I'm a life long bird hunter that prefers Duck over anything else. Last year I got the opportunity to go Deer hunting with a friend that I have taken Duck hunting for years. Well, sitting in a blind for day and a half while 24 degrees I shot an OK 8 point. It was so much fun and we loved eating the Venison through the year so this year I actually got my own Deer lease. A bonus I can hunt Duck, Hogs, Turkey, and Quail on it too.

Because I got the lease so late I've been a little behind getting ready. Just last Thursday I got the blind, feeders, and all the game cams installed. Back in Teal season I did put one game cam out with some corn just on the ground. So I already have some Deer pics, but with two feeders going now and game cam on each I should have better pics shortly.

The lease manager has a rule that Deer needs to be 4.5 yo and this is a 13" county. I think I'll be able to judge the 13", my 8 point last year was 14" inside in a non-regulation county, so that gives me a good comparison. I can tell if a buck is younger or older, but I can't tell you if he's at least 4.5 yo. This is low fence area and about the biggest bucks I've heard from this area are 140". Guess I would be thrilled with a 120-140", but shouldn't pass on a 140" because I don't think there are many bigger here.

Here are some of my game cam pics so far, let me know if any recommendations, I will post better pics over the next month. Thank you!

Good looking bunch of bucks you have there. Looks like you'll have a few to choose from when the time comes.

Your looking pretty good for season. I saw 2 or 3 deer in there that wouldn't walk. Lots of luck this season.

Looks like a nice ten point in there

top center of pic #3, right?

This seems unreasonable to me. What happens if you shoot one that isn't 4.5?

I don't know. Lease manager seems well intentioned and nice, just intense about the management. Pretty knowledgeable, but seems a little bit of a challenge because everything low fence and this lease is only 1,500 acres with other owners all around managing their own way. My lease is only 250 acres of the 1,500. Supposed to send in the lower jaw of all Deer and also pretty severe warning not to shoot any nub Deer. As a new Deer hunter I will be OK with the 13" regulation and if its a nice rack I will go for it unless obvious its young. What scares me is when I go to take a Doe, I really need to research how to tell from a nub. Lease manager said only way was to be VERY close, but I think most of my shots will be 100+ yards.

I would go to him and be honest. tell him you are fairly new and not good at aging deer.. ask him to give you some pointers. That way if you shot something under 4yrs you can blame it on his teaching! lol.

I wouldn't worry about the nubbin vs. doe thing too much. There shouldn't be many button bucks to begin with and what are out there will be yearlings so you should be able to tell the difference pretty easily.

those were some nice deer