Would you take him in the best unit?

Founder

Founder

Founder Since 1999
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We all have in our mind the best unit(s) for mule deer. So on this one, let's say you've got that tag you've always dreamed of. The best tag in your opinion for big bucks.
You did some scouting and found a couple bucks in that 190-200 inch ballpark and heard rumors of a 240 buck somewhere, but you haven't seen him. It's day 3 of your 7 day rifle hunt and you spot this buck bedded below you. This is all you get to know about this buck before he disappears. You get this 21 seconds with a side view and you need to decide.
You shooting and what would you be guessing he might score?

 
In the hunt of a lifetime- probably would hold out. Forks are small, hard to judge the spread, I would guess 160-170. Any other time- absolutely...
 
Being day 3 and hunting the best unit for mule deer, I think I am going to hold out a bit more and see what else I can find.

He is a pretty buck, but I am thinking he is right around 180 (165-168" frame + 12" of extras)
 

Go big or go home for me... Mid 80's. Tough to tell how much trash he's got from the side, but still a pass...
 
Pass. With the key details being day 3 and rifle hunt. This is likely my only chance to hunt the "best" deer unit and I'd feel uneasy about punching a tag on day 3 without getting to experience the whole hunt. Never know what might show up those last 4 days and I'd want to make sure to soak up every moment of having a tag in great deer country even if it means tag soup or taking a "management" type buck late in the hunt.
 
Pass for me. Lots of time left to find better deer you have already seen or heard of. Enjoy the hunt. Make the most of it.
 
I need him to turn his head. If he didn’t I’d wait…. In only the very best of units. Most any other I’d be sending some l lead.
 
Would love to say I would pass him but I don't think that would be honest. I'm probably shooting- especially if he is 30 wide when he turns.
 
Those hook cheaters look good. That would be a tough one to pass. But you’ve seen 2 bucks bigger and know there’s a third. Keep hunting and hope you don’t regret it.
 
I'm seeing a frame pushing 180" with at least 15" of extras... I think he's about a 195" buck, and with those double hook cheaters, I'm betting he measures out at over 30" outside spread...

That said, If he's the biggest I've seen, I think I'm taking him. Rumors of a 240" buck are just rumors. I would hope if I had such a tag, I'd have put in many days scouting, and if I had seen better, I'd pass... maybe I have a sleepless night and go lookin for him tomorrow though. ?
 
I am with day others day three, RIFLE, and Iam also not seeing him breaking or maybe right at 190 gross. Four more days to hunt, I would give it two more days still and keep looking.
 
Me too. I think.

He has some kickers that make him wide maybe
Velvet buck is cool too
Lacks on mass and that’s what I like ?
 
So many are passing on this stud buck!!! You guys are awfully confident in what your "Best Unit" holds or the side view just didn't work for you. He's gone forever now.

The two 190-200" bucks are not bigger! And probably wouldn't have the character that this one does either.

Do these new views change your thoughts on score and whether you'd take him or not?

Big Buck 2.jpg

Big Buck 1.jpg
 
Well dang, I let him walk on the first view. That was a mistake. Now I’ll have to hunt my **** off looking for that 240 ?‍♂️
 
Good one Founder!!!
I think this is one of those "trick questions" that you used to get in college exams for bonus points...........

First of all, if this is "that tag you've always dreamed of. The best tag in your opinion for big bucks" then I would have spent AT LEAST A WEEK IF NOT TWO scouting for that hunt!!!!

Only then, after a week or two of scouting and half way through the actual hunt, if I had not have found anything 200+ then I would definitely shoot this guy as I have a VERY fond love for bucks with matching devil tines!!!!!!!

In my mind there is not really much that can be better than double devil tines!!!!! (I spent 3 years of my life chasing this guy and he wasn't even big - LOL. A couple close encounters where he eluded my bow & arrow and a couple of his sheds made it all the more fulfilling)

Definitely not my biggest by any means and I was just a kid back then, but probably my most memorable buck based on all the encounters we had.


