which buck is better?

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FLINT
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which buck is better?

Post by FLINT »

Hey guys,

here are two bucks. The top one I shot last week with a muzzle loader. the bottom one walked by my game camera on I think the same day - or within a day of it.

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the rule I make for myself, is that I can't shoot a second buck unless its "better" (as subjective as that is) than the first one. So, I'm wondering if this potentially still lurking buck is fair game, or do I just focus on meat does now.

also, don't get bogged down with how to define 'better', if you think its better in any way, just explain how or why, or if not, same thing.

Thanks!

Rifle season starts tomorrow and I'll be set up near that game camera with the 32-40 :D
wm
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by wm »

I got rules too …… the first deer goes to "Michigan Hunters against Hunger" ( https://www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org/) & then IF I get blessed with time and opportunity I get a second one, then that's mine.

Honestly when you asked which is better all I could think was they both will look the same between the mashed potatoes and carrots :lol:

Wm

P.S. Other great charity opportunities is donations to "wild game dinner" banquets to raise money. Our local Red Cross Chapter does one every January.
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GunnyMack
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by GunnyMack »

Buck #1 is a very nice deer, but #2 looks like it has more mass to his rack.
#1 has longer tines.
#2 looks older, heavier neck. I'd say shoot #2 also.
However ya cant eat antlers so shoot doe's but if you had to spend extra money for that 2nd buck tag ( like I do here) then shoot him AND doe's!! :D
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AJMD429
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by AJMD429 »

I hunt for meat, and although bucks mean more meat, I generally shoot the first deer stupid enough to walk in front of me when I'm hunting. I figure that keeps them smart through evolution...

When my kids were little, I hunted until I got either three does (they aren't as bright), or a buck (limit one buck here) and two does....then the kids (age 6-10 at that point) could go along (we had double-wide tree-stands then). Sometimes we got one more deer then as well (county limit six does then due to deer-reduction zone).

Friends thought it strange I wanted to kill so many deer, but do the math: four kids and two adults - two measly ounces of meat per day - 6x2x365 = 4380 ounces, or 274 POUNDS of meat per year = LOTS of deer if that's the only meat you eat...! If you want a more normal meat consumption of 10 ounces per person per day, you'd need 1,370 pounds of deer meat per year.....that's quite a few deer...!!!!

Once the kids were old enough to hunt alone (age 12 or older), they were on their own (I'd help them put up stands and teach them stuff).

My son got so good (first deer at age 13 was a nice buck) that he soon knew far more than I did about deer-signs and stalking and stand placement and so on. Now I learn from him (when I'm willing).
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FLINT
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by FLINT »

Thanks GunnyMack. That's all I wanted. was for others to simply evaluate the two deer.

The first deer was donated to Hunters for the Hungry. I have donated one or more deer to HftH every year for the past several years.

I'm allowed two bucks per year in my county, but I try to only take one UNLESS a real good one can change my mind. I'll probably never see the deer in the picture again, but just in case I was trying to have thoughtfully evaluated whether or not to go for it.

before I saw the picture, my plan was to try to fill as many of the rest of my tags with does. so Its a given that I'll shoot some does if I get the opportunity.

Virginia is currently trying to reduce deer herd numbers in my area to try to prevent CWD from spreading down to my county. I'm allowed up to 5 deer in my county. so I was going to try to do my best to max out my tags to help out.

so, advice about eating the meat and antlers not tasting good and stuff, while appreciated aren't warranted in this case. does will be shot. all meat eaten by my family or those in need. simply asking for another set of eyes to help evaluate.
wm
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by wm »

Michigan has a real problem with CWD …… wish we knew then what we know now and had taken done more to address the problem.

Wm
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GunnyMack
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by GunnyMack »

Here in NJ we hunt almost 6 months,September starts archery, December is 6 day firearm or buck week, then we have muzzle loader and permit shotgun until sometime in February .
6 day allows 2 bucks
Archery ,Sept- Oct allows 1 buck with unlimited does, 2 at a time even!
Extended archery 1 buck and unlimited this is another tag to buy, $28 , if ya want the buck tag its another $28
Muzzle loader is the same for bag limits and tag costs.
The permit shotgun is again same.
Then winter archery allows 1 buck unlimited does.
The last year I really hunted hard I was at 13 deer, tons of work, lots of corn and lots of time in trees!
I say if the opportunity shows on that buck shoot it!
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twobit
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by twobit »

My feeling is that the second buck will look a hell of a lot better NEXT year! If it is that "close to call" let him walk and put some more meat in the freezer with another deer. How many set of antlers do yo ureally need?

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FWiedner
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by FWiedner »

.

