Think we're off to a good start!

[mrbb]

well best of luck getting that 10, as he looks like he's not doing that great, seems to have a lost a lot of weight, and teh har isn't as it should be
as for being LONG shot, maybe, maybe not, many folks don't hunt that high off the ground, or pending where and how it was with the terrian, too many things could make a shot like that happen, to just say they took a far shot
BUt I do know, a BIG buck will some times make a person take a shot they might not other wise, stretching there range or, taking a questionable angle shot??
it happens a lot more than I think a lot of bow hunters want to admit!

I hate seeing any deer with a wound, I think I used my only buck tag now about 15+ times taggging/killing a buck someone else already wounded. many times less than size I hold out for, but has always just bene the right thing to do in my eye's
I have even targeted doe that had wounds, to end there suffering and give em a quick death, over slow and I have to think painful at times!!

Good luck

[zachc]

Like I said I have a few pics and a couple videos of the 10, and he seems to be walking around like nothing is bothering him to much. Yeah the hair is a lil messed up around the arrow but it doesn't seem to be affecting him a lot, he's still moving through here eating on the corn and my block. As far as him losing body weight, I agree but a couple things there, he has never been a big bodied deer and also we just recently came out of the peak of the rut and during that time, as you prolly already know the bucks only have one thing on their mind...chasing does. So that would prolly explain the biggest reason for him dropping weight. Now that the rut is pretty much wrapped up, time to hit the food sources and put the weight back on.

[zachc]

Well checked the trail cameras this morning here's the results. The pics of the one with the droopy left ear and messed up eye is the Big 8 that we watched all spring/summer. If you've followed this thread you know the one I'm talking about. As I posted a while back he's obviously been in some fights earlier in the year. So he's a lil tore up but at least he's still out and moving around. The other pics are just a couple bucks with racks still on, just for fun. When the weather breaks definitely gonna do some shed huntin!

[mrbb]

well its always nice to see a few good bucks make it , and get them on cam, raises the hope for next season and that droopy ear one, must be a fighter LOL
looks like he's seen some better days!
I seen a few bucks today while plowing snow, still holding onto antlers here too
I really would have thouyght all the darn coeather we have would have dropped them early this winter, hasn't been above freezing here since like mid Dec. so a cold winbter here this yr
the 2+ feet of snow isn';t helping any either!

[zachc]

I agree nice to see some good bucks made it so far! I actually took the pic of the droopy eared one from a trail cam video I have of him. He looks pretty rough as far as his face and what not but seemed to be walking around ok. Actually in the video he walks in towards the corn pile, 2 more deer come into frame heading towards the corn pile and he walks away, went from dominating the area to seems to be very submissive, for obvious reasons lol. Anyhow hopes he makes it until next season, should be a giant. Which brings a question, I've heard that if bucks get injured it can mess up how their racks grow the next year (non typical in some cases) think this will effect it at all considering its to his face?

[mrbb]

yes they do say that, and its normally the oppisite side as to the injury the rack gets funky on
say breaksa right leg, left side of antlers gets funny

I have seen a bunch of bucks where I hunted alot, get shot, and such, and never have any racks grow funky?
BUT I have always had a few bucks every yrs that grew messed up racks, and were just very young 1.5 yr olds, so maybe it can be passed on thru genes too!
most bucks in my old hunting area, never lived long, to see them a few yrs later what they MIGHT have been/
only time will tell
he doesn't seem to have any BIG injuries that jump out , just looks like he's gone a few rounds on both the winning and loosing sides! LOL
in the vid, was he limping at all or???
if so, maybe a betetr chance of a non typ rack then ?

I personally think the antler deal, happens more when they break a bone , or a BIG trama
and then some how that transfers growth into the antlers, just my opinion!

[mrbb]

here is a droopy eared one I got yesterday!
BUT I think its just getting ready to fight , as its on a BIG food pile
and got a lot of pic's of them with pinned ears back eyeballing each other LOL

[zachc]

So the big 8 is back (nicknamed "Big nose"), can tell its him by his messed up eye and droopy ear. Already by far outgrowing the other bucks I have on camera. Very anxious to see what he going to turn into this year! Also been trying to post this other pic since April but my phone was acting crazy. Anyways, I got this pic of a smaller buck in the beginning of April with complete hard horns, no velvet what so ever. I'm figuring that maybe he never lost his rack last year...I don't know. Anyone have any other guesses?