What would you shoot??

[msbadger]

I said the first clean or best shot...but if they both happen to give that at the same time....I would go with the best looking rack....which may not be the biggest...figuring the one not shot may have a better looking rack next year...ya never know for sure

[pschuh32]

It depends on my history with the buck. I have a buck I've been hunting for the past three years, I have five of his last 6 sheds and believe it's going to be a 6-1/2 year old this year. He's a huge body deer with a rack that has been around the 120 inch mark the past two years, not even reaching pope & young. That buck will mean more to me than any large antlered deer I have once chance encounter with. I've had him within bow range 6 times with one miss, if it happens I'll be happy no mater what it scores, it will be the end of a fun and frustrating chase!

[schlupis]

I like to kill 3 1/2 and older, and would love to kill a 6 1/2 year old buck which are not a dime a dozen here in WI. So I would be happy with either one, but if both came in at the same time (yeah right) I would go for the bigger buck but if he doesnt offer me a shot I will kill the other because chances are neither one will come in again, and I am going to make the most out of my time in the woods. If I didnt take a shot at one of them I would be kicking myself later.

[jmp51483]

Going with the consensus here! Definitely would take either of them

[Ohio farms]

I'm in a quandary here. While, like most of us, I would love to shoot a big racked mature buck, I do know that a 6 1/2 yr. old buck is going to be a bit chewy. Age is only one component of what it takes to produce a large rack, but it is the one that may most effect the taste of the venison. In the situation described in the original question, I would shoot the younger of the two, if the shot presented itself. If the older buck had a much bigger rack than the younger one, I certainly would be tempted to take that one, but then I would have lots of tough meat to deal with. Not completely sure what I would do in the heat of that decision.

[Modeerhunter]

I won't shoot the 3 1/2 year old cause he's too young. If I get a shot at a 6 1/2 year old, I'm taking it, no matter what he scores.

[highridgehunter]

Take the Old Man out. He has had enough time to spread his gene pool around. The 150 may be a off spring from that pool and now you have double of those genes being spread through out your woods. Yes the older is most likely to be the bigger and most meat providing but he is also twice as smart. It would be hard to stay off the trigger on the bow or the gun on the 150 but also depends on how 130-150 class deer you have killed also. Whack'Em

[kellory]

Two bucks that size and age, they are likely to be wanting to fight! Especially if they were rattled in. Adrenaline will effect the taste of the meat as well. I have never seen two large bucks going at it like that except when I had no weapon! And that resulted in a broken rack. If I had the chance though, I think I would take the loser of the fight. (partialy tenderized already) and let the victor have his victory lap.

[DEER30]

Both are nice deer and you will have to check my pulse if I passed up a 150 inch buck or a 130 knowing that he was that old. If the ages were reversed, it would be no question that i would let the young 130 pass. But in this case, you can't shoot booners if you shoot 150's. I am a meat hunter to some extent, but that's why there are does. Bucks, more specifically mature bucks, are harder to come by, especially when your hunting in states where QDM is not as prevelant. If you have the property to manage your heard without the threat of your neighbor killing both deer, then I would say let the youngster walk. You never know what his full potential will be. The old buck has reached his prime and most likely not be any better than he already is. If you hunt areas like I do, where the neighbor shoots anything that comes by, you better take what you can get.

[wisbowmadness]

For me it would depend where i was hunting...If i had enough land to grow and hold deer i would definitly not shoot the 3 1/2 even though it scores better now then the older deer just think of him at 5 1/2...he will likely be a true stud at that age and maybe even a booner
to answer the question in my situation i would go for the older deer