Heavy or Long?

[littlebighorn]

Here's a question for cabin fever chatter.

Do you prefer heavy massive deer, or deer with long points?
You can't say both because that is what we all want!

If two nice 4 pt. bucks are standing together and one is a short heavy buck, but the other is long but willow horned, which do you shoot?

For argument sake, they are both the same width.

 

[Blank]

No doubt about it. Heavy outweighs willow horns, any day. Same width, you could be talking 10-15" more score and its more impressive. Generally a sign of age also.

 

[mntman]

Mass for me too unless that willow horn fella has crazy long forks all the way around.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

 

[Founder]

Good topic!!

I like heavy. Here's a pic of two bucks that my buddy and I doubled up on a few years back. Before shooting, I was fond of the wide one that I think has a bit longer tines. I ended up shooting the heavier buck and I'm glad I did. Plus he was a buck I had seen scouting. The bucks both scored real close to the same. That width is sweet though.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!

 

[rmanwill]

Heavy

 

[Ruby1]

I think that Founder's pics are a perfect representation of what the question is asking. For me, I'll take the mass every time.

 

[eldorado]

Heavy. Founder's buck is a perfect example.

Eldorado

 

[zekers]

>No doubt about it. Heavy outweighs
>willow horns, any day. Same
>width, you could be talking
>10-15" more score and its
>more impressive. Generally a sign
>of age also.


I like heavy too. but you're giving mass too much credit. IMO, 90% off all bucks total mass measurements score between 32" and 40". Founders pics are great in that comparison, and I would say 33" and 38". Maybe Founder has those measurements? If you're getting 10-15", that's the difference between a 2 yo and a freak nasty monster...just sayin'!

 

[YBO]

Mass is king. But overated. Width is Special too. I don't know how many nimrods have told me "to he'll with width it's over rated") then when the buck is a couple inches shy of making book, they realize that an inside spread of 24"s instead of the 21"s would of pushed it up to the next level. Just saying.

 

[nontypical]

Score is overrated, IMO. I'll take a heavy 3x4 over a slick typical with no mass every day and twice on Sundays!!

Score is for reference only to me. Give me mass and trash!

 

[deerslayer88]

I would go with mass, don't care about score. Like non typicals too. Give me a crazy 2 point drop tine buck over a solid 4 point any day. I just love those non typicals.

?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams

 

[sageadvice]

It's so rare like in Founders case where a guy could pick from 2 bucks such as those. I've only had that quality of opportunity present itself with Blacktail.

I, like a lot of others, say that you will know right off that he's the one when you see him but both are honkers in my book. I'd take the heavier horned buck most of the time...unless i saw the other buck first.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[bigbrown]

same width? if that means wide 24"+ then id go mass. if it was a more narrow width id go long.

 

[hunter_614]

I would shoot the heavy buck in the founders pictures, but the forks on the heavy one appear to be just as long as the other deer, therefore I do not agree that it is good representation of the question. If the founders buck had crab claws with that mass would you still pick it over the other one?

 

[Lien2]

HEAVY for me! I love mass!

 

[Zeke]

LBH,
I'll chime in too.
Mass just makes them look older and bigger to me.
I'll take mass almost every time.
But.....I'd rather have both like your 200+ Colorado monster!!!! I know, you said we couldn't pick both but... I just did. Ha

Zeke

 

[littlebighorn]

It seems obvious that most are leaning toward mass, although I am not sure that holds true with the general hunting community. hunter_614 makes a good point. Founder's heavy buck would be much less impressive with crabby forks. I also agree that mass almost always hides length.

Below is the Colorado buck that Zeke alluded to. I actually passed on this buck for a while thinking his points weren't all that long. His huge body and incredible mass hid his length. Fortunately I came to my senses and shot him before he went over the mountain. He is by far the biggest buck I have ever taken.

When I got up to him I was shocked at how long he really was.

 

[crownroyal]

Mass goes along ways in my eyes!!

 

[FishlakeElkHunter]

HEAVY!!

This is a buck I killed last week in Mexico.