30" bucks

GLEDEASY

GLEDEASY

Active Member
Messages
914
If you're hunting deer on a general season tag and see a buck pushing 30" are you shooting regardless of what else it has to offer? What about if it's your first year of the dedicated hunter program, does that change your decision?

Asking for a friend.

Feel free to share your 30" buck for visual effect.
 
Not many 30? bucks out there. It's about like the 180? buck, not a lot of those out there either. Me personally, if I see a buck with a 30? rack it's going down. I don't care if it's a 30? two point. And yes, even in my first year of dedicated hunter a 30? buck is hitting the dirt.
 
I'd be Willing to Stand 97,000 30"ERS up in Front of 97,000 TARDS just to see How many of them Wouldn't JERK the F'N Trigger!

What Kinda Question is this?

JFP!!!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
WELL SUM BITTCCCHH!

It's My First Year in to My Dedicated Hunter Entry!

He's ONLY 30"S!

I Hate to!

But I better Let Him Go in Hopes of Finding a 35"ER!










I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
No Offense to you GLEDEASY!

Just Sayin!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
> No Offense to you GLEDEASY!
>
>
>Just Sayin!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I know so many people in
>so many places
>They make allot of money but
>they got sad faces
>
>It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D


No offense taken bess.

Just trying to provide some colorful conversation for ya ;)
 
Now, coming off the 180" buck thread. Say a low scoring 30" buck or a 180" buck are side by side, which you taking?
 
>Now, coming off the 180" buck
>thread. Say a low scoring
>30" buck or a 180"
>buck are side by side,
>which you taking?

SWEAR TO GAWD!

Here on the South Slope I'd Have To Shoot Both of them!:D:D:D









I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
GS? Pretty sure I'd drop the hammer on any 30? buck regardless of any other characteristic! My question is ?why WOULDN?T you???

My wife killed a 180? buck last fall that was 24? wide (limited entry). If you asked some guys if they'd kill a 24? buck on a limited entry hunt they'd say ?no!? I guess each circumstance is different.
 
Hey Spencer. I wouod shoot the 180 over the 30 in a heart beat. Also, I would shoot the 30 inch back on the dedicated, although I might have to think about it if it was a 2 point. Also, I was trying to get ahold of you the other day. Pm me your number of you don't mind.
 
I'm looking for a 30? typical to put along with my nontyp for a double pedestal, so I'd shoot the 30? over 180 at this point, but who knows I may or may not ever get the double pedestal I want but I'll keep trying!!!
 
A few years back I shot a 29 3/8" huge frame buck that was only a 3x4 main frame buck with no eye guards, below average mass, and had a 4" cheater on his 3 side. If he would have been a 4x4 with even small 1" eye guards he would have been very close to a 190" buck. As it was he taped out at about 177".

On the same trip my hunting partner shot a smaller framed buck (about a 168" main frame if memory serves my correct) and it was only about 23" wide. Thing about this buck he had about 37" of trash... He taped out north of 200" and is a great buck.

Both in the back of the same truck, side by side, and eating in a restaurant on the way home. More than one person came up to us and raved about the wide deer and how big he was, and oh yea the other one is nice too...

We just smiled, thanked them for the compliments.

I have 6 deer that I have mounted. All but 1 are over 28" wide on their main frame. only 2 are over 30" wide and not by much. Scores range from the 177" above to one in the low 220's.

A 30" wide deer is for sure a great and rare find, but so is a TRUE 180" typical. For me I would shoot the 180" every time over a 30" wide deer with not much bone on his head.
 
80985resizedimg20161029150636.jpeg


3 general season bucks from the same year, same unit. Top left is mine, 23 wide 170 buck. Bottom is my brother's just over 31 wide scoring 138 I believe. Which one would you shoot if they were standing together?

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
>
80985resizedimg20161029150636.jpeg

>
>3 general season bucks from the
>same year, same unit. Top
>left is mine, 23 wide
>170 buck. Bottom is my
>brother's just over 31 wide
>scoring 138 I believe. Which
>one would you shoot if
>they were standing together?
>
>
>
4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg



Between the Two of You there Ain't a F'N Thing Left Alive!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
I've killed a 32" buck that only scored about 165, and a 22" buck that is 180+, put them both together with a little time to get a good look and I'm shooting the narrow buck every time! Wide is cool, but big forks are more desirable for me.


