Another Age question

[JY6]

I think that is a question for you and the other lease members to answer. Some guys like wide deer just like that one and would let him breed for as many years as they can. If you are truly managing for certain traits then you shoot deer that don't portrait those traits once you've given them a chance to mature. If wide and 10 point frames are what you are after I say let him walk for a few more years. Another friend of mine was on a lease in East Texas. They had some strict rules for bucks but they didn't make common sense. They were trying to manage their herd to produce more 10 and 12 point frames. However they had a rule that you could only shoot deer that were 10 or 12 points and no 8 point or less deer. I asked him why they were shooting only 10-12 point bucks and letting all 8 point or less deer walk if they were trying to manage their herd to produce more 10-12 pointers? Wouldn't you want to shoot 5-7 year old 6-9 point deer and let the 10-12's live for a period of time? Eventually if they keep going down the road they are on, they will have a bunch of big old mature 6-9 point bucks doing 70% of the breeding. That's my take. Personally I like heavy tall trashy mature deer. I don't care what they score. The more character(deductions) the cooler they are to me.

[BBRU]

5.5, pop him

[Mex. Bowhunter]

Not quit that fortunate. Second year on 2500 acres SW Sutton County with minimum pressure managing for the best we can. Supplement feeding and decent browse are what we have to offer. This is one of those deer that we are trying to figure out if he will grow or just is what he is. Hate to make a management decision on a wide 10 point, so the more opinions on a questionable deer the more data we can add.

I would put him at 4/5yrs of age. 5 is a age where some deer just don't grow. They Start getting into the rut pretty hard the year before and it can even set them back at 5.5. I would not even consider taking him out of the heard unless you are killing him for a trophy. We have deer every yr that do small jumps or stay the same and then the next yr the stars line up and he make a big jump. Every deer is different. Given the horns he has I would take the chance to let him walk no problem.

[El General]

4.5

[gator man]

4.5 yr old

[quebow03]

4.5

[TildenHunter]

I would put him at 4/5yrs of age. 5 is a age where some deer just don't grow. They Start getting into the rut pretty hard the year before and it can even set them back at 5.5. I would not even consider taking him out of the heard unless you are killing him for a trophy. We have deer every yr that do small jumps or stay the same and then the next yr the stars line up and he make a big jump. Every deer is different. Given the horns he has I would take the chance to let him walk no problem.

I pretty much agree with this statement 100%

[Truckville]

Prob 5+. Prob wont get much bigger. But he is a beautiful 10 and I'm sure there is a crappy mature 8 or less close by that deserves to die way more.

[millman]

Prob 5+. Prob wont get much bigger. But he is a beautiful 10 and I'm sure there is a crappy mature 8 or less close by that deserves to die way more.

maybe more than one......

[breese]

Thanks for everyone's input.
There are some very valid points for not taking him out.

We will probably let him go another year and see what happens.

[ar3731guy]

if he is one of the worse deer you got i would take him out. he looks 5 to me. but if he is towards the top end of what deer you have to work with i would leave him. what i tell folks trying to manage their ranch, is ask youself, "Do i want more or less deer like hiim?". if the answer is more, leave him, if the answer is less take him. for me that question applies to deer 3 and older. unless i wanted the best deer herd in texas and was high fenced, i wouldnt consider shooting anything less than 3. by 3 you should have an idea what the deer's potential is gonna be.

[BrianG]

I would give him one more year.

[R Herline Jr]

Give him one more year