Which buck?

[EliAGrimmett]

You're a trophy hunter and you're hunting for the best scoring buck. You see these three bucks, but only from the side view while they walk slowly away from you - which buck do you shoot?

As usual, if you've seen or recognize these bucks your guesses don't count.

 

[Oak]

Second buck looks like he has a ton of mass, and awesome prongs. I would choose him.

Think I might recognize the third buck though, and if so, I may have made the wrong choice.

 

[jabber]

I am liking the third one myself, but it might take a couple of shots to get that doe out of the way first.

 

[fowladdict]

I'm guessing to the untrained eye *mine* that these bucks are within a couple of inches of each other. But I think Buck 1 would would win my 130 grain core-lokt in the lungs.

Buck 1 seems to lack the mass the others have, but the length is there and those prongs look decieving. They look longer than the others because they appear to curl in.

 

[Big Fin]

I am probably shooting the first one I see, of those three. I am with Oak, the second one has mass and prongs that would cause me to shoot him, if they were all three standing side by side.

From these angles, it is hard to tell the attributes of each of them. I suspect they are all lunkers, but from the photos, the middle one removes any doubt that you might be shooting something you would regret. Other angles of the first and third bucks would probably provide the same comfort.

 

[----]

Second for me. Simply has more wow factor than the other two.
From the angle though it looks like he might have one side a bit bigger than the other.
They're all three monsters though.

 

[mhungerford]

Second one for me too. he has mass and that goes along ways. done deal for me..

 

[Cornell2012]

I'd take the third one, although other responses show I might be making a mistake...

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

I'm going to go with #1 - he don't look too bad...

 

[JoseCuervo]

Buck #2, a "classic" look, plus I like the fact he doesn't have a fence in the background....

 

[Sytes]

Not sure if that is fence... Odd property lines if so... Maybe, who knows. (Bah, gotta be a fence...) #1 and #3 pics from same location?

For the buck... As a few others stated I would be happy with any though think #2 has that crosshair if I happened upon such luck of all three in the same area... Mostly 'cause it is standing still...

 

[Carl]

From those pictures, #2 for me.

 

[The Hedgehog]

It's a total guess, but I'll say #3.

 

[Lawnboy]

I'm going with number 1. I think he's bigger than he really looks.

 

[schmalts]

#2 for me, I just like the mass look

 

[Backcountryhunter]

#2, love the mass on that bad boy.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

I would shoot number two since they are all trophy size it's all which one you like

 

[the nikster]

Originally I thought #2 because of all the mass but I have since relented.
The question was not 'which one do you like best(#2) but which scores the most points.
The mass throws me a little but I think the length on #3 wins total pts.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

OK, here's what we have:

9 votes for buck #2
3 votes for buck #1
3 votes for buck #3

I didn't really expect this result - I actually didn't know what to expect before posting, but this is definitely interesting.

If you guys were to see some harvest photos you may recognize two of the bucks...

Buck #1



Buck #3


Both of these bucks are two of the heaviest bucks in history while buck #1 is also about 18 inches long.

Buck #3 was taken by Mike Gallo in NM on the very first NM auction tag and scores 92 2/8 B&C.

Buck #2 was one of several bucks in the running with buck #1 for the 2008 AZ auction tag. In the end we chose buck #1 over all the others and it officially scored 94 4/8 B&C.

As far as what buck #2 scores - we have no idea. To our knowledge no one ever harvested him.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Wow that is about as hard is it gets. I would shoot any of them. With the angles that we see and my first instincts would be #2, the mass is just awesome. But I would really like to see more angles of #1. If I had another angle I think I might like him a bit more. He just looks like an old mature buck.

*Looks like I as a little late on the post. But glad to see #1 looked better then I thought.