3.5 yo bucks

[Core Lokt]

I thought about this before I posted but I want to ask. I'm not trying to start a debate or arguments. Just a question I have. I understand not everyone hunts for the big rack but many do. I also understand that deer not behind a fence (even if it was 2K ac) probably have the odds against them making much past 3.5-4.5 for different reasons cars, neighbors etc.


Lots of people set the mark on a buck that he is ready to be shot at 3.5 yrs old. he is "mature, grown and old".


I ask this because a guy in NFL high fenced 800ac of his land. Didn't bring any deer in, all local native deer. He did this 8-9 yrs ago. He does feed minerals/protein (during growing time), plant plots, has feeding stations, shoots some does each year and fertilizes natural foods. Just like many clubs do. He has ran cameras since it was fenced. He hasn't shot a deer in 5-6 years off this property. His daughter will kill 1 a year. I saw cam pics of some of the bucks about 3 years ago and last year.

Keep in mind these are native NFL deer that have been allowed to get 7,8,9,10 yrs old. You would swear many of these bucks were trucked in from the Midwest by the size of their racks that they were able to grow because of being able to get 6+ yrs old and I'm sure having feed/protein available helps. 200lb is pushing it and not all get that heavy. Some of the bucks he has never seen in person, only on cameras and some have disappeared to be found dead of old age. He does keep a log of all of the bucks each year.

So I guess my question is why is 3.5 the most common age to start shooting bucks for those that only want to shoot "mature" bucks? Why not let them get more age in them so they can really produce what you want?

Again, I'm not trying to start anything. Looking forward to some answers

 

[spurrs and racks]

well, most hard core trophy managed land does not shoot a mature buck before 5.5 yrs old. (private property trophy managed land) Thus the statement I made about a cull buck being a 4.5 or older 8 point. They kill these.

A trophy club, well they are trying to put another year of age on them. Most trophy clubs have a 130" min. takes a pretty good buck to make 130' inside of 3.5 years.

 

[ScLowCountry]

Probably because of you only wanted to shoot 6 plus yo bucks you may kill 1 every 5-10 years. Or longer especially on the public ground I hunt

 

[jsa1281]

I’m with you. I think it’s because a lot of people can’t see that far into the future I guess. Or it’s because they can’t stand to watch a 3.5 130 inch deer walk because that don’t happen everyday. Also a lot of people no if I don’t shoot it someone else’s will. It’s a hard thing to do to watch deer grow but your right. If we all could let them go and grow there would be more booners walking around. It’s easier said than done. I’m hunting what I believe to be a 4.5 year old now. Yea he will get bigger but he would be my best buck bow or rifle. Hard to pass up on that.

 

[Core Lokt]

Probably because of you only wanted to shoot 6 plus yo bucks you may kill 1 every 5-10 years. Or longer especially on the public ground I hunt

Understood. this can't even be thought of on public land.

 

[Long Cut]

Bucks don’t reach their antler max potential until 6-7 years of age is what the QDMA or Mississippi Deer Lab came up with. That’s under ideal circumstances as well... adequate food, health etc can set this back to 7+ years

If guys laid off the triggers then yes, there would be a lot more giant bucks killed in Georgia.

I.E. the +200” bucks killed in Atlanta suburbs... archery only

 

[BlackEagle2]

A deer that’s 6+ years old is incredibly hard to kill.

QDMA says it’s acceptable to shoot bucks at 3.5 years. 3.5 year old bucks are the easiest to kill during the rut. Old enough to know better....young enough not to care.

Passing a 130 inch 3.5 year old is tough with a bow for me.

 

[mizzippi jb]

Deer with plenty to eat and a lack of pressure will grow big as well. Most of these high fence places can grow a 150 inch deer in 3 years, some much bigger than that.

 

[dirtnap]

Imo as far as why people kill them is because a 3 yr old deer, unless your really keen on studying deer is hard to differentiate on the spur of the moment from a 4 of 5 yr old a lot of times. If you’ve hunted much at all, when a 1 ye old steps out, you know it’s a 1 yr old. Same with a 2 yr old, at 3 is when body wise they really start looking like a different animal. For the record, if I see a 130 inch deer, I’m killing him if I have his birth certificate saying he’s 3?

