# Best 7 or 8 point culls



## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

Lets see some.


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

Culled this eight point, didn't want him to pass on his inferior jeans.


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

Culled this eight, wouldn't want him out breeding.


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

dang nice deer gentlemen-- please keep 'em coming


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

Giants 8s are awesome....just don't see too many going over 150".

Nice deer fellas!!


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Nice bucks doggies!!


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## Hammerhead79 (Jan 13, 2013)




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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

One of my best friends "culled" this 8 point on a low fence ranch in Freer... I was told 160 & change!!


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## gm (Jun 26, 2004)

Stud, for sure. Love the nail holes in the wall!


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

All nice deer!


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

I'm not to sure about culling all 7-8 points.. We like big eights on the ranch they tend to surprise us more times than not.. We don't cull many bucks at all before they are at least 5 years old and if they have a good frame it's usually very old.. 

I'm not sold on an 8 point making more 8 points or even staying an 8. Our management bucks are taken by age more than points.. We will leave all 140-150 8 point at 5-7 years old if they bread a doe out of a 16" wide 20 point and the 8 point has 10-12" tines and 25" wide what do you think the offspring will look like? Big frames no matter how many points we give years of opertunity to prove them self. They will surprise you. It's pretty much written everywhere " shoot the 8s" half of the trophies we shoot were big 8s at one time ... We see lots of tens turn into 8s at 4-6 years old them go back to being 10-15 points plus at our opinion of mature. Just saying.. Many many culls taken could turn into a deer of a lifetime with age and patience.


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## bklem (May 12, 2006)

broadonrod said:


> I'm not to sure about culling all 7-8 points.. We like big eights on the ranch they tend to surprise us more times than not.. We don't cull many bucks at all before they are at least 5 years old and if they have a good frame it's usually very old..
> 
> I'm not sold on an 8 point making more 8 points or even staying an 8. Our management bucks are taken by age more than points.. We will leave all 140-150 8 point at 5-7 years old if they bread a doe out of a 16" wide 20 point and the 8 point has 10-12" tines and 25" wide what do you think the offspring will look like? Big frames no matter how many points we give years of opertunity to prove them self. They will surprise you. It's pretty much written everywhere " shoot the 8s" half of the trophies we shoot were big 8s at one time ... We see lots of tens turn into 8s at 4-6 years old them go back to being 10-15 points plus at our opinion of mature. Just saying.. Many many culls taken could turn into a deer of a lifetime with age and patience.


If I hadn't seen so much evidence from your videos and pictures I wouldn't believe it. What y'all do is simply amazing. It is like management on steroids but it definitely works.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks! Here is a typical 8 point maybe 140ish. 6 years old. Without introduced genetics high or low fence who would cull him.. He is 6-7 years old in the picture we guessed at the time.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Notice the ear


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

broadonrod said:


> I'm not to sure about culling all 7-8 points.. We like big eights on the ranch they tend to surprise us more times than not.. We don't cull many bucks at all before they are at least 5 years old and if they have a good frame it's usually very old..
> 
> I'm not sold on an 8 point making more 8 points or even staying an 8. Our management bucks are taken by age more than points.. We will leave all 140-150 8 point at 5-7 years old if they bread a doe out of a 16" wide 20 point and the 8 point has 10-12" tines and 25" wide what do you think the offspring will look like? Big frames no matter how many points we give years of opertunity to prove them self. They will surprise you. It's pretty much written everywhere " shoot the 8s" half of the trophies we shoot were big 8s at one time ... We see lots of tens turn into 8s at 4-6 years old them go back to being 10-15 points plus at our opinion of mature. Just saying.. Many many culls taken could turn into a deer of a lifetime with age and patience.


 Well said, I let em all get to at least 51/2, regardless of points, most bucks if allowed to mature will be a trophy.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

That old song "It Takes Two to Make a Buck Grow Right... It Takes Two to Make Him Out of Sight" comes to mind. LOL

Before we lost the low fenced ranch I managed this year, we tried to only cull old deer and 3+ year old spikes and forkies. We made alot of progress in the last few years until the ranch sold (partly thanks to us).


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## bh96 (Jan 15, 2012)

Culled this one last year.


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## Buscadero (Oct 22, 2010)

East Texas deer a few years back...


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

Anyone else? Brett anymore 8's that blow our minds or exploded a year or 2 later. These are some nice 8's guys.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Friendswoodmatt said:


> Anyone else? Brett anymore 8's that blow our minds or exploded a year or 2 later. These are some nice 8's guys.