2a0fcsk.gif
 
would you still be happy with your choice to take the 30" buck if he tapes out 29. If you were interested in the meat would you take the 225lb x 180" buck or the 350lb x 25" that's beating up the 180 buck.I am a trophy hunter and certainly a meat hunter and never know what I will take until the chance is in front of me.I have passed a lot bigger than I have killed in le hunts.Most of the time I want a deer and passing on good bucks for another 5" does not always make sense
,will see
 
>>
80985resizedimg20161029150636.jpeg

>>
>>3 general season bucks from the
>>same year, same unit. Top
>>left is mine, 23 wide
>>170 buck. Bottom is my
>>brother's just over 31 wide
>>scoring 138 I believe. Which
>>one would you shoot if
>>they were standing together?
>>
>>
>>
4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg

>
>
> Between the Two of You
>there Ain't a F'N Thing
>Left Alive!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I know so many people in
>so many places
>They make allot of money but
>they got sad faces
>
>It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D


Learned it from you!


4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
These two scored about the same.
Top buck would?ve been a touch over 185 had he not broken 2-1/2 inches off the tips of two tines. And 25-1/2 inches wide.
The lower buck is 187 and 35 inches wide.
Do they look like they're the same class of buck to you?
The odds of me killing another buck like the one in the top photos are FAR greater than the odds of me killing another one like the one in the lower photos.
Huge main frame width is for sure very rare.
YES, if you have the chance to shoot a 30-incher, do it!

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/650006b791f82f05e4d5b99caff24909fe1f3.jpeg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/2991980f57040dd5248349a47d85889b47616.jpeg

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/3845612645bf1c2ea479498d3fcd318f23029.jpeg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/7928682ce81f20274d189ebb5ca9a3d1735d.jpeg

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
@mm_founder on Instagram
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
 
>
80985resizedimg20161029150636.jpeg

>
>3 general season bucks from the
>same year, same unit. Top
>left is mine, 23 wide
>170 buck. Bottom is my
>brother's just over 31 wide
>scoring 138 I believe. Which
>one would you shoot if
>they were standing together?
>
>
>
4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg



Nice collection there! I think I'd go for your buck with those forks. Either way, couldn't go wrong!
 
>These two scored about the same.
>
>Top buck would?ve been a touch
>over 185 had he not
>broken 2-1/2 inches off the
>tips of two tines. And
>25-1/2 inches wide.
>The lower buck is 187 and
>35 inches wide.
>Do they look like they're the
>same class of buck to
>you?
>The odds of me killing another
>buck like the one in
>the top photos are FAR
>greater than the odds of
>me killing another one like
>the one in the lower
>photos.
>Huge main frame width is for
>sure very rare.
>YES, if you have the chance
>to shoot a 30-incher, do
>it!
>
>http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/650006b791f82f05e4d5b99caff24909fe1f3.jpeg
>http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/2991980f57040dd5248349a47d85889b47616.jpeg
>
>http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/3845612645bf1c2ea479498d3fcd318f23029.jpeg
>http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/7928682ce81f20274d189ebb5ca9a3d1735d.jpeg
>
>Brian Latturner
>MonsterMuleys.com
>@mm_founder on Instagram
>LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
>on Facebook!

Those are both awesome bucks Brian. Bet that 35" looks great on the wall!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-22-18 AT 09:49AM (MST)[p]If you feel you might regret shooting it, pass.
This buck was right at the 30 mark. He scored 166 and was my personal best at the time. If it was my first year of dedicated I would pass. That being said I have shot some bigger bucks in my days of hunting. If it were the biggest deer at the time of course I would shoot, however after shooting this deer I passed on three different bucks that I can remember that would have been my new personal best at the time but I had bigger fish to fry. I think if you might regret passing on it than it's worth shooting. The future is indefinite. Hunt for fun and good memories.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/10209321f8e187d1a4d13891c2b28c5df7343.jpeg
 
I'd shoot the 31? no question. Score ain?t everything. The wide buck appears more mature. 30? are rare, 170?s not so much.
 
>I'd shoot the 31? no question.
>Score ain?t everything. The wide
>buck appears more mature. 30?
>are rare, 170?s not so
>much.


DNR aged them both, mine was 9.5 and his was 8.5 but his had a huge body.


4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
That would be a hard one to pass in most places.!


