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What would you do with this deer?

lazy_turtle

lazy_turtle

Member
My goal on my farm is to pass bucks until they are at least 5 years old. I filmed this deer in 2021 from the stand and thought he was 2.5. However, he broke his leg that fall. He’s been getting along fairly well since then. This year he’ll be 4.5, maybe 5.5 max. He still seems to be putting on antler each year, but not sure what to do given the broke leg.

2021:
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2022:
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2023:

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Wow!!!!! He bounced back Better than I woulda guessed he would in 2023!!!!
If my goal was 5.5 & he was 4.5 - I’d pass him. I’d shoot him if he was 4.5 IF he went downhill from injury. But he didn’t. He looks cool!!!
If he’s 5.5 - clearly I’d shoot him based on ur goals. But he sure bounced back cool!!!!
 
Awesome buck. I wouldn't take a chance on passing him if given the chance. Like Hardwood mentioned and I had a buck with a broken front leg at 3 or 4 years old, died at 7. The last 3 years of his life he went downhill quickly.
 
I would like to see what he looks like without velvet. I'm a sucker for mass so if he still has good mass after shedding I would probably shoot him.

Take my opinion with a grain of salt though, I'm a little sore about passing bucks to never see them again.

Please share a harvest pic though.
 
None of us have a crystal ball...so I try to play the odds. This is a really nice deer that took a HUGE jump in one year. On three legs no less. I say the odds of a three leg deer taking a significant jump back to back are not zero but very slim.
Like...
Good jump 10%
Same 60%
Less 30%

With all that said I'm shooting it given the chance.
 
Thanks all! Lots to think about here. I’ll definitely give updates as the season goes on. This is in Missouri, so if he survives rifle and looks healthy I’ll likely give him the pass. He could be 5.5, but we prefer them to either be 5 or 6 rather than 4 or 5.
 
I had a deer on cam few years back that had broken front leg that blew up from a 3 year old to a 4 yr old (best guess on age) to a sweet non typical with big drop. He would of pushed 200 I think. He disappeared that august and never seen him again.

I bet this deer blows up even more next year but I'm never one to tell another person to pass on a deer, so shoot away if that's the deer you want.
 
Passing is a good move, you’d hate to wonder forever how big he might have been. He would make a cool euro mount though.
 
Are you sure this is the same deer? He went from wide and short tined to tight and tall. The general shape of the whole rack has seemed to change.
 
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