We do see alot of them blow up. Lots of deer that were big 8s and 9s have tirned into very nice bucks. We had one 8 point at 4 years old turn into a 9 at 5 and 6 years old at 7 years old we took the buck as an 18 point with 2 small drops and scored 181. We had another buck that was a really nice 145-150 8 point upto 6 years old at 7 -8 years old he was a nine and then a 13 point the lease member was going to take him that season as a 165 b&c and the buck broke a tine, the next season at 9 years old the buck turned into a 20 point scoring 185 If i rember right. Ill post pics later of buck that have been taken that anywhere I have ever hunted before would have been culled. A couple of 7s have surprised us. We don't leave many typical 7s most of them that end up being a nice deer were 7 points because of an injury. I have some pics of a pretty cool deer that was a slick 7 for a couple of years and will say he was lucky to ever get to the age he is now. He was left alive last season and hopefully breeding  and could end up a trophy buck at some point. I think spending enough time on the ranch to try and watch and recognize as many if the regular bucks as possible is very important. Having alot of buck and trying to follow them through the years is alot of fun and a challenge in its self to keep up with.

Everyone has a different idea as to what a trophy is on a deer lease. Some like tall, some like wide, some like drops and so on. My roll on our place is to try and get every lease member the opertunity of a deer they always dreamed of and like I said everyone is looking for different characteristics. 
I think most deer culling rules where written with the goal to raise a "book deer" not a gross scoring deer or a deer that just ends up being a cool buck with a lot of character. If a ranch is trying to raise just typical bucks that net B&C our plan may not be to appealing we don't focus on that although last season we feel sure 6 bucks we passed would have netted the book. Shooting the bucks at the age we shoot them they tend to grow alot of trash. Most of our typical "book" deer are seen at 5-7 years old and may gross mid 170s-low 180s after that age they usually grow drops, kickers, split browtines and things like that. They will get more mass and shorter tines many times but stay in the same score range just trashy.. We have really let alot if good deer walk over the years letting the ranch finish itself out but the end results is enough bucks as a "deer lease" to satisfy all the hunters. The only ones that usually don't get a buck like David and my wife last season have just become too picky but that's a good problem to have when trying to raise monsters. 
I'm getting long winded here.. Over all I would say many if not most of our trophy bucks would have been culled on most ranches. We look for several reasons to pass the buck instead of a reason to remove the buck from the heard. That is prob the best thing we have learned over the years , second is we don't ever focus on taking the biggest buck on the ranch we focus on taking the oldest bucks on the ranch to assure the genetics don't fade out and end up with 10 hunters all empty handed and 1 happy one.. Man I hope this makes since I'm writing this from my phone .. Anyway that's just our 2cents and I know it's not typical but seems to make since to us now.. Ill get some pictures up of some of the bucks that were 7-9 points that turned into really nice trophies. Deer season is just around the corner and I know all our members are getting pretty pumped! 
Brett


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## PortATrout (Aug 15, 2005)

broadonrod said:


> I'm not to sure about culling all 7-8 points.. We like big eights on the ranch they tend to surprise us more times than not.. We don't cull many bucks at all before they are at least 5 years old and if they have a good frame it's usually very old..
> 
> I'm not sold on an 8 point making more 8 points or even staying an 8. Our management bucks are taken by age more than points.. We will leave all 140-150 8 point at 5-7 years old if they bread a doe out of a 16" wide 20 point and the 8 point has 10-12" tines and 25" wide what do you think the offspring will look like? Big frames no matter how many points we give years of opertunity to prove them self. They will surprise you. It's pretty much written everywhere " shoot the 8s" half of the trophies we shoot were big 8s at one time ... We see lots of tens turn into 8s at 4-6 years old them go back to being 10-15 points plus at our opinion of mature. Just saying.. Many many culls taken could turn into a deer of a lifetime with age and patience.


X100 I have seen a ranch completely destroyed by shooting all of the so called mature 8 pointers. That 5 year old 145" 8 pointer may look real nice in 2 years with longer tines, more mass and a couple of 6" drops on each side!


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Here is that 8 point I posted above after a couple of years he has 2 small g-4s a 5-1/2" split on the back G-2 and double drops at what we figured 8-9 years old.. There was not a tooth in his head. We see this happen a lot when they get to this age.. Even much better ill get some more pics up.


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## chrigging (Aug 10, 2012)

130" slick 5yr old 8


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## bad bob (Oct 27, 2005)

*8 Points*

8 points taken in LaSalle county by my 11 yr old.


