Perfect 10

[NWPAHunter]

Hope some of you guys dont get all mad , but there is way too  much emphasis on  on record books. This antler craze is why the average working class guy cant get an affordable out-of state hunt. The only way a trophy can be judged is by the hunter/huntess that kills it. If you are happy to shoot it and take it home than good for you. 3 of my last 4 buck werent any wider than 14" 8pts and the oldest may have been 2 1/2. I dont own land and I hunt hard for my shot opportunities.  Who really cares if it will make B&C next season, if some joe blow down the road gets lucky and wacks it this season.... A buck like that will travel during the rut no telling what will happen then. I wouldnt pass a buck like that for nuttin!!!!!!  Good luck

[JPH]

Amen! I'm with you.
 
I have a little issue with experienced hunters shooting yearling bucks, but not for trophy considerations. We should let conservation be our guide and allow the experience be the measure of the trophy.
 
That being said, I personaly hold out for older bucks and enjoy looking at antler measurements. But that's me.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: vambo991
 Also... man let him go this year and next year he'll be 155-165. Remember... when that velvet comes off... he's gonna look a little smaller.

 
Vambo991, I know your post was made in the vein of friendship, so I don't want to be too hard on you. But this kind of thing makes me bristle a little bit.
 
I am a diehard QDMer, but we cannot set broad standards for herds that we know nothing about. The protection of yearlings is a largely universal QDM tactic, but beyond that buck harvest limitations are highly subjective. The local needs of the herd, the amount of acerage under management and the wants of the huter/landowner must hold sway in this decision.
 
Beyond herd health issues, when you or I tell a hunter what he should or should not shoot, it plays into what people do not like about QDM.
 
If you are a Trophy Mgt. guy, then we simply approach this from opposite directions. But I think the OP's question was about the potential antler score, not what he should shoot.

[JPH]

Delete.
 
Sorry, double post. [8|]

[cbhunter]

Are you sure don't hunt Ohio, looks alot like a buck I was after last year(with a couple more points and little bigger)

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: NWPAHunter

Hope some of you guys dont get all mad , but there is way too  much emphasis on  on record books. This antler craze is why the average working class guy cant get an affordable out-of state hunt. The only way a trophy can be judged is by the hunter/huntess that kills it. If you are happy to shoot it and take it home than good for you. 3 of my last 4 buck werent any wider than 14" 8pts and the oldest may have been 2 1/2. I dont own land and I hunt hard for my shot opportunities.  Who really cares if it will make B&C next season, if some joe blow down the road gets lucky and wacks it this season.... A buck like that will travel during the rut no telling what will happen then. I wouldnt pass a buck like that for nuttin!!!!!!  Good luck

 The "antler craze" has been around for a long time, and for as long as I can remember people have hunted for bucks, and they didnt normaly want to "harvest a doe instead" if given the choice. Now that we have more hunters, that take record book bucks, it's just getting more publicity with the advanced media outlets. If someone wants to see a buck grow bigger, that doesnt really reflect on why your not buying a out-of-state hunt. The larger cause behind that is the state DNR's,  wanting more revenue from non-residents. The outfitters are to blame as well, but still the state dosn't impose any limits on how much they can charge for a hunt on private land. Atleast with the QDM movement we are starting to see more doe's harvested (and other improvements in land /herd management), so I can see that as a slight change in hunter emphasis.

[NWPAHunter]

[center]Yes people have always hunted buck, and dreamt of killing a wall hanger..... But the emphasis on B&C and P&Y have skyrocketed 100%. There has been a HUGE boom in the hunting market in the past 15 years or so  IMO.  The bigger the rack you can advertis the more sponsors you get or money you charge to hunt your land. I feel that we as hunters are pricing ourselves into extinction, again thats IMO. [/center][center]We all have the right to choose what a trophy is to us. As long as you are happy with yourself at the end of the day thats all that matters. [/center] 

[schlupis]

I agree the trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I dont like to shoot bucks unless they are wallhangers but that is just me I dont rip on anybody who shows me a smaller deer. Infact I have driven to many friends houses just to see their small spike or 6 point and have always congratulated them just like I would if it was a 18 inch 10 point.

[OHhunter]

Heck of a deer, I would guess 150 -160, not that it would matter.  Good luck this fall, hope you get him.

[Legnip]

ORIGINAL: DeerCamp

wow, that is a very nice deer. Im gonna guess 162 5/8 just a guess.. but hope your able to bag him.

 
You are way off. You missed it by at least an eigth of an inch.
 
Nice buck. Good luck with it.