That buck might have gone 175# if he was soaking wet. He spotted him a couple years ago and we thought really young because of body. Last year he decided to give him one more year, body was same size, but antlers had grown. He found both sheds this Spring and with the spread he has now he would’ve been about 154”.
He scored 176 3/8. That’s his second 170”+…one with a rifle and this one with a bow. His only other buck with his bow was 154”, lol.
We’re lucky enough to be able to gamble and let them grow. Sometimes it doesn’t pay off, but when it does we get bucks like this.
These bucks are spotted when they’re younger and have some potential. The work starts then of keeping up with them and learning travel routes and seasonal locations. Towards the end of season last year this buck had basically moved about 300yds from his back door and spent early Spring there until he shed. He spotted him real early this year and decided to keep up with him and when he got to a good location for a good NW wind he’d give him a try. This was his first sit of the year.
When they get this age, any type of scent would have him dormant for a day. He set the stand and the deer was a no show and he was thinking he’d moved on. 2 days later his pattern resumed. They blocked that area and the same thing happened, no more pics. He went to actually go to another stand and shoot a doe or three and decided at the last minute to go to this stand just because it was “time” for him to show back up. It paid off.