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## dabossgonzo (Mar 5, 2010)

*stud*

"Love the nail holes in the wall!"

I have them ******* stud finders onsale for 9.99 right now.... how many should I put you down for?


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

PortATrout said:


> X100 I have seen a ranch completely destroyed by shooting all of the so called mature 8 pointers. That 5 year old 145" 8 pointer may look real nice in 2 years with longer tines, more mass and a couple of 6" drops on each side!


Lol great guess! That's what this one did plus H-4s and 5" kicker/split 2


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## POC Troutman (Jul 13, 2009)

8 i took off a low fence north of Laredo off Mines Rd north of the Camino Columbia. 22 4/8" outside, 11 7/8" & 11 4/8" g2's


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## chrigging (Aug 10, 2012)

^^^^nice


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## PortATrout (Aug 15, 2005)

Here is a mature 8 that most might shoot as a management deer or cull. No way will he get shot this year. He is already starting to show signs of kickers on his G2. No telling what he will look like in a couple more years.


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

Yea I subscribe to the theory that once an 8 not always an eight. I have heard of a lot of guys culling 2-3 year old 8's and only letting the young 10's walk-- I guess from what I am hearing the secret is to let them allo get old-- yea u may lose some tine length, but you will pick up mass and sometimes they will explode-- all in all some great 8's here guys. Keep em coming


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## Robert Stuart (May 23, 2011)

PortATrout said:


> Here is a mature 8 that most might shoot as a management deer or cull. No way will he get shot this year. He is already starting to show signs of kickers on his G2. No telling what he will look like in a couple more years.


I love big framed deer! As well as 8 points


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## Calfroper81 (Nov 4, 2012)

Brett thanks for your input I really enjoyed reading all u have to say and seeing all the pictures that u posted last year. You have some awesome deer and u can tell u really enjoy what u do and seeing them grow up. Keep up the good work. 
JW


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## Wompam (Mar 6, 2012)

I took this 7 point a few years back in Webb county.


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## Wompam (Mar 6, 2012)

We passed this "8" point the year prior as a low 70's 10 point. We weren't a drought and under aged the buck. When I harvested him the following year he pushed 60" as was toothless.


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## EddieBaasen (Jun 7, 2011)

Here is a main frame 8 that was actually a main frame 10 last year with all the same kickers. He will be taken this year as long as he shows, he's always been elusive during season.


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## Ruthless53 (Jul 6, 2007)

The one on the wall is still my favorite deer. Something about an 8 with great symetry gets me! As far as culls this is a monster 6 point killed on our ranch 2 or 3 years ago. He must have come down the river as nobody had ever seen him before. I saw him one night while looking for another deer and sent this "kid" out the next night to take him. 6 1/2 year old that scored around 136" if i remember correctly. That 16 year old "kid" is 6'3" and 260 lbs. Had a huge roman nose as well. For his first buck that is a heck of a trophy in my book! These are panhandle deer and we have alot of kansas genetics. Big body deer with alot of mass. Family low fence ranch with close to 5k acres.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Wompam said:


> View attachment 766890
> 
> We passed this "8" point the year prior as a low 70's 10 point. We weren't a drought and under aged the buck. When I harvested him the following year he pushed 60" as was toothless.


 We see that exact same thing happen to every one of these old bucks Richie.. The tend to show a nice head many times then fall off and loose points. I think most blame age on that when what I believe is after watching and patterning the deer they tend to have there worst set of horns or at least a big fall after the following year of their strongest rut. For example I have seen bucks fight to the point all the tines are broken by seasons end, they are stabbed up and cut up. They still have to make a living everyday through the hot summer with infections and wounds that may take the entire year to heal that takes a lot from their body just trying to outrun coyotes and survive all year . Most of the bucks on the ranches I have hunted on in the past would have shot the deer for declining when actually the deer was at his peek of his life but not horns. I have seen 180s 6-7 years old 13-15 points fall to a 145-150 9 point after a nasty rutting year at 8 years old and come back the following year at 9 years old with 22 formed points/ 18 score able and jump to over 200" The decline on the 7-9 year old bucks is going to happen but we see a major percent of them make an incredible jump of gross inches at the extreme ages of 9-10 years old. We don't mind at all seeing the bucks fall off for a year at these ages those are the bucks we are looking for the following year. I think that bucks at 5-7 years old are like linebackers and their bodies are taking the protein in and once the bodies start to fall it all goes to the head and a lot of people tend to agree with that but we are not seeing the bodies take a true dive until 8-10 years old with the proper nutrition that's where we see different opinions with most we talk about deer to. I think some ranches over think a lot. Give the deer an opportunity and many times they will completely blow your mind. Once you shoot them there is no refunds that deer is gone. The more patience you have the bigger deer you will grow that's for sure.. Patience are harder to find than the deer most often


