What is Optimal age to take a mature buck?

[Mako]

I've always tried to wait until a buck is 5.5+, but often times 6.5+ before taking him. The older I get, the more I enjoy watching them grow. But often times, the buck I've schedule for taking in year 6 or 7 ends up disappearing....either wises up and stops coming to the feeder or dies. At what age do you think bucks reach their antler prime? This is a south texas ranch, low fence but large enough that we don't have to worry about animals leaving the property. We only have a handful of feeders on the property and natural feed, no protein except I fed protein out of 1 feeder for the past two springs and summers to help during the drought. I posted what everyone seems to think is a 5 year old mid 160's buck...I'm planning to give him another year at least, maybe 2 to make it over 170. How much should a buck be able to grow on a good rain year? Thanks for the info!

[JBJTX81]

So many variables go into antler growth and deer reaching their prime. Ideally 7 or 8 in your neck of the woods. But nothing is wrong with taking a 5.5 year old deer. You cant control the weather, death by natural causes, poaching, crazy neighbors, realignment of territory, etc. If you let enough good 5 year olds walk eventually one will stick around and explode but its a crap shoot. Guess thats why they call it hunting.

[rtp]

If you have a place that is big enough that you dont have to worry about animals leaving it and you only have 1 supplemental feeder with protein, your deer are living on natural groceries for the most part. Given that, I would say the optimal age is probably going to be 6.5 and 7.5. You are having to make the same decision a lot of folks are this year. Because of such great conditions this past year do you take a deer that is 1 yr away from normal harvest goals because that deer blew up under way above avg conditions or do you roll the dice and see if another wet year is in the making? Given the fact that you dont have a herd with supplemental protein at their every turn, that 160+ you are looking at this year could very easily go down hill the next two years if the rain turns off. Personally, I always would rather roll the dice on that but just laying it out there since you asked. Lots of variables to consider when answering your question, even down to the individual animal.

[webb09]

We wait until they get 7. Most of our biggest bucks blow up on the 7th year. I stress most, some don't ever pop. As mentioned above, its a crap shoot. If your pasture is big enough and don't have to worry about neighbors, I would wait till they're 7. If you have a long term lease, I would definitely start feeding protein. Just my opinion . Our bucks usually put on 8-10 inches on average. Some more, my avatar buck was 162 at 6 and 188 at 7 when I shot him. Our motto is once you kill them, you'll never know.

[Mexico]

Lf 6.5
hf 7.5

[Chance Love]

They are just getting going at 5. Most of our biggest bucks have been 8. Maybe a couple were 7, can't really remember. With as much thought as you have put into that buck, I'd wait at least one more year. Since you are not worried about neighbors I'd seriously consider two more years. My neighbors seem to think that if a buck is 5 it HAS to be shot. Makes things really difficult on our side.

[Mailman]

Our motto is once you kill them, you'll never know.

That advice is spot on, can't grow if he's dead!!!

My neighbors seem to think that if a buck is 5 it HAS to be shot. Makes things really difficult on our side.

We fought the same thing on our place SW of Dallas that Chance fought or is fighting. We weren't surrounded, but the folks over our borders had trigger fingers and they weren't afraid to use them. If it hopped the fence, it got whacked. Plus we had a little bit of a poaching problem. We were 2300 acres, all LF. We hunted more by the score, once a deer reached 140, it was really hard to let them walk because they may not walk back. Most of our trophy caliber deer were killed at 4.5 to 5.5.

The South Texas Ranch that TD guided on didn't even think of shooting a trophy until it was at least 6.5, most were killed at 7.5, and they had 2 or 3, or 4 years of TC Pics to compare to.

If you aren't worried about a deer wandering off, I'd say 6.5 on a LF place... I'd certainly start feeding some protein as well.

[Capt.Brown]

My opinion for years was 5.5 was optimal age and maximum horn growth, after hunting a very well managed LF ranch for the past 3 yrs my opinion has been blown up with facts. We pass 5,6, and sometimes even 7 year old deer to get the maximum antler growth. In fact we had a deer put 36” on from 6-7. Yes, it’s a gamble due to several factors but one thing is for sure, if you shoot them they won’t get older.

[TheHammer]

100% no younger than 6 1/2. I’d say 7 1/2 or 8 1/2 would be optimal.

[Razrbk89]

I’ve always heard that bucks in my area peak at 5. I’m sure different areas with different habitat conditions/quality are different.

I don’t hesitate to shoot a 4 year old, but then again, I’m not the worlds biggest trophy hunter. I can’t let a 200 pound +130” deer just waltz under the stand without slinging an arrow!

[BolilloLoco]

7

[Top Of Texas]

Considering a plethora of harvest data from S TX, Panhandle, and rolling plains, on average year in and year out bucks will peak at 6-7 years. A very important thing to keep in mind, that's based on tooth wear and replacement method.

[venado]

.............. A very important thing to keep in mind, that's based on tooth wear and replacement method.

Thanks for an excellent observation, where W/R is about as accurate as our visual evaluation of characteristics that supposedly indicate age..!

With the natural losses and those caused by adjacent hunters makes many hunters take the approach that having a fun hunt is the best choice for age of harvest...! 13 inches, 130 gross, 250 net; let the age fit where you hunt and be happy. If you like him, shoot him.

[GarGuy]

We dont ever kill a deer until he is a minimum of five here in east tx. That said, some of our deer that were junkers at five, blew up at 7,8, and even 10 years old. Right now i have two world class deer that are 8.5. We tried to kill both last year at 7.5 and they were big then. We didnt get it done and they are true giants this year. maybe we will eventually get them on the ground.

[Capt.Brown]

Yup I’ve seen it first hand, just getting good at 5&6.