Which One?

[sageadvice]

So you're hunting public land with a general tag on the last weekend of the season. At first light, you spot 2 bucks within comfortable range but looking them over, can't decide which one to shoot.

The first one looks to be about 24" wide, he's clearly a 4x4 with nice eyeguards, not real high, not extra heavy, but his forks are plenty big enough that you know he will score 160 anyway.

The second buck is a wide 3 point. This buck is bigger in body and looks older than the 4 point. His horns are 3 inches outside each ear, might go 28" or 29" and they have that nice boxey look where they go almost straight out before going up. Now that you looked them both over, he's both higher and wider and a bit heavier than the 4x4 but... only a 3x3, both bucks are going to score in the 160 to 170 range.

Which one do YOU shoot?

Joey

 

[Cam@strawberry]

the four for sure i know its not smart management but ive never been a big fan of a three point

Wildlife population control specialist

 

[sageman]

3x3 for me!

 

[RandallT]

3x3 also, but I can see where your coming from also berryblaster. But a mature 28" buck, I'd whack him for sure. In fact this exact scenario played out for my group this year. We had a 28" 3x with great eyegaurds, and 25" four with him, and we had numerous encounters with the two bucks. I had the 3x at 60 yards, just couldn't get a shot and my buddy missed him at 55. Oh well he'll be a pig next year.

 

[sageadvice]

Good answers guys!. In fact, there is no wrong answer. The only bad answer is the guy with one tag that says he'll shoot them both. Some may even choose to pass them up figuring that he has the rest of the day to hunt for a bigger one... i don't know, Public ground!

Pass? Not me, i'd be taking one of these bucks. i like them both, would shoot either, but in this case, probably the 3x3.

Joey

 

[OutdoorWriter]

You mean a 3x3 like this one that I killed on a "management" hunt in Colorado last fall?? -TONY

 

[bobcatbess]

FINALLY!!!

THERES OutdoorWriters UGLY MUG!!!

JUST RAZZIN YOU!!!

THEM COLORADO MULEYS STILL HAVE SOME BODY SIZE TO THEM!!!

DON'T SHOOT EITHER BUCK sageadvice!!!

LET EM LIVE!!!

AND LET EM GROW!!!

YOU'LL NEVER GET A 40" BUCK IF YOU KEEP SHOOTING THEM 28" PISSCUTTERS!!!



THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[eelgrass]

I would dump the 4X4. I wouldn't mind letting him grow up to be a 40 incher if I was sure Bobcatbess wouldn't be the one to get him!

Seriously, I would take the 3X3.

Eel

Bobcat, have you ever been thanked by anyone who killed a big buck? I sure never have!

Bobcat, here's a 40+ for you!

 

[oakbrush]

I like big 3 points.

I was not sure if I wanted to take this buck, but once I zoomed the spotter in close and saw the eyegaurds, I thought, well that's kinda cool.

It took all day, but I was finally able to get him.

Thanks
oakbrush

 

[bobcatbess]

HEY eel!!!

NOBODY HAS THANKED ME YET!!!

IF THEY'D JUST LISTEN!!!

THE BUCKS MIGHT GROW UP!!!

IN TARDVILLE ANYTHING IS GAME!!!

AND TARDS ARE VERY PROUD TO SAY!!!

"YUP I FILLED MY TAG HOW BOUT YOU"???

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[sageadvice]

Outdoorwriter, That's a management buck?? Must be some good and $$$ country. Nice one though! Love the shape of that rack!

Bess, believe it or not, i have passed on just this kind of situation. Used to! Came home empty more than once when could have killed any of a dozen 160+ class bucks. My regular access to that kind of country with lot of this caliber of buck, and some way better, has passed on with my Uncle. Love to hunt them big guys but also like some in the freezer. No dinks though, i'll let them live.

Eel, lordy that's a huge son of a gun! That Big Nasty next to him ain't shabby either. That big guy though, he's just to cool for school. Take-em!

Oakbrush, Nice buck man! love that knarley stuff on the bases. Thanks for posting!

Some places have lots of deer but not many big 4x4's. Seems to me that, if you're not gonna take a book animal anyway, might as well take a bigger framed, maybe less scoring, 3x3 or 4x3 than your decent 160+ 4x4.??? Tough call, i know, to each their own!

Joey

 

[Wlfdg]

3X3, big body=more meat! I only care about filling my freezers!



The more people I meet the more I like my dogs

 

[supersider34]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-31-08 AT 08:35PM (MST)[p]Shoot them both because its archery season and you have a resident tag and a Non resident tag. Easy choice.

Guy here in Idaho last year shot a 180 3x3 last year.

 

[supersider34]

Here are some pics. Pictures do not do it justice. You can tell by the one pic of eyeguard.

 

[basinyotehunter]

If the 3 point forked in the front and not the back then i would drop him. Other then that i would take the 4. I dont really like the looks of 3 points if they fork in the back.

-Cody AKA BigBuck92

 

[OutdoorWriter]

Bessie,

You're just jealous that all the gals follow me like a pied piper when I walk around in public.

Sageadvice,

Yup, it is indeed a management buck. The back tines were nearly 19 inches long. Here's a side view of it. Note the "devil points" at the bases.

And here's another management bucks taken on the same hunt by a gent from OR.

basinyotehunter: Note that the back tines on this one are forked, while mine forks in front.

And here's one of the trophy bucks killed the day I shot mine.

-TONY