Big Bodied Whitetails

[Okie-hunter]

Let’s see some BIG BODIED whitetails!
1st pic is a 2023 buck standing next to a mid 160s and making the 160s look small in the body.
2nd pic is same deer in 24 (he made it through the season & excited to see him again this summer)
3rd is an old buck that was nothing more than a 7pt but had to be 8+ years old
4th is an absolute giant that also made it through the 24 season.
These are all Okie deer so I’m sure some of you northerners will make them look small.

 

[Beagle001]

I don’t have many on my phone, but I do have this guy… biggest whitetail I’ve ever seen, most likely. Should have tried to get him, but we were after another buck. Not sure how old he was in this picture, but that was 2015 and he was alive until 2021… took a screenshot of a video a local took. We named him Gandalf

 

[Bigboone1988]

Buck I killed on Nov. 8th this past season. Not sure on age, first pics of him were 3 years ago and he was mature then. In the cooler he is hanging next to a 3 yr old buck, he a little crunched up but you can see the body difference. Worst drag of my life but well worth it. My brother and I were guessing over 250 lbs.

 

[wildwilderness]

Some fattys- probably 250-300#

 

[Macintosh]

I got nuthin, I only shoot little deer. It’s interesting, regionally we have hard winters and poor soils and very little ag, which is part if why our deer +\- never grow antlers as big as some other areas. Hence, pretty much no one around here gives a hoot or even measures antlers—everything is based on body weight. At the same time, Bergmann’s rule says my area should have heavy deer, but we typically dont have deer as big as neaigboring states at the same latitude and with similar climate. Partly due to culture of shooting any deer, but I have heard also in part because deer in this area were almost completely extirpated through the 1700’s and 1800’s, and were re-populated with deer from much further south, so genetically my deer are as close to deer in virginia as they are to deer in Northern Maine or Ontario. I know the repopulation part is true, but Im not clear genetically, or if what I see is simply a reflection of nutrition and hunting pressure.

@Okie-hunter I’m curious about the redacted antlers?

 

[Okie-hunter]

I got nuthin, I only shoot little deer. It’s interesting, regionally we have hard winters and poor soils and very little ag, which is part if why our deer +\- never grow antlers as big as some other areas. Hence, pretty much no one around here gives a hoot or even measures antlers—everything is based on body weight. At the same time, Bergmann’s rule says my area should have heavy deer, but we typically dont have deer as big as neaigboring states at the same latitude and with similar climate. Partly due to culture of shooting any deer, but I have heard also in part because deer in this area were almost completely extirpated through the 1700’s and 1800’s, and were re-populated with deer from much further south, so genetically my deer are as close to deer in virginia as they are to deer in Northern Maine or Ontario. I know the repopulation part is true, but Im not clear genetically, or if what I see is simply a reflection of nutrition and hunting pressure.

@Okie-hunter I’m curious about the redacted antlers?

I have a similar problem on a family property. Poor soil quality & zero ag leads to small deer, both in antler & body size. You will rarely see a 140” buck and 140# is getting pretty heavy. Go 80 miles north or west and you get into fertile soil & some ag country. Here mature bucks will weigh 180+ dressed and 200” aren’t unheard of.
As for the redacted antlers, those are both impressive public land bucks that are both still alive. I prefer to keep those pictures quiet as you know how social media can ruin things for someone quickly. Hopeful I can share pics holding one of them in the 25 season.