# Thoughts on a Score / Age



## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

Any ideas on score. Best pic I have of him.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Hard to tell what he would score, not hard to tell he is a very nice deer.

Hard to tell the mass with velvet still on, nice width, good tine length it looks like.

I would shoot him and then put the tape measure on him


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

High 150s-low 160s.Give or take 20".

Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Bulldog1149 (Feb 26, 2006)

I would agree. Solid 145-155. 4-1/2 old. I wouldn't look twice. 



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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I think he'll be a real dandy in, oh, 2016 or 17!  Dude, he's a bruiser! I'd stick him if I had a chance!


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## DLarrick (May 31, 2011)

Lundy said:


> I would shoot him and then put the tape measure on him


X2. Very nice buck and would be a no doubt shooter in my book.


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## dugworm (May 23, 2008)

138ish. Nice.


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## Snook (Aug 19, 2008)

Cajunsaugeye said:


> High 150s-low 160s.Give or take 20".
> 
> Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I agree. Really nice buck!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Like *Lundy* stated, hard to say still being in velvet. But obviously a nice buck.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

Cannot deny a very nice buck. I also would not second guess myself taking that deer. 4 1/2 yrs at 130 net. Scoring typical is about each side being equal, length and mirrored points each side. I think there is a split brow tine in the photo and maybe some stickers on back tines. Scoring deductions can cut official scores down a lot. If an unmatched point is in the mix it throws the measurements off on all after. I hope you get to measure that big buck and share the measurements with us. A popular event at the OBA banquet was guessing the measurement of a harvested deer before official measurements were taken. Great deer scored lower than most of us guessed because of deductions. The official measurement usually started more discussions on trophy quality verses scoring. 
The old rules of eye estimating a book deer on the hoof deer was the rack needed to be 4 inches wider than the ears length viewed from front on, ten points minimum including brow times and nearly 6 inches on the longest times. Eight pointers need a good deal more length to make the book. Almost perfectly even side to side for a ten pointer to make the PY minimum of 125. If not the dimensions need to increase to compensate for the off measurement deductions from side to side. Great mass aka thickness does not add as much to a score as tine length and main beam does. Total gross score minus deductions. Non typical scoring is much more difficult to field judge. I agree with the previous poster on age, to reach that stage of growth it would likely be 4 1/2 years old. Net score 130. Trophy quality is perfect. Good luck hope you tag him. 
When the beams look wrist thick add a year to that age. Hope you get him.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I won't speculate on a score, but he is mature. One look at his head/face and body and he is definately at least 4 years old. That buck will look completely different in 6 weeks and will be a complete blown up stud.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> Orig. posted by *Fish-N-Fool*:
> I won't speculate on a score, but he is mature.


Agree that he is no doubt a mature buck by the looks of his sagging belly and broad back.


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## LilSiman/Medina (Nov 30, 2010)

He's defiantly at least 4 1/2. If not 5 1/2. He probably scores gross 145 or around there.


Siman Brothers Outdoors


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## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

So the "sagging belly" syndrome affects deer too..............?


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> So the "sagging belly" syndrome affects deer too..............?


Yessir! We are not the only ones. 

Sagging belly , swayed back , turning gray with a little less 'pep in the step'.


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## thecritter (Jul 11, 2012)

I would have to say at least 160 no lower.


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

Hope to get some hard horn pics this weekend. We'll be sitting in my crows nest about 20 yards from where he is standing Saturday evening. As we know these type of bucks don't come easy if I see him he will get an arrow. Think I will have a better shot at him during November, but ya never know.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

For sure your chances on him will greatly increase closer to the rut but as you said, "ya never know". 

Especially if it stays cool like it has been. Been seeing a lot more movement earlier in the day then normal for this time of year. Mostly just browsing and what looks like getting out of their bedding areas and meandering towards the food sources earlier than normal. 

Yesterday @ 3pm the neighbor and son was taking beans off a field. They had half the field done. There was two parked pickups, a parked tractor trailer and the boy running the combine. About 250yds from the parked vehicles were 7 doe grazing in the middle of the part of the field that had been picked. 

Hopefully you get a shot at him, maybe the last few minutes before coming down out of the stand. 
But, I hope you don't have happen to you what has happened to me a few years back the last week of Sept...I got trapped in my stand at dark by a massive buck that I had scouted / hunted not only that year but the year prior. Best tine count I had on him was 17 not counting the stickers.
A few minutes before dark, I saw him coming down a trail the opposite hillside into the ravine right below my stand. He made his way up my side and was browsing no more than 30-35yds from my stand but by this time, the only thing I could do was sit and watch him. Too dark. 
He kept me in the stand about 45mins.  

I had that same deer not more than 30yds from me twice the year before with plenty of daylight left. But again, had to watch him walk. He never presented me a shot either time.

Hope you get a shot on him. He's a dandy.


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## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

I agree with cajunsaugeye....mid 150's to mid160's


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## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

Good work on the "no shoot" decisions..........way too many sad stories on here about guys ending up with a bad hit almost always due to taking the shots you passed up. Good luck, your good choices will be rewarded........!


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