South Jersey gives up a good one

[DV1]

I found this on facebook, was killed this week with a crossbow. Not sure what zone. I don't know the guy personally but I do know who he is and he has killed a few good ones, and has a killer spot in zone 47 where he killed a monster a few years back, 150 gross, 200+ lbs. It takes a special set of conditions for a deer to grow that big, or as big as this one, and the places you find those conditions are rare.

Edited December 12, 2015 by DV1

[jakesbeard]

Wow!

[Rusty]

Great deer.  Nice that it was taken with the bow. 

[DV1]

Great deer.  Nice that it was taken with the bow. 

Like I said, I don't know the guy but I DO know that bucks like that don't exist much around here, and if they do, they are in, or surrounded by some serious sanctuary...like maybe not able to gun hunt sanctuary...like maybe small, bow-only huntable places. Only speculation as I do not know where this deer was killed but I'm thinking along those lines.

[PV216]

Incredible buck. Congrats to the hunter. Here's another pic. I do not know anything about the deer. Just saw it on a Facebook page for jersey deer.

 

Edited December 11, 2015 by BowhunterNJ

[JHbowhunter]

The recipe for bucks like that is not all that complicated. Nutrition, Genetics and Age.  The only thing we can control 100% is age (meaning "we collectively" not individually).  We can enhance nutrition to some extent, but deer are browsers by nature. Minerals certainly help, high protein food plots, etc - but no substitute for good natural browse sources and good mast crop. Genetics - tough one , some areas just aren't going to produce P&Y caliber bucks as well as others...   Now getting back to the age factor - I will say that the "average" NJ 3.5 year old buck is going to start flirting with P&Y, 125", but most will be between 110-120" by that age.  Age 4- if a buck is not 125" or better, he really is genetically or nutritionally challenged. Age 4 bucks are increasingly rare, except in areas with little to no hunting pressure. A 4 year old could be 120 to 160 depending on all those other factors, but more likely 125-135".  Now - a buck like this one posted, they don't usually start growing all that excessive junk until age 5 or more...  I would guess that buck is 5.5 or 6.5 years old. ...  Collectively - we can control it, but we all know that is so unrealistic its barely worth discussing. In zone 5, the last P&Y buck I have a picture of or seen from stand was 11/18/2011, and he's on my wall. Probably a 4.5 year old.    For those that "care" about shooting a mature buck, the only way to increase age on average, is to reduce the harvest of button, 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks.  Not enough hunters in this state will ever voluntarily commit to that, and the state has other goals as we all know... So - when a NJ hunter harvests a buck of this caliber such as the one posted - you just can't overrstate the rarity of it, and how truly special it really is.   My hope is that when those less experienced see pics like this and desire the same, they will understand what it takes to make such an amazing trophy. Simply put - older bucks only get that way because someone exercised "restraint".  There is no way a 6.5 year old buck in NJ made it that far without either being shot at and missed(or hit), or being passed up by someone when he was younger and perhaps both, multiple times.   I realize to some of you, this is all BS and you can't eat the horns - so please accept my apologies in advance,  for offending you.

Edited December 11, 2015 by JHbowhunter

[mikejd]

Beautiful buck.

 

Jack. Did you ever have tripod aged.

[DV1]

I'm not sure what the total club numbers will be after tomorrow but I can say I'm seeing a lot of pics of "nice" 110"-125 ", 2 and 3 yr old bucks being killed this week, which is why it's so tough to get bucks like this one.

 

Through yesterday, some clubs were at last years totals, some above, some below. A friend of mine is the woodsmaster for one of the larger clubs. His group is way down but their close competitors, the other large clubs near them, are about where they finished last year. So I'm guessing the shotgun total will come in close to where it was last year. Anyone hoping it would be so bad things would have to change may be disappointed, doesn't look like that's going to be the case from what I'm seeing. 

[JHbowhunter]

Beautiful buck.

 

Jack. Did you ever have tripod aged.

 

Yes - pending results for deerage.com

[Cousin Brown]

Great buck!

[_X7]

Hellofabuck! Congrats to the hunter.

They can survive  by going undetected and in areas where guns are restricted by either landowner rule or in the suburbs. .

[BowhunterNJ]

Wow that is a monster! Congrats to the hunter!

[Myreezoning]

Great Deer, Congratulations on your success and perseverence!

 

Good Job,

Jack Spoto

UBNJ

[MGHunter66]

Don't know if you have the info but when you say "his spot" do you have any idea how many acres it might be?

[MZW]

Wow.just wow!

Congratulations to the hunter.he deserves it.