It's impossible to determine which one is better until you've compared them by tasting both in a similar dish.

:)
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6pt-sika
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by 6pt-sika »

I’m non denominational I shoots them all ! Spotted , slick , spike or war horse ! I hunt my own property mostly so I kill it if I want to . If I hunt someone else’s place I abide by their wishes as to buck or die or antler size . But at home I liked killing deer . And while I understand those that want larger racks it’s my prerogative to shoot what I want regardless . And that is most certainly what I do :wink:
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6pt-sika
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by 6pt-sika »

GunnyMack wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:29 am Here in NJ we hunt almost 6 months,September starts archery, December is 6 day firearm or buck week, then we have muzzle loader and permit shotgun until sometime in February .
6 day allows 2 bucks
Archery ,Sept- Oct allows 1 buck with unlimited does, 2 at a time even!
Extended archery 1 buck and unlimited this is another tag to buy, $28 , if ya want the buck tag its another $28
Muzzle loader is the same for bag limits and tag costs.
The permit shotgun is again same.
Then winter archery allows 1 buck unlimited does.
The last year I really hunted hard I was at 13 deer, tons of work, lots of corn and lots of time in trees!
I say if the opportunity shows on that buck shoot it!
In Virginia your big game tag comes with three antlerless tags and three either tags . Only three bucks a year all seasons combined ! However in my county you can kill two per day the entire season of which again only three are antlered . But to make good on two per day if you’re so inclined you need to buy blocks of six antlerless tags . In my county does are legal all season . With us getting damage control permits I can usually hunt around seven months . Now lemme tell ya after you skinned gutted and cut up thirty to forty deer you’ve had enough .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
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GunnyMack
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by GunnyMack »

I hear ya there 6pt!- before my buddy sold his farm the 3 of us would shoot 50-60 deer a season. Lots of work, lots of sausage making too. But that's all they ate for the most part.
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FLINT
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by FLINT »

6pt-sika wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:22 pm
In Virginia your big game tag comes with three antlerless tags and three either tags . Only three bucks a year all seasons combined ! However in my county you can kill two per day the entire season of which again only three are antlered . But to make good on two per day if you’re so inclined you need to buy blocks of six antlerless tags . In my county does are legal all season . With us getting damage control permits I can usually hunt around seven months . Now lemme tell ya after you skinned gutted and cut up thirty to forty deer you’ve had enough .
you must be east of the blue ridge. west of the blue ridge we are only allowed TWO bucks per year, 5 deer total, 3 of which must be antlerless.

this year is the first year that we can kill 2 per day - which has been allowed in the east for years.

I would say most years I get 3-4 deer total. I can't imagine killing 13 deer in one season!!!
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6pt-sika
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by 6pt-sika »

FLINT wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 1:53 pm
6pt-sika wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:22 pm
In Virginia your big game tag comes with three antlerless tags and three either tags . Only three bucks a year all seasons combined ! However in my county you can kill two per day the entire season of which again only three are antlered . But to make good on two per day if you’re so inclined you need to buy blocks of six antlerless tags . In my county does are legal all season . With us getting damage control permits I can usually hunt around seven months . Now lemme tell ya after you skinned gutted and cut up thirty to forty deer you’ve had enough .
you must be east of the blue ridge. west of the blue ridge we are only allowed TWO bucks per year, 5 deer total, 3 of which must be antlerless.

this year is the first year that we can kill 2 per day - which has been allowed in the east for years.

I would say most years I get 3-4 deer total. I can't imagine killing 13 deer in one season!!!
I’d say for the last twenty years I normally get 12-20 a year . But again we damage control also and those are included . You can kill a third buck just come over the mountain . Actually some years I hunt VA PA and MD .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
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6pt-sika
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Re: which buck is better?

Post by 6pt-sika »

GunnyMack wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:58 am I hear ya there 6pt!- before my buddy sold his farm the 3 of us would shoot 50-60 deer a season. Lots of work, lots of sausage making too. But that's all they ate for the most part.
I have some friends that used to live in central VA now they reside in KY/TX depending on time of year . Anyway he was a doctor and she was an RN so they were well able to buy and eat what they wanted for them and their two children . But he and the son deer hunted ALOT he and the wife Pheasent hunted a lot and they crappie fished a whole whole lot . They ate deer Pheasents and crappie all year . About the only thing meat wise they bought was a small amount of pork a little chicken and occasional seafood . I remmember a couple weekends thirty or so years ago they’d come home with several hundred crappie the four of them had caught . My doctor friend could fillet a crappie in about thirty seconds so that wasn’t an issue for him . But I think he had someone butcher the deer .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
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