Five years same buck.
- Thread starter heyoldguy
- Start date
Gotta be honest....I wouldn't shoot him if I could.
I would like my son (who has collected these antlers), my grandson and my great grandson to be able to collect antlers from his offspring. There are plenty of ugly bucks to cull from the herds. My son has passed on some nice bucks this past hunting season in hopes of finding their sheds and collect those antlers.
Nothing wrong with hunting the big ones......just not our plan.
I would like my son (who has collected these antlers), my grandson and my great grandson to be able to collect antlers from his offspring. There are plenty of ugly bucks to cull from the herds. My son has passed on some nice bucks this past hunting season in hopes of finding their sheds and collect those antlers.
Nothing wrong with hunting the big ones......just not our plan.
Actually it's beginning to look like, in this area, it may be pretty common for older bucks to pick an area to shed. The antler hunting son was checking out a hard to get to hillside below a ridge and found six years of antlers from one buck.
For four years, way high up on a mountain, another buck leaves one antler side, a left or a right, within 200 yards and twice under the same tree. But just one antler and then he leaves to parts unknown. We've never found both sides.
Then they'll trick you up. The biggest set he's ever found were 3/4 mile apart. A friend found another set from the same big buck close to each other, with a broadhead stuck in one side.
This past spring he and friend of his went antler hunting and found a small white set. Then that fall he found another brown set from that buck nine miles away. A young deer, but the antler characteristics and the burrs were obviously the same buck.
He has collected enough antlers from successive years he now has a theory when a young buck's antler traits will produce a bigger buck and at what age a buck may choose an area to shed.
Probably not a perfect theory but he has collected a lot of antlers.
For four years, way high up on a mountain, another buck leaves one antler side, a left or a right, within 200 yards and twice under the same tree. But just one antler and then he leaves to parts unknown. We've never found both sides.
Then they'll trick you up. The biggest set he's ever found were 3/4 mile apart. A friend found another set from the same big buck close to each other, with a broadhead stuck in one side.
This past spring he and friend of his went antler hunting and found a small white set. Then that fall he found another brown set from that buck nine miles away. A young deer, but the antler characteristics and the burrs were obviously the same buck.
He has collected enough antlers from successive years he now has a theory when a young buck's antler traits will produce a bigger buck and at what age a buck may choose an area to shed.
Probably not a perfect theory but he has collected a lot of antlers.
HntHrdr
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That is interesting. I do know from my experience finding elk sheds that they will drop in roughly the same area year after year. I don’t have much experience finding deer sheds they usually come as bonus finds when I’m looking for elk.
I would be interested in his theory for what traits will generally make a for a great buck?
I would be interested in his theory for what traits will generally make a for a great buck?
Troubadour
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This is awesome.
About 10 years ago I found a nice brown 4 point blacktail shed. Looked forever but couldn't match it up. Next year I found the same side from that buck about 20 feet from the year before. Same deal, looked for the other side but nothing. Next year...you guessed it. Three years of right sides and each one was nearly identical and within a 50ft radius, no growth or regression. Still has me perplexed to this day. I'll try to find a picture later.
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antlerradar
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I have picked up five or more years of the same buck from dozens of mule deer and whitetail bucks. The patter of growth is almost always the same. Rapid incrases in size in the early years and then a leveling off in the latter years and one and once in a blue moon two years of decreased antler growth before they die. Doesn't matter if the buck becomes a 200 incher like the one below or if they never top 140. I never see big buck with the pattern of peak growth at age 6 and then a steady decline to a old two or three point.
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SS!
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Thanks for sharing! Always appreciate your experience and pictures.
2lumpy
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I seen and read similar examples of the same thing. Thanks for sharing.
antlerradar
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I have six years form this Idaho buck, but only two sets. Also found a small four with a cheater from when he was likely two and didn't keep it. Back then I didn't feel the need to keep small antlers. Wish I had now. Some of the best mule deer antlers I have ever found.
SS!
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Good grief those are huge.
muleybeast
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Cool thread guys.
hornkiller
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Me and lil bro have 5 years off a bull.
A few other 3-4 years of but those days are getting harder to do!
A few other 3-4 years of but those days are getting harder to do!
JakeH
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You still got that big 4x5 set of deer sheds you sniped from me? ? lol
bighamr
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JakeH
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Haha, it's been a long time since I seen him, I just remembered the big flyer. I was really hoping to snag that set up. Lol
bighamr
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Yes sir the next year he was even better, his extras really sprouted off his 4 side and of course still had the big flyer off the other side again. I really wish I could’ve scooped the set as well.
JakeH
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I herd he got bigger, but never did see him the next year.
Did you ever hear of anyone picking them up?
bighamr
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Nope never did.
