Interesting points here......
"I also think that people who pay the big money to hunt the Jicarilla are more likely to make a B&C entry as opposed to a regular Joe who whacks a monster on public land."
Reasonable assumption.
"Most hunters would be thrilled to have a mule deer buck at 160 do you agree?"
Most hunters would be thrilled.
"A 160 buck? If it were a blacktail or if I were hunting the state of Washington for mule deer."
This is probably true and an indicator that a 160 buck doesn't represent the top-end of mule deer potential.
"The very idea of a record book is to document exceptional animals, not lower the standards to the point that almost any 4-point buck can get the hunter's name "in the book."
No explanation needed unless you dropped out of high school early to become a Governor's tag deer guide.
"Score, score, score...why is everyone so concerned with score?"
I think its a conveniant and handy reference for most people instead of saying that 26" buck with medium mass, average forks, short main beams and gnarly bases.
"I have seen some giant deer where the score was not indicative of how big they really were."
I would agree completely. There are a great number of bucks way bigger than just "nice bucks" that have some serious wow factor. Absolute whoppers where score is completely irrelevant.
"A 160 "NET" buck is definately no slouch in ANY book"
Agreed but a 160 class buck is really a buck that is quite a ways from his full potential in most areas with big buck potential.
"Another little tidbit about Eagle is this...There is more than one unit in Eagle county, and most of the booker heads from Eagle County didn't come out of 44."
Insider information that most of the so-called experts don't realize.
"Look at these bucks, they are not bookers, but they are nice bucks. That buck on the left wouldn't score squat, but I still consider him a toad. (I didn't shoot these)"
Nice wide and framey buck. Most would be thrilled to kill a buck like that. First day, last day, I would let him walk. Great looking mount and great example of what to expect from a taxidermist. Clean sharp ears, well set eyes and looks have some professional attention to detail. If your taxidermist isn't doing work like this, you need a new one and let him practice on someone else's buck.
"The two things both Rio Arriba and Eagle County have in common? Both are migration/winter range units comprised of Colorado deer." If they couldn't rut-hunt migration bucks in the rut on the Jicarilla, the record book would look way different.
I would say most deer in Eagle county are resident year round to the county with the exception of the deer north of the Colorado river in which some do move in from Routt county.
The Henries are a top 5 mule deer area in the West right now. For whatever the reason. The bucks have a few too many extras to score well as typicals and not enought to go nontyp. Who cares! I'd give my left nut for a tag there
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