Letting one walk....

[Aggie PhD]

I am the only person on our lease that has seen this buck in person. Game camera pictures make me think he is 4.5. But seeing him on the hoof has me leaning towards 5.5. He is a tough one to let walk. The first two are game camera shots

And this was this morning


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[txoutdoorsman24]

Man what a beautiful buck. If you can afford to let him walk, I sure would. Two years and that guy will be a monster.

[RascalArms]

Man he has a lot going on and would be a tough pass for me...especially with a bow.

[Johnny Dangerr]

We have 2 of those where I hunt. Both are huge and 3.5 years old. Hope a neighbor dosn't kill them................

[Big pig]

Impressive deer and good for you to pass him.
I also see 4.5. He has run the gauntlet so far and survived the neighbors.
Thanks for sharing.

BP

[Mr. Whiskers]

I definitely do not see a 5.5 year old deer

[SV72]

That’s a beautiful deer. My opinion is 4.5. Good on you for passing but that would be a tough one.

[Tshelly]

4.5 in person as well


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[Aggie PhD]

I’ve seen him twice in person at two different stands. Once the week before thanksgiving and this morning. The morning before thanksgiving it was real dreary and he was only out at first light. The stands are about a mile apart. I have circulated pictures and I am pretty sure every one on the lease is going to let him walk. It was sure hard to not pick up a rifle this morning with his antlers glistening in the sun. It will make it worth it if he survives til next year and gets bigger.

Hopefully I can get lucky and find his sheds


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[texasdeerhunter]

He looks 4.5 to me as well. Wow what a hard buck to let walk though. Beautiful buck

[Greenheadless]

I know seeing them in person vs. camera is night and day, but I have a hard time getting that deer to 4 years old.

That dude could be an absolute STUD in 2-3 years, like a pushing 200” deer.

[kruppa24]

Looks young to me 3.5-4.5. I could be wrong, stud either way.

[Kingfisher789]

You should name him “Sticks”. His crossed legs look like shooting sticks

[rtp]

It looks like that deer has ****** down his legs so much the urine has scolded the hair off just below his hocks. Anyone of yall ever seen that before or know what it usually means? Here is a clearer example.

[Aggie PhD]

I could never get him to 5 years old by looking at him. I thought I screwed up by not shooting him st thanksgiving. But I hope he turns into a monster next year. It is definitely a difficult decision to let him walk. 5 or 6 years ago he would have been dead the year before on our lease. But we got a group that is finally letting stuff get mature.

And I wouldn’t say we are in a big deer area. We are north of 90 between Hondo and uvalde. It’s amazing what a little age can do.

Not sure of score since he has all the stuff but a buddy said he would go 155-160 now

Here are some pictures of him last year. We called him “baby face” last year because he looked so young.


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[Tshelly]

Originally Posted by Aggie PhD

I could never get him to 5 years old by looking at him. I thought I screwed up by not shooting him st thanksgiving. But I hope he turns into a monster next year. It is definitely a difficult decision to let him walk. 5 or 6 years ago he would have been dead the year before on our lease. But we got a group that is finally letting stuff get mature.

And I wouldn’t say we are in a big deer area. We are north of 90 between Hondo and uvalde. It’s amazing what a little age can do.

Not sure of score since he has all the stuff but a buddy said he would go 155-160 now

Here are some pictures of him last year. We called him “baby face” last year because he looked so young.


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Seeing these photos from last season. I feel confident that he was 3.5 last year and 4.5 this year. I would bet most the 4.5 guys would agree. This deer is a true low fence super star, unicorns that come around from time to time. I’ve been lucky to hunt a couple and they were special to watch. These are the type of deer that jump 30”s every year. Like has been mentioned 2 more years and this deer is pushing 200+. Next year he could easily be 170-180 in my eyes at 5. I would guess him 150-160 this year without putting numbers on him.


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[Greenheadless]

This^^^^^^

We have one that is built like him. Really exploded at 5. We have him at 6 this year, but he dropped about 20-30” from last year. Combination of Harvey flood and then the timber crew came in with a helicopter and chemicals last spring/summer and scorch earthed all the clear cuts for the pines to grow in his area.

Frustrating, but that is part of the game where we hunt.

[lovemylegacy]

No way I could have passed him.

Congrats on a nice deer

[monsterspike]

if he makes the same jump next year, he is 175+

[Hoss163]

That’s a special Buck there good luck on keeping him alive for another season are two !

[xtrm-hunter]

I hope he mated early and often to keep those genes going.. All I can say is u must be in monster country to let him pass.. Good Luck

[Aggie PhD]

Originally Posted by xtrm-hunter

I hope he mated early and often to keep those genes going.. All I can say is u must be in monster country to let him pass.. Good Luck

I would not say that we are in "monster deer" country. We hunt north of US90 in Uvalde county between Uvalde and Hondo.

Although the ranch manager has said that there is the potential there. He remembers 40-50 years ago that there were some 180s killed in the area.

Part of our pasture is typical rocky hill country, and parts have more of a mesquite brush.

[Lawhunter]

Dang! I don’t know if I could have passed him

[TildenHunter]

He better not venture north!

