Anyone been able to harvest any bucks yet this year?
This guy was shot yesterday on the freeman ranch in the Oklahoma panhandle
This guy was shot yesterday on the freeman ranch in the Oklahoma panhandle
Deer updates
- Thread starter WezPoke
- Start date
Just returned from a frigid and very successful deer hunt! I shot a 30" Barbary ram (think 30" muley or 350+ class elk) - my first in 25 years - opening morning and then my dad and I both tagged out within minutes of each other on opposite ends of our lease. Both bucks are on the upper end of what we typically see in our area, and the Barbary ram is a "wall hanger". As goes most hunting stories, the 3rd member of our party had a big one "get away" - twice!
My dad's buck hasn't been scored, but was estimated at 180+ due to abnormally long forks on one side and ridiculous height. European mount and skull hookers for my buck; shoulder pedestal for the ram.
My dad's buck hasn't been scored, but was estimated at 180+ due to abnormally long forks on one side and ridiculous height. European mount and skull hookers for my buck; shoulder pedestal for the ram.
Wholly Smokes! Both deer are huge and that Ram... wow. Where in the world is this lease? Big congrats!
I'll admit to laughing at the "wholly smokes"...'Tis a shame theredson doesn't frequent this board!
And the lease is on the wind swept plains of central NM. The sheep - native to Africa - were introduced in the early '50s as a replacement for the disappearing (native) bighorn sheep and their numbers have steadily increased - to the point eradication (seemingly always under consideration) is nigh impossible. We've had the lease for 23 years and have only recently begun purchasing tags with any hope of tagging a decent one. Both male and female grow horns and they are notoriously difficult to judge horn length on the hoof - especially with herds in excess of 30 animals or more where sheep are constantly intermingling and changing position. You can also hunt them in TX, where horn lengths can exceed 33", but typically without the mass of the NM sheep. For NM, a 30" ram is the gold standard and I am pretty excited to have found one! They are really cool animals and with all their chaps displayed, make beautiful mounts!
And the lease is on the wind swept plains of central NM. The sheep - native to Africa - were introduced in the early '50s as a replacement for the disappearing (native) bighorn sheep and their numbers have steadily increased - to the point eradication (seemingly always under consideration) is nigh impossible. We've had the lease for 23 years and have only recently begun purchasing tags with any hope of tagging a decent one. Both male and female grow horns and they are notoriously difficult to judge horn length on the hoof - especially with herds in excess of 30 animals or more where sheep are constantly intermingling and changing position. You can also hunt them in TX, where horn lengths can exceed 33", but typically without the mass of the NM sheep. For NM, a 30" ram is the gold standard and I am pretty excited to have found one! They are really cool animals and with all their chaps displayed, make beautiful mounts!
Goodness sakes. Those are all so nice.
I'd love to get a Barbary sheep, regardless of size.
I'd love to get a Barbary sheep, regardless of size.
It's official: my dad's buck scored 184 and change (SCI). The 2nd biggest buck he's ever shot - and the biggest in over 40 years!
We just got this one back from the taxidermist. 211 inch net.
That is insane! I have seen maybe 3 180" class bucks in 30 years of hunting...nothing even remotely close to this!
We just got this one back from the taxidermist. 211 inch net.
In the last 6 years we've taken a 186, 177, 211, 199, and 169 respectively
This is my buddy and former ranch COO with his 199. It's probably my favorite due to the story, difficulty of hunt, and work it took to pack the thing out. He's from Alabama and they don't grow 300 pound deer that measure like this there.
Deer was freaking ancient too. PRobably declining. CDOW estimates the deer was over 7
This is a 169 I shot several years ago. He was massive and weighed as much as a yearling steer. I'll see if I have a better picture.
This guy was gut shot from road hunters. We found him when we were horseback and he was probably dead for a day or two max. Coyotes finished him off.
We aren't B&C scorers, but we put a tape on him and he roughed around 175 gross. If he had longer tines he'd be well over 180.
The story on this guy is pretty interesting. I've watched him grow for at least 4 years now. This pic (through a spotting scope) was taken the second year we spotted him in his summer roost. I saw him again this September still in velvet and he was humongous. CDOW just did their counts from helicopter and my buddy who is the regional officer saw this buck still out and about. He said he's way over 200, probably about the size of that 211 in the earlier picture. He's grown way out past his ears now to the magic 30 inch mark.
He'll die of old age. I know right where he lives almost year round and when his velvet comes off, he's a ghost.
Nice Mulies boys! I'll brag a little,A few of my kansas bucks over the past few years.
Not fair. Too many giant bucks for one person.
Nice Mulies boys! I'll brag a little,A few of my kansas bucks over the past few years.
Goodness
Nice Mulies boys! I'll brag a little,A few of my kansas bucks over the past few years.
