Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: lokidog on June 26, 2016, 09:04:48 PM

Title: Found my target!
Post by: lokidog on June 26, 2016, 09:04:48 PM: Saw this guy today in a neighbor's yard. Luckily, he stuck around for me to go get my camera. This is by far the largest bodied deer I have seen here or even on Lopez Island. Looks like he will end up a 3X4 with the little knob starting on the back of his left side.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: Timberstalker on June 26, 2016, 09:06:13 PM: He's a big bodied deer! Cannot believe how deep his chest is.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: MLBowhunting on June 26, 2016, 09:10:51 PM: Great buck
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: lokidog on June 26, 2016, 09:37:37 PM: A couple from my back yard, no mashers, but I think I see some genetics from a buck we got a few years back we called Tall Boy.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: 7mmfan on June 26, 2016, 10:02:11 PM: His ears are funny, sticking straight out like that. Are they always that way?
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: lokidog on June 26, 2016, 10:18:02 PM: Quote from: 7mmfan on June 26, 2016, 10:02:11 PM
His ears are funny, sticking straight out like that. Are they always that way?

They went back when he was feeding. We had one doe here for a few years we called Donkey Doe, her ears were always drooping like Eeyore. We never saw her with a fawn and decided to take her out the next season, but then she disappeared.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: jkthomps on June 27, 2016, 09:35:01 PM: I hope you are able to follow through and get photos of him through out the season to keep the rest of us jealous, uhm I mean excited for you ;).

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Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: ICEMAN on June 27, 2016, 09:42:41 PM: Nice find Loki!
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: fishnfur on June 27, 2016, 10:30:28 PM: Nice on Loki! That big boy's must be one of those Fidalgo deer that made the swim at ebb tide. ;)

He's a bruiser. He'll probably disappear around August 31st, and remain unseen till next summer. Looks like there's no shortage of bucks in 416 though.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: lokidog on June 28, 2016, 08:55:02 PM: I'll be honest, I do have mixed feelings about trying to take him out. It would be nice to broaden those genes into the gene pool. He has likely spread a few already though, unless he did just swim out here.

Have to fatten those other two up on apples behind the house. :drool: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 29, 2016, 07:35:13 AM: Nice find. :tup:
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: crowinghen on June 29, 2016, 08:08:08 AM: Quote from: lokidog on June 28, 2016, 08:55:02 PM
I'll be honest, I do have mixed feelings about trying to take him out. It would be nice to broaden those genes into the gene pool. He has likely spread a few already though, unless he did just swim out here.

Have to fatten those other two up on apples behind the house. :drool: :chuckle:

yeah that's a big bodied deer! It would be great to get some of that influence in the gene pool there.
Title: Re: Found my target!
Post by: fishnfur on June 29, 2016, 12:46:57 PM: Hey Lokidog - no worries about the gene pool. If you remember that article I posted last winter, the discussion section stated that on islands overpopulated with deer, insufficient maternal nutrition during pregnancy likely resulted in smaller mature buck sizes when they are fully grown. The deer have the genes to get large, they often just don't have the nutrition on the islands that they need to attain their genetic potential in regards to body size, especially when mom wasn't well fed while pregnant.

I'm pretty sure his pop or grandfather was a dominant buck, so there's probably quite a few siblings running around with the similar genes. If instead, this one was a swimmer, then there will be others down the road doing the same thing.

Giving him a year to walk and spread his genes a bit might improve the local gene pool and improve his rack size even more, but you might just see him in December on your neighbors barn too. >:(