Correct. The rub lines are not primary from velvet but once it starts coming off they will use trees and stuff too. But your statement is note correct than mine. It also has to do with S Ga still has lots of AG. Most of SC has very little ag above i20 except cows and poultry.
Ag does have a lot to do with it but yet, not all ag areas will produce bucks like that. Case in point is our land. Lots of ag around here but the big bucks are few and far between.
How much pressure is there in your area? Lots of hunters around you? I have ~140ac of corn/soybeans on bordering land, not to mention all the other nearby crops, but there have been times where bigger antlers are scarce. Increased hunting/human pressure has been a factor during those times. There were still "average" bucks and some nice ones, but no slungers to be seen. Genetics maybe?
A coworker of mine is from southern Illinois. Not really big buck part of the state but here bigger here. But until like 5 years ago he had never killed a decent buck. Why cause he and his buddies and family in the orange army went out every 3 day shotguns season to kill, didn't matter what they just killed. When he started bow hunting so he could pic the time better and avoid the crowd and started being more selective and smarter he has started killing and seeing more deer! He is not really in big farm country there but it is farmed, and way more than here!
Yes, unfortunately we have too many hunters around us now. However, even before the big influx of hunters, we just were not able to raise big bucks here. Well, occasionally there is one big one but not too often. Here's one that went through when I was not home... It is hard to make out but one of my blinds is in the background. That would have been an easy 40 yard shot from the blind.
That one is grown. !! If that one grew more can. Hunters though...if they shoot at brown no matter what it will never happen
I never saw that buck nor did any of the neighbors. That is amazing. Hope he is still walking and walks right up to me next month!
A buddy just sent me this off one of his cams. He's distraught because it is near his 11 year olds stand and not his!
Every time I see something like that is either just before opening time or just after closing time. Unless I am in town then the dang big ones are running everywhere.
No clem.......that things part reindeer. It's got paddles lmao It's got trash all over. I'd name him dumpster. I'd love to shoot it and hate to have to score it.
The guy had hunted this deer last year. Yep, that's all horns. He is a bit twisted up. Really wants to take the deer, but wants to see his son get it also. It had a drop tine on its rack last year that went away.