170" - High or Low?

ridgetops · Nov 2, 2013

I filmed these bucks right at dark on July 24th this summer. I thought the lead buck may go about 170" but I was hoping for something better. I did really like the look of his main beams.
I'd like to hear some guesses on score and width.
If someone showed you this video, would you be interested in taking this Utah general season buck?

Sorry for the poor quality but it was almost dark.

elkassassin · Nov 2, 2013

A little bit High!

I used to know of places worth Hiking in to for Elk & Deer!
Thanks to Illegal Bastards & the USFS not enforcing Rules you can Zing in to them Places on Wheelers now & not see a Damn thing!
But by GAWD it don't take long for them U-Tards to get there with all the Unethical BS and the New Technology!

mntman · Nov 2, 2013

I'd say high 150's -160"

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

NVBighorn · Nov 2, 2013

That's a solid 180 MM buck, until you kill it and post pictures. Then it will be about 155.

fly4fish · Nov 3, 2013

Nice young bucks. Might make it to 160, but hard to tell for sure.

ldjbuff · Nov 3, 2013

>That's a solid 180 MM buck,
>until you kill it and
>post pictures. Then it will
>be about 155.

LOL^^

SlimShedy · Nov 3, 2013

Kinda hard to guess on his width. Never had a good enough angle to make the call but he definitely needs another year or two to hit 170.

ridgetops · Nov 7, 2013

Man, I thought I'd have a little more input than this.
Here's some more video of the buck in early August. My cousin saw it this time. He didn't know what it would score but thought it was a solid 28" buck and definitely a keeper.
Now is he getting a little closer to 170"?

liecabucks · Nov 7, 2013

Man, I don't see 170. Maybe 155-160

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

larrbo · Nov 8, 2013

158 1/8

mntman · Nov 8, 2013

He does look bigger in the video BUT it is also from behind and his ear's are pinned back making him look even bigger. I still say high 150's. He isn't very heavy either, cause once that velvet came off his mass dropped a lot.
Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

snagpoint · Nov 10, 2013

For what it's worth, I agree with mntman. 160 if you are lucky, a velvet buck looks about 20% bigger than when he is hard horn.

ridgetops · Nov 10, 2013

Thanks for the input guys. The thing I like about these forums is that a person may learn something new and a guy can get some good advise too. Here's a little more info on this buck. I too was second guessing my first thought of a 170" buck after I reviewed the video several times. I found this buck on the Utah General Muzzy hunt. When I found it, I called my friend Tom and told him that I think I found a shooter. After Tom got to where I was and looked through the spotting scope at the bedded buck. He looked at me and said something like; "you want to shoot that buck?" Knowing that I had passed on several 170" bucks the last couple years. Then the buck stood up and turned his head side to side. Then Tom said; "Holy crap, that's a big buck". I asked him if he thought it would go 170" and he said; " If it doesn't, I'll tag it myself". Well, he wouldn't have really but that's how sure he was.
After I stalked in and shot it at 50 yards. We all were surprised how much bigger this buck looked the closer you got to it. It must have had paper thin velvet because it lost none of its mass(over 35" in mass).
I scored him very conservatively, stretching the tape as tight as I could and ended up with 172" and just over 27" wide.

rmanwill · Nov 10, 2013

Congrats. Well done

nfh · Nov 10, 2013

Great looking buck!!

azdogman · Nov 12, 2013

You filmed him in July. My guess is he grew a bit before he rubbed out. Even if he only grew 1 inch on each point he was only a low 160 buck on your video. Nice buck though

mntman · Nov 13, 2013

Good thing you didn't listen to us ;-)
Good job!

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

ridgetops · Nov 13, 2013

>You filmed him in July. My
>guess is he grew a
>bit before he rubbed out.
>Even if he only grew
>1 inch on each point
>he was only a low
>160 buck on your video.
> Nice buck though
>

You do have a point. I'm sure he probably was in the mid-160s in the first video but the second video was on Aug. 4th. He was all but done growing by then. When I said it would go 170 in July, I was estimating after it was through growing.
Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to show how hard it can be to judge some bucks off of video or even a picture.

Thanks for the comments.