Rok Blog Posts

[robby denning]

Great write up Robby.

thanks bro'

 

[68Plexi]

Thanks for the wisdom Robby and Jim. I used to wait until later in the year to scout muleys thinking they would be closer to where I’d find them in Sep. This year I took yours and Jim’s advice on early scouting and it paid off. Found some nice bucks and the green foliage background sure did help. It also helped to move on from a spot that has been successful in the past (nostalgia syndrome) to find these new bucks. Exciting!

My buddy and I were arguing about what these bucks would look like in Sep because their antlers were still coming in. Width was there, just not height. Had to rely more on body size than antlers, but a lot of potential and I can’t wait to find them again in the fall. Thanks!


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[pcp100]

Great !

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I have always looked at July 1st as opening day of scouting season!!!

Here are a few bucks I have watched develop antlers, kind of fun to see the differences in development from deer to deer, state to state.

I filmed this buck 07/01/14-

No Question, you could tell then he was going to be a giant.
By August 1st, he was basically finished out.


He ended up finishing just over 240” official.


I filmed this buck June 30th 2017-


On June 30, he was definitely big enough to know, he would be good.

By mid August, he was all but finished out.


Aug 30th, the buck officially scored 226 and some change.


These two bucks above had me believing I could tell a giant by the first of July.
In 2019 I made a pretty big mistake thinking a buck I had watched for a few years wasn’t going to amount to much over what he was the previous year. Deer are always teaching me I have a lot to learn. I didn’t dump everything I should have in this deer until it was to late. I had all but skipped over him scouting for a “bigger” buck.

End of June



By mid August, he blew up and finished around 230”


I really do think it’s completely deer dependent. Some deer seem to pack it on late, some seem to develop early.
I’m under the firm belief however, a guy can see a “good buck” from something average even as early as June.

Great Read Robby! I think I have grown to like scouting as much or more than hunting.

 

[spfarr]

thanks. good info, as usual.

 

[robby denning]

Thanks for the wisdom Robby and Jim. I used to wait until later in the year to scout muleys thinking they would be closer to where I’d find them in Sep. This year I took yours and Jim’s advice on early scouting and it paid off. Found some nice bucks and the green foliage background sure did help. It also helped to move on from a spot that has been successful in the past (nostalgia syndrome) to find these new bucks. Exciting!

My buddy and I were arguing about what these bucks would look like in Sep because their antlers were still coming in. Width was there, just not height. Had to rely more on body size than antlers, but a lot of potential and I can’t wait to find them again in the fall. Thanks!


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you're welcome and sounds like you're off to a great start. And yes "...their antlers were still coming in. Width was there, just not height. Had to rely more on body size than antlers.." has been my experience this time of year too. They can grow a lot of width in cheaters from here on, but not usually frame unless they still haven't turned up.

Good luck, and I hope you can keep track of them.

 

[robby denning]

I have always looked at July 1st as opening day of scouting season!!!

Here are a few bucks I have watched develop antlers, kind of fun to see the differences in development from deer to deer, state to state.

I filmed this buck 07/01/14-
View attachment 193713
No Question, you could tell then he was going to be a giant.
By August 1st, he was basically finished out.
View attachment 193714
View attachment 193715
He ended up finishing just over 240” official.
View attachment 193716

I filmed this buck June 30th 2017-
View attachment 193718
View attachment 193717
On June 30, he was definitely big enough to know, he would be good.

By mid August, he was all but finished out.

View attachment 193719
Aug 30th, the buck officially scored 226 and some change.
View attachment 193731

These two bucks above had me believing I could tell a giant by the first of July.
In 2019 I made a pretty big mistake thinking a buck I had watched for a few years wasn’t going to amount to much over what he was the previous year. Deer are always teaching me I have a lot to learn. I didn’t dump everything I should have in this deer until it was to late. I had all but skipped over him scouting for a “bigger” buck.

End of June
View attachment 193732


By mid August, he blew up and finished around 230”

View attachment 193734
I really do think it’s completely deer dependent. Some deer seem to pack it on late, some seem to develop early.
I’m under the firm belief however, a guy can see a “good buck” from something average even as early as June.

