Defining buck "quality"

[Brad1974]

I know... everybody has their own opinion. But, I am just curious what is YOUR opinion on what makes a buck a "small buck", a "decent buck", a "shooter buck" "good buck", a "nice buck", or a "monster buck". I am sure to some its all the antler score, to some it's all about the bucks age, and to some it's all about body size. What are your personal definitions of the different quality of bucks? Feel free to add your own descriptors of buck quality that you use.

 

[robby denning]

Some combo of age, body size, width, antler heaviness, score...

I know it when I see it.

 

[Scottf270]

Age, body size, antler mass. In other words, mature. I like score as much as anyone but an old massive gnarly buck beats an immature spindly one that may score higher.

 

[CaliforniaMuley]

Age, mass and character for me. When I was younger I’d see a 4 point and thought that meant something, not so much.

 

[RockAndSage]

What everyone said above, plus a little relativity to the zone/geography I'm in, what my intent is for that hunt, and how much time I have available. As well as for what I've been seeing in scouting the area pre-season.

A 'shooter buck' might be very different if I have all the time I want, and have had plenty of time scouting pre-season and saw a number of nice deer, compared to what might meet that category if I'm on a short out-of-state hunt, or with kids or family. Or if it's the last day of the season and I want venison in the freezer.

As to what a "monster" would be...there's still some geographical relativity. But if it makes my heart race...

 

[nobody]

Same as above. When you can tell it’s not his first rodeo, so to speak, that’s when he jumps a notch in my book.

Unless he’s injured severely, then it changes the definition of “shooter buck”

 

[Rich M]

My quality buck is symmetrical 3x3 or 4x4, no kickers, tall and wide as or wider than ears. Body bigger than an average buck. It is a deer that you don't have to talk yourself into shooting.

Everyone has a mental image of what they want in a "quality" buck - run with it.

Someone mentioned it above - we all hunt for diff reasons. If you are just meat hunting, be honest with yourself and shoot a nice meat deer, don't torment yourself trophy hunting. If you are trophy hunting - leave the little ones alone so they can reach maturity.

 

[mtnmuley83]

I am a sucker for deep forks and mass! Width is not as big a deal to me. Big body, gray face...

 

[waspocrew]

I guess I know a shooter when I see it. Combo of things like others have mentioned.

 

[Tmac]

Age, age and age. That alone cures almost all buck size concerns.

 

[Moosehunter]

I killed a 155" muley that was 7 1/2.
Trophy for sure.
I like an old deer. But I don't hate the big scoring deer either

 

[WyoHuntr]

Depends on what the area produces. Generally I'm aiming for a large representation of what grows there. What I'm after also depends on what is already on my wall. Crazy mass, crazy character, cactus horned bucks, etc, might make the hit list now that I’ve already hit some goals. My automatic shooters are anything 190"+, a 30"+ 3x3, probably most bucks over 30" width. I could care less about age or body size. Generally, I usually call anything over 200" a monster... but after seeing a true monster that looked like a kid drew a giant cartoon rack on a deer, its tough to throw that label around.

 

[sndmn11]

Fun and a good memory.

 

[justinspicher]

it all depends on the restrictions for me. I’m not a picky hunter, I want to kill something and get it in my freezer. Sure, a big ass bug would be dope, but I’m not eating the antlers or the skull and after I’m gone nobody cares anymore. My family is only interested in eating it.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Sometimes I think it’s easier to know what it’s not. No pot belly, spindly antlers, not outside his ears or at his ears, or not twice as tall as his ears, no Roman nose, no sway back I am probably passing. I tend to look at frame and mass on antlers, more than just fork depth, also it’s always a sliding scale at least for me. Do I have an elk in the freezer… gonna be a bit more
Picky.

 

[JGRaider]

Big, mature bucks are what turn my crank.....even the pot bellied ones......

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

It has changed over the years! I have taken close to 100 mule deer (I am 83 now & shot my first buck when I was 12). I am going to say upfront, I love to eat venison. I won't shoot a young forky, but will take a nice 3 or 4 pt in a heartbeat to fill my freezer. The buck I am holding in my avatar is a 31" 5x5 I shot a few years back. I'd shoot him again too. Just depends on what is available. I am not a trophy hunter anymore, I'll leave them for someone else.

 

[Hnthrdr]

It has changed over the years! I have taken close to 100 mule deer (I am 83 now & shot my first buck when I was 12). I am going to say upfront, I love to eat venison. I won't shoot a young forky, but will take a nice 3 or 4 pt in a heartbeat to fill my freezer. The buck I am holding in my avatar is a 31" 5x5 I shot a few years back. I'd shoot him again too. Just depends on what is available. I am not a trophy hunter anymore, I'll leave them for someone else.

Heck of a buck you have there, I think 98% of guys would classify him as a trophy, in your 83 years of hunting, did you take most of your bucks in Co?

 

[High Climber]

I like them all mostly, seems like most of mine “shrink” when I walk up them though! I need to start looking at body more when I’m sizing up a buck. Mass and height catch my eye the most and a little trash goes a long ways in my book too. I don’t prefer velvet or cactus bucks

 

[MuleyFever]

I know it when I see it.

This is my answer. I couldn't care less about any numbers.