What is the average score of a buck at his peak?

[AntlerObsession]

This question plagues me as I determine the quality, and maturity of the bucks I am seeing. Is the 95" buck I see indicative of a mature buck at it's peak? Is he indicative of a buck who is just starting to come into his own, and will get bigger, smarter by next season?

 

The 100" mark is the magic number for a true "trophy", but is that really indicative of what truly mature bucks are out there, too smart to be harvested? I wanted to keep this poll specific to Coues north of the border, but would love to hear in replies what people consider to be average mature buck size south as well.

 

Thanks for your input!

[soazarcher]

Not as big as most folks think.

 

Some bucks will live their entire life, and never reach 100" of antler.

 

I held a deer in Sonora that I felt was an absolute dinosaur, and he grossed 88".

[couesdiehard]

I voted 95 inches for the AVERAGE score of a buck at his peak in AZ. But I think some of that has to do with their prime being cut short too often especially nowadays. Plus I agree that many bucks simply don't have the genetics to ever reach 100 inches.

[pwrguy]

+1 I think a lot depends on the genetics of a particular area. Mid 90s seems to be pretty common, although looking through binocs, it is hard to guess the age of the deer, and depradation could play a large role on what age an "adult" buck is.

 

 

 

I voted 95 inches for the AVERAGE score of a buck at his peak in AZ. But I think some of that has to do with their prime being cut short too often especially nowadays. Plus I agree that many bucks simply don't have the genetics to ever reach 100 inches.

[Benbrown]

+1 I think a lot depends on the genetics of a particular area. Mid 90s seems to be pretty common, although looking through binocs, it is hard to guess the age of the deer, and depradation could play a large role on what age an "adult" buck is.

 

 

 

I voted 95 inches for the AVERAGE score of a buck at his peak in AZ. But I think some of that has to do with their prime being cut short too often especially nowadays. Plus I agree that many bucks simply don't have the genetics to ever reach 100 inches.

On the ranch that I used to manage here in New Mexico, the average green score for mature (4 1/2 + years of age) was probably a little over 100, say 102 or so. That average would be for 4-7 bucks each year for ten years. If I find the time to dig out my field notebooks that have the measurements, I will run a quick average and post again. It was rare for a buck in that age range to score less than 95 and most were at 100 or a a few inches more. Of course, the sample wasn't random: people were holding out for "big ones". We had one that scored 117+ after the mandatory drying period and another that was in the low 120s...