1682463218439.png
 
I love these "what if" posts!!!!
It honestly puts things into perspective when each of us is put to the test on those rare high quality/high demand tags. We all have our goals and anticipations going into those hunts and yet we also all have our "Achilles Heels" for types of bucks that each of us loves. We tend to put our goals aside when faced with those difficult quick second decisions.

It is easy to sit behind our computers now during the off season and say yes or no, but after days of brutal hikes, sore eyes, no deer sighted, bad weather, days away from family, it is a hard to say how we would actually react when put in that situation. These quiz questions help put thing into perspective and prepare us for when reality hits us in the field.
 
Yep thats a buck you'd regret walking away from if you passed with just the side profile.
Really cool character buck!!!
 
Hey Founder!

Don't Worry About Anybody Shooting Your Buck!

Most Of The Boys That Posted Above Ain't Gonna Shoot A PISSCUTTER Like That!

Ya,F'N Right!
 
I was amazed at all the 170-190 guesses and those saying he had short fronts from the first view. I was seeing 11" front forks and had him at 189-193 frame with 12" of extras I was going to say 204 gross.

After seeing the pictures I am confident he is over 200.

Now to the question posed.... before seeing the pictures this was my thoughts, I had not scouted a bigger buck beforehand, rumors that there is a 240 buck "somewhere" is not exactly a promising lead, now if you had good credible Intel of where that buck had been that is another story altogether, but just knowing that a 240 might exist on the unit is not very reassuring to me. Day 3 of the hunt on "the best unit ever" I think I might pass, I'm thinking of units like the Jiccarrila, the strip, old Mexico. I think I am hoping to find something better for those hunts.

After seeing the pictures I think I am still in that camp, and hopeful I could maybe find him again in a few days if things don't get better.

Now change the day, end of day 5, days 6 or 7 I'm shooting that buck.

Make this any other unit that is not "the best unit ever" so pretty much any utah LE Unit and I had not scouted or had very credible leads on bigger I'm shooting day 3 no question. He's over 200 and I've not hit that benchmark yet.
 
JakeH said:
Day 3 of the hunt on "the best unit ever" I think I might pass, I'm thinking of units like the Jiccarrila, the strip, old Mexico. I think I am hoping to find something better for those hunts.

After seeing the pictures I think I am still in that camp, and hopeful I could maybe find him again in a few days if things don't get better.
Click to expand...

I think this is spot on. If it's the best of the best, there's extremely limited pressure, there's likely a good chance of turning this buck up again in the last couple days. I'd be looking for something special until that point, a buck that has you crapping your pants immediately.

Personally I've killed some great deer in some not so great units, so I'd have some pretty high expectations... In an average unit, his jaw would likely be bouncing off the dirt....
 
I am just reading this for the first time, so I saw the updated pictures, but I was blown away by everyone that was passing! You guys must have a lot bigger deer than I do where I hunt because I would have dropped that buck just as fast as I could!
 
I fell in love with post #1 and posted my response even before going through all the rest of the postings. Went back through and saw post #26 and a little drool came out the corner of my mouth.
 
Even before I saw the second set of pictures, I noticed the extra stuff. Even without that, my first reaction was, "Settle down, put the crosshairs where they need to be, don't blow this, and squeeze".

After seeing the second set of pictures, it was a big "Thank you!!" to everybody that passed and let me have him!
 
He was found dead on the winter range that year and he was about 205.

As far as shooting…… I’d say that side view should be enough for me to recognize that he’s as big as either of the two I scouted and shoot before my opportunity is gone.

My 2020 buck was one of these type of deals where I had to look at him and make a decision within just a few seconds. I was hunting a buck that was 190ish when on opening morning I walked into what turned out to be a 203 buck. He was looking at me at 80 yards and could disappear in a moment with thick timber on each side. I threw up the scope, recognized a huge back fork, cheaters on both sides, good width and shot. Sure glad I didn’t screw around waiting for him to turn his head.
 
Let's all remember saying you would do something and actually doing it are 2 different things ?. Im an archery hunter and I know this is a rifle hunt question but if I found myself in bow range of him he's in trouble ? I'm letting an arrow fly
 
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