First note would be stop judging animals by a spread width. There are may more factors in making a "trophy". If you want score, look for deep forks and symetry. Long tines and mass. You can also define trophies by they way they were taken, the effort involved, the people you are with, and the area genetics. Sometimes that willow horn 4x4 is the biggest buck on the mountain.
Here's a quickie on my best. Spent a lot of time in an area that had access to water, feed, cover in the forms of PJ's and tall sage. Rimrock and finger draws above. The lower areas held good numbers of does. In the mornings I'd get up into and past the finger draws and saddles and waited for the bucks to bed for the day after a night with the hoochies. In the evenings, I'd hang back in the sage flats and wait for the animals to come back down looking for nookie. Spent 5 days hauling my butt all over hells half acre, even though a few people said there had been way too much pressure. The area had it all, but we weren't seeing many deer. I was however seeing a lot of fresh sign that was obviously being laid down during the night. I stayed positive and stuck to the plan.
Two of us made our way out a flat to look over the edge. I lost a ro-sham-bow to look over a certain good looking spot. My buddy won and looked over, seeing some small bucks and a little group of does. I decided to go take a 10-200. For chits and giggles I peaked over an area about 100yards left of my buddy. There, raking the heck out of some trees was a big buck. With a 3 second evaluation, I could see the main ingredients. Mass, Deep forks, long tines. Safety off, breath, kaboom. One dead 187" buck.
Lucky...hell yes. Luck is a combination of hard work and perseverance. I walked farther, stayed out longer, payed more attention, was more positive than everyone else. I believed the signs, and was rewarded.
In hindsight. All of the bigger deer I've taken have the same things in common.....
They are always on the fringes...i.e. just far enough away from other deer, but only a short walk back to check does.
They have been killed at odd hours...10, 11 am, 12 pm, 130 pm. Just when everyone else is taking a nap.
Most have been alone, in ugly territory, facing into the wind, with multiple exit routes up, down, and out.
I have glassed a part or all of them before they've seen me.
five_point_buck
C.B.C.S.