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

This buck was a 9 point in the 140s for several years. He was taken at around 10 years old as a 18 point and scores 183-185 cant exactly recall. He never scored over 160 until 10 years old.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

This buck was a 9 point the year before and taken at 9 years old. He fell from a low 180 to a high 140- low 150 at 8 years old after hard rut,then back up to a 205" and made the book at 198 with 18 points. We talked about shooting him as a management deer the year he fell off







You never know what they will do...


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Here is a deer that got lucky we didn't see him while we were hunting him to take him out of the breed cycle and the next year he grew a 2" drop but still a main frame 7 point. Here is a pic last year and we let him keep doing what he has been doing.. This is a 7 point frame as far as I'm concerned could just die of old age on our place.


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## T.C. (May 7, 2009)

This was a straight up 8 (maybe 140" ish) at 4 1/2 years old...he had one 2" kicker off his G2.

We let him live and he turned into this:


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## T.C. (May 7, 2009)

still an "8 pointer" with lots of trash


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Wow, what a buck. Time to take that one!


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## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

^^^ beauty!


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

T.C. said:


> still an "8 pointer" with lots of trash


 That is what I'm talking about.. How old is he there?


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## T.C. (May 7, 2009)

broadonrod said:


> That is what I'm talking about.. How old is he there?


6 1/2, he was a cool deer!!! We let him die naturally. We drop netted him the year after this pic was taken and he was 203", had a bad drought that year so he wasn't as big as these pics.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

T.C. said:


> 6 1/2, he was a cool deer!!! We let him die naturally. We drop netted him the year after this pic was taken and he was 203", had a bad drought that year so he wasn't as big as these pics.


That is a great example of what an 8 can do..

Here is another nice buck that was a 140 slick 8 point for a couple of years then put a split G2 on for 2 years then was taken at 8-9 years old. He became narrower than ever but heavier than ever at the same time. he grew the drop and split on both sides and added the bonus point in front. I think he was right at 170 here..


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## NWcurlew (Mar 9, 2012)

Here are a couple of our big 8's. These were last years pictures. The one on the right actually grew a ninth point last year and the one on the left, I hunted for but when he came out I elected to pass and give him another year..


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

NWcurlew said:


> Here are a couple of our big 8's. These were last years pictures. The one on the right actually grew a ninth point last year and the one on the left, I hunted for but when he came out I elected to pass and give him another year..


Nice.. Here is another 8 we ended up taking that blew up the next year. We watched this buck for 3 years and he exploded into a 15 point officially grossing 187 from a 145 class 8 with 2 kickers the year before this 8 was 6 years old in the picture and 7 years old when taken.


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## capt.sandbar (Aug 31, 2007)

Leon County 2012 - 19.5" inside - 3.5 years


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## Wompam (Mar 6, 2012)

*Texas*

Never hung out over here much, more of a fishing fix, this thread rocks, we have awesome genetics n Texas!!


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## thomas78 (Nov 10, 2008)

Great pictures! Just wish I was on a place that if I passed on any of these they would still be alive the following year. To many happy triggers around my lease.


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## T.C. (May 7, 2009)

thomas78 said:


> Great pictures! Just wish I was on a place that if I passed on any of these they would still be alive the following year. To many happy triggers around my lease.


I hear that...I would say its almost a different sport. I wish more were educated and civil to let these guys meet maturity.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

You have to find guys who don't "need" to kill a trophy to them every year to justify the money they spend and believe in what you are doing. Not easy to do usually.


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## grayson (Oct 21, 2011)

Haute Pursuit said:


> You have to find guys who don't "need" to kill a trophy to them every year to justify the money they spend and believe in what you are doing. Not easy to do usually.


X2 and Ditto


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## BabyBear24 (Feb 5, 2013)

Deer was 7-8yrs old. Had another crab claw on left beam to make him a 9. Took 3 yrs to see him in person and he just got heavier every year.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

BabyBear24 said:


> View attachment 768465
> 
> Deer was 7-8yrs old. Had another crab claw on left beam to make him a 9. Took 3 yrs to see him in person and he just got heavier every year.