Great deer. I think he is 4.5 also, especially after seeing his pics last year!

[coffmanbr1]

No way I pass that deer unless I have 2000 acres I don’t know how you did it, but I sure hope it pays off.

[Big pig]

Originally Posted by Aggie PhD

I would not say that we are in "monster deer" country. We hunt north of US90 in Uvalde county between Uvalde and Hondo.

Although the ranch manager has said that there is the potential there. He remembers 40-50 years ago that there were some 180s killed in the area.

Part of our pasture is typical rocky hill country, and parts have more of a mesquite brush.

I hunted a pasture like that years ago west of Sabinal
Good genetics. Before season I saw the biggest hill country deer I have ever seen. Neighbors got him 16 point 22”
But I will never forget him skylined in velvet.

BTW. That deer you passed has amazing potential!

[tbgascorer]

Originally Posted by rtp

It looks like that deer has ****** down his legs so much the urine has scolded the hair off just below his hocks. Anyone of yall ever seen that before or know what it usually means? Here is a clearer example.

Yep, that is urine scalding. Only happens on bucks 5.5 plus and the heaviest of breeders. It’s a good post rut sign to help age off of.

[MexicoLowFence]

Beautiful buck

[mjbtexas]

Wow

My guess is he’s 5 and looks good and young. Hope he stays!!

[Aggie PhD]

He is still kicking. Had been hanging out at 2 different stands. But mainly at the one I first saw him. Still looks in good shape body wise. So I am hopeful
Watched him for 25 minutes on Saturday.


It was tough to roll the dice. But it looks like he is good to go. Found a smaller deer that got killed from the rut on Saturday. Got a puncture in the guts. Hopefully everyone will leave him alone for another couple weeks and he will start eating some protein this year

[TildenHunter]

Originally Posted by Aggie PhD

He is still kicking. Had been hanging out at 2 different stands. But mainly at the one I first saw him. Still looks in good shape body wise. So I am hopeful
Watched him for 25 minutes on Saturday.


It was tough to roll the dice. But it looks like he is good to go. Found a smaller deer that got killed from the rut on Saturday. Got a puncture in the guts. Hopefully everyone will leave him alone for another couple weeks and he will start eating some protein this year

I was driving very close to yalls gate over the last week and there was a roadkill deer without a head. I was hoping it wasn't your boy! So glad to hear it isn't.

[bowhunt3]

Good looking buck

[bcj jones]

Very good looking deer

[Top Of Texas]

Originally Posted by Aggie PhD

I would not say that we are in "monster deer" country.

Based on your photos, I disagree.

There has never been a 200" deer killed that wasnt 160-180 at some point in his life. Giant deer are rare, but not as rare as it seems because few of those potential giants ever make it to 6-7 years.

Well done! The more hunters that follow suit on your decision, and the more you share your decision with other hunters (including neighbors) the more "monster deer" country will be developed in Texas. Way to be a leader!

[NWernig]

Tough one to pass but he will be better next year

[Aggie PhD]

After seeing him two weeks ago he disappeared from the game cameras. Always makes you nervous this time of year, especially since I found a dead young buck that died from fighting. The last weekend my lease mates went to fill the cotton seed feeders. The feed store loaded the wrong pallet and a bunches of it was rotten. Store owner just said to dump it and come get another one next week. They dumped 1400# out in one big pile and put a game camera on it. We got a new batch of unrotten seed and deployed it yesterday. The deer had knocked the pile down and hammered it. My buddy sent me pictures this morning. We had never seen him at our cotton seed feeders before this..... some of these pictures make him look huge. They are keeping the cows out of the pasture for a while so hopefully they can continue to eat at the pile. Will check back in a couple weeks and see how much more they have eaten. Come on November



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[Encinal]

84” up?

[steve morton]

He is "HUGE"!!!

[88 Bound]

Can’t wait to see what he turns into next year!

[Christianhuff]

Deer in that part of country are hard to age, but probably would have let him walk if I wasn’t sure on his age.

[tigerscowboy]

Really nice. Good Luck with him.

I could not let him walk if I saw him next fall.

[BolilloLoco]

People who hunt Sabinal don’t walk deer like that.
Good for you. That’s a monster.
Hope you end up getting him in a year or two.

[Eberle]

Great buck he would be hard for me to pass up with a bow.

[jason86]

That’s a special deer

[gingib]

I have him at 4.5 also.

The people who say they wouldn't let him walk will never grow a monster.

Congrats and I applaud you.

[Top Of Texas]

Originally Posted by Christianhuff

Deer in that part of country are hard to age, but probably would have let him walk if I wasn’t sure on his age.

I find field aging to be pretty similar regardless of region. Not trying to start a tennis match.

[lovemylegacy]

If he is 4, he wont express his full potential till he is 7 or older.

That buck is a monster now! When you find his sheds, give us a total.

[solocam_aggie]

Man bud, that is an awesome deer. I missed this thread the first go around. I applaud you guys for letting him walk. I would have done the same. You better send me some pics next year when he's knocking on 180!

[Puncher51]

Heck of a buck! I sure hope he’s even bigger for y’all next year.

[Lawhunter]

I hope you find his sheds!