Great Read Robby! I think I have grown to like scouting as much or more than hunting.

Travis!!!! your post should have been on my blog. Great illustrations and so interesting on that 2019 buck and how much he grew. Thanks!

 

[back country]

Robby, and anyone else, have you ever noticed a correlation between bucks that have big eye guards early on in the growing season that end up finishing out as big bucks? I'm not necessarily saying that only bucks with big eye guards early on will turn out to be big bucks... But those bucks that do have pretty big eye guards early in the growing season, is that more or less a dead giveaway that he'll end up being a big buck?

For example, the last buck from ntrlbrnhunter's post where he posted the pic from end of June 2019. That buck already had fairly big eye guards (in my opinion) for the time of year AND comparatively to the size of his frame at the time the photo was taken. And he ended up to be a pretty darn big buck.

Do you guys think there's a correlation there, or purely situational?

 

[Travis Hobbs]

Robby, and anyone else, have you ever noticed a correlation between bucks that have big eye guards early on in the growing season that end up finishing out as big bucks? I'm not necessarily saying that only bucks with big eye guards early on will turn out to be big bucks... But those bucks that do have pretty big eye guards early in the growing season, is that more or less a dead giveaway that he'll end up being a big buck?

For example, the last buck from ntrlbrnhunter's post where he posted the pic from end of June 2019. That buck already had fairly big eye guards (in my opinion) for the time of year AND comparatively to the size of his frame at the time the photo was taken. And he ended up to be a pretty darn big buck.

Do you guys think there's a correlation there, or purely situational?

If I do see a buck early with giant eye guards I definitely pay attention, and usually associate them with a mature or older deer. Eye guards are the first part of the antler that finishes out. Way earlier than the rest of points.

Saying that, I do use caution judging only eye guards. The largest deer I have killed haven’t had super impressive eye guards minus one. But I do think, big eye guards generally always equal mature buck or at least a few years in age.

I really wish I had pictures of a buck I found a month ago. Maybe some of the most impressive eye guards I have seen. He didn’t have much else. But I’m following him, watching close, hoping

 

[Wild_Musk]

Thanks, awesome!

 

[robby denning]

Thanks, awesome!

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[robby denning]

What's a Buck Pasture?

 

[SlickStickSlinger]

I seriously have been hiking through 3 official buck pastures into where I am scouting for elk. I always wondered what was up with the name because I've never seen a buck there. But after reading this I got to thinking, then again I have never scouted the area during prime hours. Tons of sign. Makes more sense now. Might have to get to a vantage point for glassing just for fun sometime.
Thanks

 

[robby denning]

I seriously have been hiking through 3 official buck pastures into where I am scouting for elk. I always wondered what was up with the name because I've never seen a buck there. But after reading this I got to thinking, then again I have never scouted the area during prime hours. Tons of sign. Makes more sense now. Might have to get to a vantage point for glassing just for fun sometime.
Thanks

Do it!

 

[Howard Mee]

You nailed it when you said they get hunted hard. I have one... just one spot that I would say fits your description. The Eldorado of buck spots. I always find bucks there. Just over the hill, I’ve seen zero. But you’re right, they spread out and get hammered. Still worth visiting though. I’ve seen two shooters in that same basin during season. Thanks for the info!

 

[robby denning]

You nailed it when you said they get hunted hard. I have one... just one spot that I would say fits your description. The Eldorado of buck spots. I always find bucks there. Just over the hill, I’ve seen zero. But you’re right, they spread out and get hammered. Still worth visiting though. I’ve seen two shooters in that same basin during season. Thanks for the info!

Thanks Howard.


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[Southforkguy]

I found one of those in Arizona. And NO Robbie you can't hunt there

 

[robby denning]

I found one of those in Arizona. And NO Robbie you can't hunt there

PM sent hahahaha


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[Justin Crossley]

Great read as usuall Robby!

 

[robby denning]

Great read as usuall Robby!

thanks man