That is a nice one! Really heavy! Congrats! Brett


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

*Some Great Info In This Thread.*

A couple that were shot and a couple that were not.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

That first one is super nice!


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

8 point


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Well I understand things can change. We have been shooting mature 8's for years and the good thing is we are seeing fewer and fewer 8's. Now mostly all 10's and some 12's. Saying that there is nothing wrong with a good main 8. Thats why here are fords and chevys. Also you let a big ole 10 get some years on him like yall do 8's and see what he does.


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## mansfieldcrazy32 (Jun 27, 2007)

8 pt I culled last year! He was a 10 the year before.


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## Cynoscion (Jun 4, 2009)

Here's one I killed many moons ago. I look like a kid in the photo. Oh the good old days! He was 158 1/8" gross and had a busted brow. Probably would have been 162 or so early in the season.


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## mrsh978 (Apr 24, 2006)

*brush*



Wompam said:


> Never hung out over here much, more of a fishing fix, this thread rocks, we have awesome genetics n Texas!!


 ....there is more to south texas than trout.....


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

Sweet horns everyone,very nice...thanks for posting the pictures.


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## Fish Specialist (Aug 20, 2012)

Not exactly a "cull" since he is the best buck we've taken off our 100 acres in Alabama. He was aged at 8.5. My best buck ever.....









Chased this one last year in Ohio. He was 9 years old last year. Pretty sure a neighbor wacked him. It was his 2nd year of decline. Saw him 3 seasons ago as a 10. He would have gone 165" then.

I estimated him at 148 here..


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## tombomb (Jul 14, 2012)

I think a lot has to do with what is being fed when the deer is growing his antlers. I agree on ranches that feed a ton of protein in the off season letting some eights grow maybe the best choice. But on ranches that let deer grow naturally with none or little summer feeding that eight may never get the added nutrients nor have the genetics to grow into much more. Just my two cents.


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

Along those same lines, you may have a drought year and shoot bucks that have declined to eights that may put on a load of bone the following year with good spring rain and plenty of food. In others words, I believe people actually shoot their trophies in dry years as management bucks. What to do ? What to do?



tombomb said:


> I think a lot has to do with what is being fed when the deer is growing his antlers. I agree on ranches that feed a ton of protein in the off season letting some eights grow maybe the best choice. But on ranches that let deer grow naturally with none or little summer feeding that eight may never get the added nutrients nor have the genetics to grow into much more. Just my two cents.


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## Grande Venado (Aug 11, 2005)

One from the neighbors ranch and the other from our lease several years ago.


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## Woodrow (Jun 17, 2004)

A lot of great pictures here, keep the pics of these big 7's & 8's coming! However, I see very few "culls" (i.e. bucks that are at or near what I would presume to be the bottom of their age class)...I'd also like to see some big bodied mature bucks with <100" of antler...or giant 4's, 5's, & 6's.

I'll dig for some of my pics....


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

This bucks Age/score= cull on our place.. Starting with the smallest , oldest buck has been our plan on management. This old sucker will be taken this season if he shows back up. 
Brett


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## Soapeddler (Jun 18, 2006)

Last day of the season - 2009 - 2010

El Indio - Maverick County


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## Bill C (May 23, 2004)

broadonrod said:


> This bucks Age/score= cull on our place.. Starting with the smallest , oldest buck has been our plan on management. This old sucker will be taken this season if he shows back up.
> Brett
> View attachment 790801


How old is that fellow? He looks old but still in reasonably good shape.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Bill C said:


> How old is that fellow? He looks old but still in reasonably good shape.


Heck I'm not sure prob 10 -12 he is old for sure.. It takes feed to keep those old bucks in shape.. We have an old buck like this one that has been an 11 and 12 point the last 8 years and he looks to be a 16 point this year.. It takes feed to keep those old suckers healthy for sure. Brett


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

I have a picture of a couple more really old 8 points and an old 10 ill try and get loaded later.. Seeing those super old bucks is pretty cool.. Makes you wonder how they make it so long in the environment they have to live in..


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## elkhunter49 (Jun 7, 2004)

This thread proves that your never to old to learn something. I've never considered myself an expert but I've read for years that deer peaked at 5 1/2 to 6 1/2. So much for the experts. Nothing beats time in the field vs time behind a keyboard. Thanks everyone for all the great photos and for sharing your observations. Baker


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Here's one we hunted for 3 years and grandson got him last year.Antlers basically never changed. (protein fed)


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