Could it be a doe, Possibly I have seen bucks in EHD years lose there antlers in early December. Not much of a stretch for one that survived EHD to lose there antlers on Thanksgiving weekend. Been a lot of EHD in that part of the state recently.
That place he is hunting is famous for three points. I highly doubt that is an old buck going down hill. More in likely an old buck that never got very big.
These antlers were picked up with in walking distance of where he shot that buck.