>LAST EDITED ON Jul-22-18
>AT 09:49?AM (MST)
>
>If you feel you might regret
>shooting it, pass.
>This buck was right at the
>30 mark. He scored 166
>and was my personal best
>at the time. If it
>was my first year of
>dedicated I would pass. That
>being said I have shot
>some bigger bucks in my
>days of hunting. If it
>were the biggest deer at
>the time of course I
>would shoot, however after shooting
>this deer I passed on
>three different bucks that I
>can remember that would have
>been my new personal best
>at the time but I
>had bigger fish to fry.
>I think if you might
>regret passing on it than
>it's worth shooting. The future
>is indefinite. Hunt for fun
>and good memories.
>http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/10209321f8e187d1a4d13891c2b28c5df7343.jpeg


Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
@mm_founder on Instagram
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
 
I think in general, Mule Deer hunters have a fetish for width even though it's a small part of an animal's "score". To most of us, there is something magical or sexy about a buck with lots of air between his horns.
Many years ago I shot a buck (on a very good Utah unit) that looked great going away, because I thought he was wide. He ended up being a very disappointing thin horned three point (and not as wide as he looked).
Years later I passed on an honest 180"buck (another hunter took him and scored him) in a very good unit in Colorado because he only looked to be 22-23" wide. I tormented myself for days after. Fortunately five days later, I lucked into a 200" typical that came home with me. But he is still only 27" wide.
So now width isn't quite as sexy to me as it used to be. I'd take the 180"er.
 
>I think in general, Mule Deer
>hunters have a fetish for
>width even though it's a
>small part of an animal's
>"score". To most of
>us, there is something magical
>or sexy about a buck
>with lots of air between
>his horns.
>Many years ago I shot a
>buck (on a very good
>Utah unit) that looked great
>going away, because I thought
>he was wide. He
>ended up being a very
>disappointing thin horned three point
>(and not as wide as
>he looked).
>Years later I passed on an
>honest 180"buck (another hunter took
>him and scored him) in
>a very good unit in
>Colorado because he only looked
>to be 22-23" wide.
>I tormented myself for days
>after. Fortunately five days
>later, I lucked into a
>200" typical that came home
>with me. But he
>is still only 27" wide.
>
>So now width isn't quite as
>sexy to me as it
>used to be. I'd
>take the 180"er.


LittleBigs Buck Shy of 30" is SWEET!:D:D:D








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
I think it's harder to find a 30" main frame buck over a 180" gross scoring buck but then harder to find a 180" main frame buck over the 30"er.
(Get ready for change because it's going to happen!)
 
Nice bucks...

Bottom buck 178"

Top buck much less.

Great set of bucks for this discussion. I would shoot the bottom buck every time if having to pick between the 2. Some maybe even most other people would shoot the wide buck.
 
Hey thanks Tknez I am pretty happy with both bucks. Just wish my dad was still alive to share the experience with him, he taught me so much about hunting and lived for the hunting season.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-23-18 AT 02:42PM (MST)[p]I've only seen one 30"+ buck with a tag in my hand ever. I like high scoring bucks better personally, but I also think wide bucks are harder to come by. I think it's funny when people say "he's only 24 inches wide", there are a lot of fantastic bucks that wouldn't be considered very wide.

With that said, I'd love to shoot a 30 incher :)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-23-18 AT 01:38PM (MST)[p]So I shot a buck a few years ago that was only 20" wide and scored 175. He was a great solid buck for me. My biggest at the time.

2739img20140117185346351.jpg


In 2015 I shot a buck that was 31" wide that was 182". But the width looks awesome to me. On the 1st buck, the boxy frame and deep forks look good to me. I will shoot either one all day.

94558wyodeer1.jpg


52513wyodeer3.jpg
 
>LAST EDITED ON Jul-23-18
>AT 01:38?PM (MST)
>
>So I shot a buck a
>few years ago that was
>only 20" wide and scored
>175. He was a
>great solid buck for me.
> My biggest at the
>time.
>
>
2739img20140117185346351.jpg

>
>In 2015 I shot a buck
>that was 31" wide that
>was 182". But the
>width looks awesome to me.
> On the 1st buck,
>the boxy frame and deep
>forks look good to me.
> I will shoot
>either one all day.
>
>
94558wyodeer1.jpg

>
>
52513wyodeer3.jpg


I'd not hesitate pulling the trigger on either one of those bucks.
 
