How common are mature bucks?

[huntnful]

I've seen and have harvested lots of mature bucks that are small. Which is not what I said earlier.

You said you’ve never seen a 160” buck that was mature. What would that even mean?

I have a 7.5 year old 163” buck if that suites that statement better?

 

[realunlucky]

Pretty easy to tell that's a old buck on his way down. Not on his way up. Talking about bucks on way down and bucks on way up are entirely different conversations.

Robby just had a biologist on the Rokcast who pointed out almost all hunters can't age muledeer on the hoof.

Think it was this one- https://www.rokslide.com/antler-size-vs-age-in-bucks-bulls/

 

[Deadfall]

You said you’ve never seen a 160” buck that was mature. What would that even mean?

I have a 7.5 year old 163” buck if that suites that statement better?

This problem with ye old inner web. Recon I did poor job of explaining. Without going into huge drawn deal. I thought this thread was about bucks on way up. Not way down. 2 different things.

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

I'm saying mule deer do not mature at same rate as whitetail. 4 to 5 yr old mule deer have not yet matured.
I've never seen a 160 inch buck that was mature. Guess they could exist, I've just never seen one

Four to five year old mule deer are in fact mature.

 

[huntnful]

This problem with ye old inner web. Recon I did poor job of explaining. Without going into huge drawn deal. I thought this thread was about bucks on way up. Not way down. 2 different things.

Yeah I here you about things getting taken out of context.

But bucks can be literally any size, at any age. Whether they are growing, shrinking, or maintaining antler. There is no set standard for when a buck is 160” and whether or not he’ll keep growing

 

[AHayes111]

Here is a picture of the sheds of three bucks that lived in the same bachelor group. All three are mature bucks. The single set is the only set I found from the buck, but he grew two more sets of antlers. The sheds I found are around 207, I think he was four years old. I would bet money he was better than 160 as a three year old. didn't find the next years antlers and another hunter shot him the last year. Scored 220+. The middle buck lived to old age and died of natural causes. Best set of antlers was the second to last set was his best and I only found one side. Scored int the 180's. The last group of antlers is from a mature buck that never got big. Not a dimes worth of difference in three years. Have never measured them, but they are less than 140. There was also two other mature bucks in the group. One was a narrow four point, the other was a heavy three point. Nether of them ever grew antlers that were close to 150. Found several of there antlers but has since parted with them. There are lots of bucks that will never grow a 160 inch set of antlers no matter how old they get or how much quality feed they eat. On the other hand some bucks will grow a 160 inch set of antlers at three year age. The buck in my avatar was lab aged at four. He grosses right around 190 as four point. As a three year old he was better than 160 and as a two year old he was a nice buck also. I will put up those pictures to.