Larger Bucks This Year?

I agree alot of really nice bucks are being taken.

 

Cant say i've noticed.. There are big bucks shot in Michigan ever year. With technology more and more people are just sharing now I would assume.

 

It's taken time and yes social media has brought it to our attention but the simple reality is that more people are passing bucks than ever before. The trend will continue as more and more people decide they want to be in the hero shot. Some of the die hard meat hunters will hold on but they like big racks, even if they aren't vocal about it.

A 110-120 inch buck while still very very respectable isn't what it used to be when you also have guys like Walt and Terrific_Tom that move the bar a little higher each season. Those bucks aren't a Michigan Myth anymore and can be attainable.

 

I will believe if I get to hang one! There have been some bruisers.

 

I'll say I have seen more nice bucks on trail camera this year than I ever have in my life. I've hunted this property for probably 15 years now, and the buck crop I've got this year is way beyond anything I've ever seen.

But, I don't get excited about one-offs. This change will have to continue before I'm ready to congratulate anything.

 

People are starting to voluntarily pass smaller bucks. Not just one and a half year olds. That is why I say voluntarily getting Hunters to do something is better than forcing them to do something. You know Hunters are starting to voluntary past the smaller two and a half and three and a half year old bucks and the results are becoming better and better for everybody. Keep up the good work

 

I didn't know Walt was such a needle mover!!!

*furiously takes notes

 

You'd be wise to listen to Walt. His hinge cutting after dark idea turned out to be a great move after I was healed up.

 

I personally have more bucks however they are young.

 

Tom’s buck was from Wisconsin.

This topic seems like it’s been brought up for the last couple years. People passing bucks surely plays a role but I think social media has a lot to do with it too. MI Buckpole has only been around for the last couple years. Before that, there wasn’t really 1 single place you could see bucks from all over the state. You had to do some digging before. Now they pop right up on your news feed every day. Add to that, the last couple winters have been fairly mild so we’re seeing a little better antler growth for every age class.

 

I have thought that every year about Michigan for many years now. It certainly could be social media, but I do believe every year better quality bucks are being consistently shot due to trigger restraint on young bucks by more and more hunters.

 

This year I have not got many good Bucks last year I had 8 different 8 points wide short length, tall but not wide, and 2 standard 8's past the ears and 1 12 it had a sticker & split brow tine had several videos of all of them last year, the 12 was a first I have got with a sticker. This year back in July I had 2 decent 8's liked to be twins but only had them in 2 videos and none since. The ones that seem to try and be the boss bucks 1 is a 5 which is wide, 2 on 1 side 3 on the other well past it's ears but not brow tines, another tall fork 4 point and a basket 8 not even past it's ears! several spikes from 3 inch long to 7 inch long and smaller ones maybe 2 inch. 1 6 past it's ears with brow tines and large wide forks. Nothing like last year... Did see a decent 8 120 yards on the property north of me last Sunday but other than that not many other good bucks. But each and every year things change bucks move out others pushed out and some find a better food sources and move away. All you can do is hope you are there when the Good Buck offers you the shot and you make that shot! Had several of these bucks sparring, a first for me to capture bucks pushing each other around but that was back in late September. Hope things turn around but it is hunting not getting... More being at the right place at the right time and you get the opportunity to take the shot...
Newaygo1

 

More people are definitely passing younger bucks which is great and for sure makes a difference, and yes I agree, I have gotten alot more pictures of older bucks on trail cam this year than other years before

 

I grew up hunting in Southern Michigan (lenawee county) and I always thought the southern part of the state had all the big deer. I then made my way up to Clare county and started hunting about 5 or 6 years ago. I found that my initial thought was wrong and there were indeed good numbers of trophy deer there as well. The past 2 seasons I've been hunting in mason county. I swore there were only spikes and forks there from weekend trips up there for thanksgiving. I too have also been proven wrong on that. I have more 8 pointers there than anywhere I've ever hunted before. Michigan is coming along. Not at it's full potential or at a very fast rate but it's coming around.