I remember back in the day reading the magazines and all the rage was a 30"er. They're so rare. They're like unicorns, leprechauns and 4 leaf clovers. Nowadays everyone wants a 200"er. Everyone's got a 200"er that they measured with a rubber band. I've only ever seen one buck that was over 200" on the hoof that a guy shot the night efter my wife and I found him, and 2 30"ers that I've watched buddies smack. Never on my own tag have I ever seen either. Nor am I gonna claim to have seen them scouting cause I've never put my hands on the big ones I find.

In my minds eye a 200"er would be the pinnacle. I've said it before and I'll say it again, deep forks are like deep cleavage... Kryptonite.
 
I personally like wide bucks, and when I see them, I always say "wow". I have seen many high scoring narrow bucks, and they don't affect me the same way. However, I am far more opportunistic, and will shoot a good old mature buck regardless of width or score.

29277p1000048.jpg

This buck is/was 28"

8259114buck.jpg


2318svbuck.jpg


This buck got close at 29.75"

94617dandeer20173.jpg


This buck broke through the 30" barrier at 32"
 
>Are we talking 30? gross or
>30? net.

I suspect NEITHER since outside measurement are not part of an actual official score!

Zeke


#livelikezac
 
Answering the OP?s question. On general hunts, Ide shoot anything that's 30+. Even a 2x2 because I don't have one.

With a gun in hand, I've seen one bonafide 30 incher in general units. He was probably 33-34. A 30er is a rare deer.
 
That worked for me Bess. Passed a 30"er to kill a 37"er . But i was my second year of DH

2017%20deer_zpsun9drgmj.jpg
 
If it looks big and it is 30-inches, I think you shoot it. If it looks small and it is 30, don't!

Which order would you shoot these in, biggest to smaller or widest to narrowest...

3319720180727114646.jpg


Left to right:

29.75" wide (181 gross); 24" wide (197 gross); 32" wide (157 gross)

In person when you get close to the mounts, I would shoot the 197, 181 and 157 in that order every day of the week because of the mass on the 197. But from this photo and standing farther away and maybe if they were together 400 yards away I think I would give serious consideration to shooting the 181.
 
Looking from the photo and trying to imagine seeing them from 200+ yards away my order would be left to right all day. Although I'm a big fan of a wide buck that middle one would definitely make me second guess if I saw the buck on the left and the middle buck together. That buck on the right is really unique too.
 
The last time I hunted Wyoming I passed on a 37" wide buck because it had a miserable twisted up rack that was just plain ugly. The two guys with me didn't hesitate though. In fact, they rushed their shots to try to beat each other and both shot right over his back at 100 yards.
 
>If it looks big and it
>is 30-inches, I think you
>shoot it. If it
>looks small and it is
>30, don't!
>
>Which order would you shoot these
>in, biggest to smaller or
>widest to narrowest...
>
>
3319720180727114646.jpg

>
>Left to right:
>
>29.75" wide (181 gross); 24" wide
>(197 gross); 32" wide (157
>gross)
>
>In person when you get close
>to the mounts, I would
>shoot the 197, 181 and
>157 in that order every
>day of the week because
>of the mass on the
>197. But from this photo
>and standing farther away and
>maybe if they were together
>400 yards away I think
>I would give serious consideration
>to shooting the 181.
im Gonna say just the way you have them is the order I would shoot them!!
 
31726065036_79bf4240ea_t.jpg

My current situation precludes me from caring about your opinion but go ahead and give voice to it anyway...

Got some 30+ and some 180+ but not many in both categories. 30"+ without stickers gaining you the last few inches are hard to come by and many don't score very well at all.

Big clean tippys over 30" are the holy grail IMO, 'specially with some heft to them...

37453dsc04283copy.jpg



70894img1797.jpg



45976img4321copy.jpg



28621k7a3be4cac625d1000090.jpg
 
Let's see some pics of these 6 mounted bucks.
Please!
I was hoping this thread had more pics.
It's almost time to hunt and I have the itch




"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
I love a post like this that gets excellent responses,great debate, and we get to see some beautiful bucks. I'm wondering how many guys looking for a buck with "mass 'n' trash", or gotta be 30-37 incher, would pass on this buck? Great mass, but no trash; sure doesn't look wide enough! But, DANG look at the boxy frame and the near-perfect symmetry! (He's the #1 WORLD Record P&Y Archery Buck!) :)
73519frankiesbuck5.jpg
 
Bess...you're a Hoot!!!

I see a 30 incher...he's going down....and I got a few of em hanging on the wall...
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-18 AT 07:18AM (MST)[p]Edit: never mind. Apparently I don't know how to post pictures.
 

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