Pretty neat deal - follow up on my 2010 buck - with pics

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Had an interesting find last weekend - I was fooling around on one of the farms I hunt and spotted a couple of tines sticking up out of the leaves.  I grabbed the antler and it turned out to be a dandy...but an old one.  The ends of the tines were chewed by rabbits, but most of the antler was buried under leaves and is in good shape.  The horn looked pretty familiar so when I got home I compared it with the buck I killed last December....pretty compelling comparison.  The part that floors me is that I had this deer pegged as a 3 1/2 yr old, 4 1/2 at best.  He wasn't real big for my area at 205 live wt, and didn't have a long nose/eye measurement.  The shed, while being at least 1 yr and maybe 2 yrs old is from at least a 4 1/2 yr old buck from the mass.

I sent some pictures to my father and he believes it is the same deer...he's usually pretty good at that.  Maybe my buck had a hard year and lost some mass - perhaps that is why the left antler ended up goofy.  The teeth are sent in for aging so it will be interesting to see......the shed was about 500 yards from where I killed the deer.

Here he is July 7, 2010:

   


I like this one better - December 20, 2010:


   


Here's a comparison - note the tine angles, beam curvature, and nub 5th point - the tips of the tines are chewed off a bit.


   

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Here's a couple more:

 


 


This really floors me - see the same burr point knob on each - but the shed has BETTER mass than the skull......

 

[Onlyaspike]

either way thats a BEAUTIFUL BUCK!!!!Congrats!!

[John Krause]

Same deer, Ryan. I would say one year was close to the last year because of food, stress etc.

[papawoody]

Thats a tough one for sure. The trail cam pik looks to be 3 1/2 4. But the mass is way bigger on the shed. They body insn't that big, but you can tell from the face. It may just be gentick and the buck you shot is offspring?

[Guru]

Tough call on that one Ryan...I'd be inclined to think it's a different deer. Very similar yes...but the mass at the base, the shape of the burr, and the "Pearlation" are different.

From my experience, those are all traits that usually stay very similar thoughout a deers life.

Great find either way bud    

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Curt - yeah, that's kind of where I've been on this one - if the antler on the skull was the shed and the shed was on the skull I'd be on board with it, if you see what I mean.  Maybe its his Daddy.  Freakin' close genetics though, if that's the case.  Maybe they are inbred?  

R

[Guru]

I follow ya        

[treetoppredator]

Beautiful buck, I'd like to had a crack at him!  

[Hot Hap]

The way the brow tines curve in different directions would make me think different deer.

Hap

[SheltonCreeker]

Im by far no deer expert but i'm gonna say different deer. Maybe Dad Or and Uncle. Same gene pool different fish.

[reddust]

Same deer,---Congradulations

[kbetts]

We have (had) a large 7 we seemed to always find one side to.  I think my brother found him dead a month ago because he carries the same type traits you are pointing out.  Same time spacing, more length, a little less mass.  Has me curious.

[jcar315]

Great find and something neat to think about on a cool spring morning.

I agree.....I like the 2nd pic a whole lot better too.

[Bonebuster]

Looks like a direct decendant IF it`s not the same deer.

Regardless...way cool!

I remember seeing the picture of you and your buck when you first posted it...simply FANTASTIC!

With the vintage bow and your classic attire, it could be December 20th, 1970.

Many happy returns!    

Thanks for sharing! (when you get the results from the teeth could you post his determined age?)  :D

[jl223]

Great deer, did you save the jaw bone? have it aged maybe he is older than he looks ...... John

[maineac]

I have to side with the different deer, though closely related.  Interesting since the bucks get kicked out of their birth zone.  He ended up in the same area as an older brother or his sire.

[fireman_3311]

I'm in the different deer boat as well! Similar yes, but not the same!!!  Other than an obvious injury, everything would be the same, including that G-1.  He wouldn't lose mass either, in my experience.

Awesome deer and a great shed, hopefully you'll get him this fall!!!

[legends1]

Cool post.Congrats!