A shooter or not?

[redsnow]

Here's a picture of a buck that I've been getting with my trail camera. He's got 6 points, I'll guess him at 17+ inches, he might be 19". Not sure?

Would you put him on the ground, if you got a good shot? Or would you let him walk?

[redsnow]

[redsnow]

[mmwb (Andrew Parker)]

That would depend on how much time I've got to hunt. If I've got time, and am not in a hurry, I'd pass. If I need to make meat right now, then I'd shoot.

[trappincoyotes39]

That is still a young deer let him go another 2 years and he will be much better.

[redsnow]

Those are West Virginia whitetail deer, all 4 are bucks, I'd say the other 3 are 18 months old. But the biggest one, that looks like a big 4-point (he has dog stickers, that make him a 6) is probably 3.5 years old.

In my other pictures of them, he's a little bit taller and huskier, compared to the bucks that I'd guess at 2.5 years old.

Somewhere around 90% of the buck deer killed in this area are 18 months old. Very few make it 2.5 years old.

From past experience, I'll guess him at 150# field dressed. More than likely, he'll end up on the meat pole, before the first of the year. Very good chance that the other 3 bucks will too. Our deer are culled pretty tight, year after year.

[trappincoyotes39]

Wow that is a young harvest. I have seen this in some areas on Mule deer just because everyone sees high racks and shoots, the issue being ma y of their Muley bucks are not even 2 years of age, has an impact in some areas on Muley rack sizes for sure.

Many doing a better job and here in Missouri in many areas they have to have 4 points on one side to be a legal deer.

[trappincoyotes39]

Does WV mandate you send in teeth for aging?

[redsnow]

No. Any deer with 3 inches of antler is legal as a buck.

Some of the local clubs have point/size restrictions. Locally, everything is private land, pretty much.

Our deer run a very tough gauntlet. Archery season is in now, plus have an early doe season, 2 weeks of rifle season, muzzle loader for a week and then a late doe season. I'd guess some deer are in the "crosshairs" 20 plus times per season.

He's toast, pretty much all 4 of them.

[trappincoyotes39]

Aging of teeth can be very good,information for any game agency really. Gives a good break down of deer harvested by age groups and can keep an eye on the overall population, when living in SD all deer had to send it teeth just like all bobcats had teeth collection as well. The biologist in our regional office would spend a lot of time checking those teeth .

Here in Missouri they send out random tooth collection envelopes.

Tooth aging durring periods of EHD can show good data as well.

[trappincoyotes39]

Yes same here bow season, rifle season , then doe only season, muzzleloader season , and this year all archery hunting can be done with a crossbow for anyone with a valid license.

They wonder why deer numbers are down? Too many years of double doe tags and 2 bucks per hunter . Many areas get hammered hard from Sept to Decemeber.

Missouri has a lot of rifle,deer hunters opening weekend zero fun and just do not go then, checking traps,one has to be very aware of your surroundings.

[redsnow]

Several years ago the DNR set up a weight and tooth aging station, on some local timber company land, that was open to the public. Well as I remember it was only open 1 or 2 days, pretty much hunters choice, bucks or does.

We're in a CWD area this season, all deer taken the first 2 days, need to be taken to a DNR station. Guess they'll take a sample and maybe do a tooth age thing too. Not sure? Our deer die young.

This will be our second season that crossbows are legal, for the average hunter. Before you had to have a "disabled" license to use one.

I forget, if I'd buy all of my additional stamps and licenses, I'd be legal to kill about 9 deer. Our laws are screwy.