"Mature Deer"

[insanelupus]

In the past, I considered antler size the indicator of a "mature deer". Realizing that older deer and big antlers don't always align,
and that not every deer has 150"-180" potential, things have changed.

I spend a lot more time looking at body lines, neck wrinkles, and other characteristics. I'm looking for at least 4-4.5 years and older.

If you are chasing "mature deer" what are you looking for in your deer. Bonus for cam pics!

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Anything that’s not slim. I don’t care about antlers. They are inedible. I just look for any kind of body mass. To me, this was a pretty nice deer.

This one was pretty good too.

These are “mountain deer” from Southwestern Virginia. They live on hardwood forests. Most of the local farming is beef cattle, so apart from the occasional silage field, they don’t get to feast on crops. They usually won’t reach the mass of “better-fed” deer.

 

[MidTennHunter]

I’m looking for a big brisket and a sagging belly on most mature bucks

 

[Drenalin]

Body mass, swag through the back/belly, and a sort of squared up face. Body language can be an indication too.

 

[Chris in TN]

Mature is relative. A mile in one direction from me a deer has a legit chance to make it to 5.5. A mile in the other direction making it past 1.5 is a huge deal. I personally don’t care much about shooting younger bucks so I rarely hunt places where that’s the best I can expect. I’ll go to those places looking for does.

 

[kpk]

I passed this guy up Saturday night - twice. He was my target buck, but after seeing him live, he looks young. Decided to shoot him with the camera instead. I'm hopeful he'll make it another year or two and be an absolute stud. I'll try to take a doe now for the freezer.

 

[Pescetism]

Sagging gut, front and rear quarters similar height, big brisket, short face and legs, low neck/body junction and wrinkles. Antler mass seems to indicate age to an extent. Not every old deer will have beer can bases but even one that's going down hill usually doesn't have thin antlers like a 2.5 year old.

Top picture I'm estimating at 4.5 maybe 5.5 years. Bottom buck from the same night 3.5 years

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Sagging gut, front and rear quarters similar height, big brisket, short face and legs, low neck/body junction and wrinkles. Antler mass seems to indicate age to an extent. Not every old deer will have beer can bases but even one that's going down hill usually doesn't have thin antlers like a 2.5 year old.

Top picture I'm estimating at 4.5 maybe 5.5 years. Bottom buck from the same night 3.5 years

View attachment 960259
View attachment 960260

That top buck looks like nothing I have ever seen except near corn or soybean fields.

 

[hunt1up]

Everyone wants to kill a 150+" deer but the truth is, a great many bucks(perhaps the majority) just don't have the genetic ability to get big. My last two IL bucks, and daughters buck this year were all 6 year old deer. I had pics of them for multiple years so I'm pretty confident in their ages. Those three bucks scored 137", 118", and 127". Two 8 pointers and a 9 pointer. Fully mature, huge bodied old bucks that just don't have "it." So I hunt for age. If he's old and large racked, even better.

 

[CJ_BG]

Developed shoulders and really just the "look" that mature bucks have. Especially the really mature ones, they just look like old brutes.

 

[va_to_co]

Everyone wants to kill a 150+" deer but the truth is, a great many bucks(perhaps the majority) just don't have the genetic ability to get big. My last two IL bucks, and daughters buck this year were all 6 year old deer. I had pics of them for multiple years so I'm pretty confident in their ages. Those three bucks scored 137", 118", and 127". Two 8 pointers and a 9 pointer. Fully mature, huge bodied old bucks that just don't have "it." So I hunt for age. If he's old and large racked, even better.

I recall a recent (maybe meateater?) podcast where they interviewed someone who discussed research findings indicating that nutrition of the mother was a (the most?) significant factor in antler growth potential. So sure, you could argue that is genetics, but I'd argue it's food availability/nutrition. I'll see if I can find the study they were discussing...

That said, I don't disagree with your opinion.

Edit: found the research

 

[Slickhill]

They often have a “walk” a sort of stoved up gait like an old man. Coupled with a swayed back, Roman nose, and a pronounced brisket they’re not hard to pick out during the rut. Usually, where I hunt anyway, old bucks are going to have some mass that carries out into the main beams.

Old bucks in my area are often a different color too sometimes really dark gray.

I try my very best to just kill the old boys but I’m not shooting dinks with a rifle either even with some age on them. My wife and son can take care of that and we’ll shoot does if it’s a matter of freezer filling.

 

[Coveyleader]

I know it when I see it and normally I have a split second to make the decision and drop the string. I actually can't stand the current craze of aging deer, i.e. "he's a 2.5 year old, no he's 3.5, I have history with him, he's a 5 year old " followed closely by naming them.

 

[alexnelon]

I know it when I see it and normally I have a split second to make the decision and drop the string. I actually can't stand the current craze of aging deer, i.e. "he's a 2.5 year old, no he's 3.5, I have history with him, he's a 5 year old " followed closely by naming them.

I feel similarly.

If you're "hunting" a spot where you have any kind of certainty that a buck will live another year if you pass him, that loses all the magic for me. You might as well put ear tags on them at that point.

 

[saltfork]

Like the others have said. You'll know it when you see one, they'll stick out from the younger bucks. Sway back, big belly and thick neck and brisket, and a big head. A mature buck, to me, is always a good deer to take, regardless of antler size. And they won't all grow up to be 180" deer.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I feel similarly.

If you're "hunting" a spot where you have any kind of certainty that a buck will live another year if you pass him, that loses all the magic for me. You might as well put ear tags on them at that point.

One of the reasons I loathe cameras.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

It would be helpful if people list the rough geographic location of these deer. That makes a big difference. The biggest deer I’ve ever hauled off my Virginia mountain weighed 190-pounds field-dressed. The biggest I ever saw at the check station was 210-pounds. About 150-pounds is a more typical “good-sized buck.”

 

[saltfork]

It would be helpful if people list the rough geographic location of these deer. That makes a big difference. The biggest deer I’ve ever hauled off my mountain weighed 190-pounds field-dressed. The biggest I ever saw at the check station was 210-pounds. About 150-pounds is a more typical “good-sized buck.”

Kansas. A big buck will easily top 300lbs.

 

[kpk]

I've posted this guy before. To my knowledge, this is the only time this buck was ever seen.

 

[saltfork]

I've posted this guy before. To my knowledge, this is the only time this buck was ever seen.


View attachment 960411

Looks like a slob!