"the pasture"....long read and pic heavy

[d_e_smith]

yes I did, and I don't like it

See, all that swimming I told you he was doing pulled him down.

[jshouse]

I was going to bump this thread yesterday. Glad you updated with new pics. Now the waiting begins again. Im hoping he decides to stick around through the first week of October at least this year. Good luck.

Thanks sir, and I had a camera walk off on me 2 weeks ago so I'm gonna pass on your offer lol, it was much appreciated though . D*** hunt county....

[jshouse]

See, all that swimming I told you he was doing pulled him down.

With all this El Nino talk about the fall I'm seriously on the lookout for a little paddle boat to get across the creek at my other place. ...I waded it a few times last year but changing clothes at 5am in 40 degree weather is for the birds.

[d_e_smith]

Hunt in waders.

[jshouse]

I'll probably have to lol

[woodsman]

I started reading your thread last year but haven't come back to get caught up. What a history with this deer.

Has probably already been discussed, but does your camera make noise, or are the deer looking in the direction that you typically approach your set from? Seems like they have a tendency to be staring in that same direction quite a bit. I wonder if they've got you patterned pretty well.

Man I hope you kill this deer.

[jshouse]

I started reading your thread last year but haven't come back to get caught up. What a history with this deer.

Has probably already been discussed, but does your camera make noise, or are the deer looking in the direction that you typically approach your set from? Seems like they have a tendency to be staring in that same direction quite a bit. I wonder if they've got you patterned pretty well.

Man I hope you kill this deer.

yeah, I can see that, but that is really my only way to access the property. I've tried to find another way but it requires crossing other peoples property. the property is a long and skinny rectangle running east and west, my only access is from the northwest corner. I only hunt south or southeast winds.

its really weird man, right around 10/1 every year all of the mature bucks just disappear, literally disappear, until spring. even with 10+ does on camera every day and cameras all over the place I still don't see them. and I usually don't even hunt in November and decemeber, after they've all left, and they still don't come back around so I don't think its a pressure issue from us, now I do think my neighbors have a lot to do with it.

thanks though, I'm gonna try

[woodsman]

yeah, I can see that, but that is really my only way to access the property. I've tried to find another way but it requires crossing other peoples property. the property is a long and skinny rectangle running east and west, my only access is from the northwest corner. I only hunt south or southeast winds.

its really weird man, right around 10/1 every year all of the mature bucks just disappear, literally disappear, until spring. even with 10+ does on camera every day and cameras all over the place I still don't see them. and I usually don't even hunt in November and decemeber, after they've all left, and they still don't come back around so I don't think its a pressure issue from us, now I do think my neighbors have a lot to do with it.

thanks though, I'm gonna try

I see what you mean. Sounds like your hands are tied but that you're making the most of it. I wonder which is worse... never knowing about or seeing big boy, or KNOWING he's there and still not seeing him? Ah, the tortures of the mind. Well maybe you'll have a coyote run big boy out of his usual fall haunts and pay you a visit at the right time this year.

Thanks for letting all of us enjoy your hunts and adventures with you.

[adam_p]

That 8 is a beast! Did you read that one story in GarGuys thread where one of his bucks was traveling over 14 miles to hangout during the season?

got a link?

[jshouse]

I see what you mean. Sounds like your hands are tied but that you're making the most of it. I wonder which is worse... never knowing about or seeing big boy, or KNOWING he's there and still not seeing him? Ah, the tortures of the mind. Well maybe you'll have a coyote run big boy out of his usual fall haunts and pay you a visit at the right time this year.

Thanks for letting all of us enjoy your hunts and adventures with you.

knowing and never seeing but its been fun for sure

[jshouse]

well, after getting a few more good pics of that buck, I am pretty confused as to whether its him or not. ive had a little concern about his body size since I started getting pics of this deer but I just put it on old age, but now I am really starting to doubt if its him or not.

the split g2 is a trait of his, but the crab claws aren't really and the brow tines never really matched up like I thought they might after seeing him earlier.

in 2013 I had a real nice 10 running with Big, I never saw him in 2014 but he looks VERY similar to this new split g2 buck sans an injured right front leg...

whats crazy is that the brow tines of that big 8 match up a lot more, and the size and age of that 8 appear to be closer to the old man...

or maybe I am just going crazy

[jshouse]

also, last summer I found a shed from a real nice 8pt, I put it up against the 2012 left side shed I found from big boy and they are really close as well. the brows are right on and the tines and even the MB are really similar...any chance he was an 8 as a 3-4 year old, blew up for a few years and has now gone back down to an 8??

[d_e_smith]

Look at his beam shape and brows...he could've lost inches off his beams as well if he's declining, but they'll usually hold the same shape.

[tbgascorer]

I doubt the 8 is the old man. I think it is more likely the 10 with the kicker. Any other identifying body markers you could use to be sure? Go back and look at anything that might tip you off from the past to now. From the pics you posted, the body stance looks right on. But your brow tine comment is perplexing to me as well. What I have learned from many years of studying deer is that from about 3yo-peak, their structure, curvature, etc. mainly stays the same, only bigger. On declining bucks I do not think so as much. Their tines tend to get wavy as well and things can change with their rack.

[jshouse]

I doubt the 8 is the old man. I think it is more likely the 10 with the kicker. Any other identifying body markers you could use to be sure? Go back and look at anything that might tip you off from the past to now. From the pics you posted, the body stance looks right on. But your brow tine comment is perplexing to me as well. What I have learned from many years of studying deer is that from about 3yo-peak, their structure, curvature, etc. mainly stays the same, only bigger. On declining bucks I do not think so as much. Their tines tend to get wavy as well and things can change with their rack.

yeah, the very first "racked" pic I posted of him, on the page before this one, had me convinced, that deer looks old and I just knew it was him. but I was still doubting just a little bit that he could have lost so much weight, but last weeks pics, were pretty good and the brows are just too different. the old mans brows always began way up on the beam and this guys don't.

I am back to being unable to post pics from my phone...

D_E_SMITH, if you can, post the side by side of the new deer and that 10 from 2013, it looks like the same deer, if his injured leg can be explained away...