Drop tine

[Brian H]

I agree that the deer is old. It isn't just how beat up he looks, it his the shortness of his legs and the depth in his flanks that also show his age.

[tuthdoc]

Before I answer that, are you being a snot?

[cosmiccowboy]

I agree that the deer is old. It isn't just how beat up he looks, it his the shortness of his legs and the depth in his flanks that also show his age.

Hey, it's just a couple of pictures. I could sure be wrong but I don't think so.

Very short head relative to depth (top to bottom) of head.
VERY deep and prominent brisket.
"droopy" eyes
Gray on forehead, around base of horns, and base of ears. look at the multiple rows of wrinkles at the base of the ear.
I would guess 6.5 at least based on the picture.

[Coon]

I say he's 5 1/2 years old. Just a guess. But he's cool lookin'. Good luck on him next season!

Dave

[Encinal]

tuthdoc PM sent.

I've seen a deer have a drop on his left side at 3...

Right side at 4

Left side at 5

And then Double Drops at 6...

I've seen deer that only got a drop when they got to be REALLY old and "melted down"

I've seen a deer just grow a drop on his best year and never before...

I've seen a deer grow a drop the SAME SIZE in the SAME place on the beam EVERY year...

I've seen a deer get a drop... not have it for two years... then have it again...

You never know what is going to happen...

[tuthdoc]

you would have to admit these are pics of the same deer, a year apart. No he didn't travel 4 miles. He probably ended up going 6 miles north and then more than that south before returning to the same area that I videoed him in last year. thus, the name Traveler. One characteristic doesn't ID a deer. The overall rack and body characteristics make ID pretty dang sure. The little drop in the first two pics is in basicly the same area as the drop in the second set. In the first set, it looks like if it grew, it would have the same curved nature as in the second. He screwed up his left side, probably in velvet. Big rack for a little deer. Maybe he couldn't handle it. The fork is basicly the same as in first year pics.

I saw him all last year in the same general area. I didn't feed and hunt that area early in the year because I was after the Bo Point buck. In the mean time, my brother had him wander right by him like a lost child. He was in a pop up in the middle of a 4 way with some cull hunters and the deer just wandered by him heading up the road. This was about 1 1/2 miles from his "home". When showing the video, one of the hunters stated seeing the deer early in year about 6 miles from where I videoed him last year, in the opposite direction of where my brother videoed him. It's thought that he's 3 1/2 this year, but I hold to the fact that he's just a superstar in the making. He had a tiny body last year. His interaction with the dozen or so bucks that were in the area, including obvious babies, indicated a yearling with a giant rack. I posted this deer in an age thread a few months ago. If you removed the horns, he'd be easily argued to be a yearling. doesn't matter, he's a protein head and he's going to be a STUD. He'll get at least 3 years, regardless.

My theory on his wandering are that he was following his natural dispersal instinct that 1 1/2 year olds have. He ended up back "home". I guess he didn't find any place that he liked better and decided he'd rather keep me company.

06





07

[texag93]

I have noticed they tend to put on DT's later in life with the rest of the trash. Here is a buck at 3, 4, 5, and 6yrs old. He picked up the drop at 5 and is now 7, still has it.

[Tmag]

Nice buck. Good luck.

[Artos]

I don't know how old he is for sure.....

......he certainly looks mature and WE worry about every good deer post rut down this way regardless.

Man, we need rain BAD!! Got a chance for the next 48 hours.

I really hope he's around for you & can get him early before he breaks any horns. Good luck amigo!! Drops are drops and I wish you the best on him!!