Here's my quandary.

[Bear44]

Anything could have happened. He may be dead. He may have been pushed out of primary bedding area and was passing through looking for a new hideout. There may have been a straggler doe in heat very late in the winter somewhere around and he was cruising. The possibilities.

If you can move your cameras around and maybe throw some corn or a salt lick on different trails you may find him yet. Either way, considering the size of your tract I would consider busting one of the others if the opportunity presents itself. Things could be much worse. Or you can let them walk to grow another year. That will take some discipline, though...It is easy to say you will let them walk, but when they are right there in front of you it can do weird things to your decision making. LOL

Tell me about it. LOL! That's why I'm trying to make the decision now. If I wait until one of them is standing in front of me to decide there's not a chance in hell I'll let them go.

 

[MRH]

No idea about the antlers flattening out. I've seen some real old bruisers, and most of the ones I've seen lose much of their length but retain a good bit of mass. Their bodies usually retain a big gut also, and definite greying of the fur. Just some general observations of my own.

 

[BDR1]

When they get older in age don't they start having a little sway back along with the bigger bellys?....I'm am defiantly no expert in the field of deer....just something I was told along the yrs

 

[GeauxLSU]

You're WAY over thinking it Bear.
Yes deer, young and old can have things change their travel patterns and many have different patterns all together during the season and then revert back (see various sat collared deer studies).
As far as which to chase, its all personal. I'd hunt the PLACE I'd most enjoy hunting. That last deer is not old and I'd personally pass on at least the 2nd of those 2 8s, probably both. The won't be nearly as impressive looking in hard antler. I personally won't shoot a buck I won't mount and would rather leave them for a kid or for someone for whom it would be a trophy. Again that's all a personal preference thing.
The two biggest deer I've ever seen in my life were in broad daylight middle of the rut. Never seen before or since and never caught on cam.

 

[Lionheart]

Don't pass on any decent mature bucks with a bow on small property. That's my vote.

 

[Horsehat]

If I were the sole hunter in this gene pool and we're going to have ongoing access I would evaluate opportunities based on perceived age rather than antler size alone. I would also make it a point whenever possible to remove genetic deficiencies from the population such as lack of brow tines, narrow rack structure, short tines or other deficiencies. If I got that opportunity at a once in a lifetime buck, which may well exist in a corner of this habitat where a camera might not have caught him, I would take it.
I would also not feel bad about taking the maximum number of allowable bucks off here annually as the population will stabilize through accidents, nutrition and fighting if not kept in check by hunting.

 

[timbgtm]

I have access to a small patch of land in North Fulton county that has produced some great deer. I have killed two nice eight points in the last two years and have these guys on trail cam this year.
View attachment 1748319
View attachment 1748320

I also have this pic from early Feb from a spot a few hundred yards from my property.
View attachment 1748321

I don't have a positive sighting of that last one since then.

I don't think anyone else is hunting around here, but I can't know for sure. I don't think the area was hunted before I started to a couple of years ago.

Here's my quandary. I would say those two 8 pointers from the trail cams are about 3.5 or 4.5 years old. If no one else is hunting the area, where are their fathers? Where is the monster from last Feb? Is it possible that after reaching a certain maturity they change their movement patters to someplace other than where they are using now? Or do you think their is another hunter in the area that harvests them when they get to the age they are now?

I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to let them walk or take them this year if I get the chance.

I believe I'd take one of them this year and allow the other an opportunity to mature. If you take one have him age tested. Also is this archery only hunting? Being it's in Fulton county I would say probably not hunted much if any at all. Hunters tend to overlook hunting close to metropolitan areas because it's in their mind it's the city. I've read some very good articles on suburban bucks in Fulton and Cobb counties with some nice record setting bucks being taken.i think I would be looking into who owns the other land you saw the buck on and maybe leasing it for long-term hunting . Good luck, look forward to hearing about your hunts.

 

[hikingthehills]

Another possibility is that daddy is here, but in sharp decline.
View attachment 1748334
This guy looks like he might be really old. You can't see it in this pic, but there seems to be a lot of grey on his muzzle. The thing is, if he is very old I would expect the antler main beams to be much closer to horizontal. I have always heard that as they get older the antlers flatten out, or is that just an old wive's tale?

I'm not sure that's more than a 3 year old, a lot of the time they get that sway to the back and their belly's hang lower. Good looking buck though I would let him walk for sure. Keep the doe's close by and that big boy will be back by.

http://www.water-alliance.org/how-to-age-a-whitetail-deer-in-the-field/

 

[Bear44]

I believe I'd take one of them this year and allow the other an opportunity to mature. If you take one have him age tested. Also is this archery only hunting? Being it's in Fulton county I would say probably not hunted much if any at all. Hunters tend to overlook hunting close to metropolitan areas because it's in their mind it's the city. I've read some very good articles on suburban bucks in Fulton and Cobb counties with some nice record setting bucks being taken.i think I would be looking into who owns the other land you saw the buck on and maybe leasing it for long-term hunting . Good luck, look forward to hearing about your hunts.

I'm thinking the same thing about taking one and letting the other walk. Age testing will tell me a lot about this herd. The other property is not available. I already know that.

 

[GeauxLSU]

If you REALLY want to see that big buck again during the season and have him present an easy shot, just go ahead and fill your 2 buck tags early.