 

[James12]

The suburban deer around here (Cobb/Fulton) seem to put on different horns in 5-6 range. However the past two deer I’ve taken in the 5-6 range in mid/south GA where the life and struggle are real for a deer, their horns were actually better the year prior to being taken. It may be coincidence, but I think stress and way of life for the deer has more to do with it than what gets documented - and because we can’t measure that on a deer like we can can diet and habitat.

 

[gma1320]

Understood. this can't even be thought of on public land.

Yes it can, and yes there are deer in that age class on public land. They seem more lIke ghost though. They definitely didn't get that old from being easy to kill or easy to get to. And for the most part when they do get killed its a quite affair.

 

[ucfireman]

I have wondered the same thing about the 3.5 yo thing. My neighbor is in a club that he says they age all the bucks, supposedly by a biologist, and fine you if they are less than 3.5.
I have had deer on camera that I know and have watched that I know are 2-3 and they get killed every year. I try to keep track with the neighbors on what gets killed.
I have passed on numerous deer that I know are younger than 3 and watch them get killed by neighbors or the neighbors club.
I think the reason everyone jumps on the 3.5 yo bandwagon is that is when a deer starts to show potential and everyone thinks its so much bigger than a 1-2 yo.
I do wish the "I only shoot mature deer" folks would practice discipline and let them get older.
I my self have only ever seen 1 buck that I considered truly mature. I was not able to shoot it. It was about 20 years ago in Greenwood SC. Have seen some decent ones that I have let walk and know they got killed. Just part of it.
Others just want meat and don't care and are tickled if they get a "Giant".

 

[ScLowCountry]

I like to kill a big buck, but I think social media has put to much emphasis on horn porn. Did your great grandpa not shoot a 120 inch buck cause it wasn’t only enough? no. He strapped that thing to the front of station Wagon and took a vintage pic we all talk about. Just enjoy the woods my friends how ever you see fit.
that’s why I hunt public only. I don’t have winey club members and rules and expectations. I hunt, and kill if I want. If don’t want to kill a buck, I don’t. Nobody tells me what to do, but the law

 

[Throwback]

I might be dead next year cull him this year

 

[Throwback]

I have wondered the same thing about the 3.5 yo thing. My neighbor is in a club that he says they age all the bucks, supposedly by a biologist, and fine you if they are less than 3.5.
I have had deer on camera that I know and have watched that I know are 2-3 and they get killed every year. I try to keep track with the neighbors on what gets killed.
I have passed on numerous deer that I know are younger than 3 and watch them get killed by neighbors or the neighbors club.
I think the reason everyone jumps on the 3.5 yo bandwagon is that is when a deer starts to show potential and everyone thinks its so much bigger than a 1-2 yo.
I do wish the "I only shoot mature deer" folks would practice discipline and let them get older.
I my self have only ever seen 1 buck that I considered truly mature. I was not able to shoot it. It was about 20 years ago in Greenwood SC. Have seen some decent ones that I have let walk and know they got killed. Just part of it.
Others just want meat and don't care and are tickled if they get a "Giant".

I’ve watched biologists age jaw bones. It’s just a guess even then

 

[C.Killmaster]

I’ve watched biologists age jaw bones. It’s just a guess even then

It's pretty accurate, plus or minus a couple of years.

 

[Gator89]

It's pretty accurate, plus or minus a couple of years.

the deers GON look older now cuz they grinding their teef off eatin corn.

 

[ddd-shooter]

It's pretty accurate, plus or minus a couple of years.

It’s 100% accurate, 50% of the time.

 

[Core Lokt]

Yes it can, and yes there are deer in that age class on public land. They seem more lIke ghost though. They definitely didn't get that old from being easy to kill or easy to get to. And for the most part when they do get killed its a quite affair.

I'm sure there are some but not as many as many on a piece of managed land if the same size. I could be wrong.

 

[ShortMagFan]

We only hunt 350 acres. Neighbors on one side are like minded. Neighbors on other 2 sides aren’t. That said we try really hard to only shoot bucks that we know based on pictures are 4.5+. This is my 8th year owning the land and we’re averaging 1.5 mature (4.5+) bucks per year. Have killed one that was 7.5 and two that were 5.5+. The oldest buck was also the smallest in both rack and stature. He had gone downhill significantly the prior two years

This year we started the season with 6 bucks that regularly use the property that are of age to kill. Two of them are inferior deer and the other 4 range from real trophies (I was lucky enough to to kill him in the first few minutes of our black powder season) to old warrior that’s blind in one eye, has a clear (healed) shoulder injury and looks to be 6.5+.

Managing the herd is fun