessing he was 8-10 years old but the molars are so worn there’s no way to age his jawbone.

[KRT]

Best deer off my GA club in the 30 years we have hunted here. Me and John have hunted together a long time. Well deserved. He killed that buck with the 7-08 Remington model 7 I gave his son for his 10th birthday. We had four photos of this deer earlier this summer.


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Andy, GA is slowly if not already showing up on peoples radar. With their rules and tag situation, it was a matter of time to start producing some grown deer.

[nitro5x6's]

Andy, GA is slowly if not already showing up on peoples radar. With their rules and tag situation, it was a matter of time to start producing some grown deer.

Lots of 160"+ deer killed in GA every year. The Urban Archery crowd are finding a few giants it seems. Amazing that those deer don't get hit by cars more often as congested as the area has become. SW GA is the place with probably the best odds , there are huge acreages with low hunting pressure. The problem is finding a tract to get access to.