MASS VS. WIDTH

OK. YOUR STANDING BEFORE A SMALL GROUP OF BUCKS, ALL WITHIN RANGE OF YOUR CHOSEN WEAPON. IN THE GROUP THERE IS A 4X4 THAT HAS SMALL CRAB PINCHER FRONTS, AND NICE, TALL, LONG TANGE BACKS. HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF MASS, BUT HE REACHES OUT ABOUT 33" IN WIDTH.
NEXT TO HIM IS A SUPER HEAVY 4X4 WITH REALLY WELL PURPORTIONED TANGES FRONT AND BACK. HIS HORNS ARE VERY DARK WITH MASS CARRIED THROUGH TO HIS TIPS. HE IS ONLY 26" WIDE.
WHICH ONE DO YOU TAKE???????
:-k ???
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a_bow_nut
For me I like a nice heavy set of antlers. Width is nice but it's not everything. Where I live most of the deer are those willowed horned deer running around so I want what we don't have many of.
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ridgetop
I have seen over a hundred bucks between 28-32" wide and alot of heavy 25-26" bucks but very few 33" 4 points in my life. So I would take the 33"er. Plus I have yet to shoot a buck over 30" but this year my freezer is once again empty, so I just mit shoot another meat buck. We will see.
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bigbuck92
id take the 26
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MuleyMadness
I'd take the heavy one myself, width would be cool. But the crab clawed description scared me off a bit. I like MASS and symmetry is nice if possible. :-k
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bigbuck92
agree
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hound_hunter
Thats not even a question for me - MASS all the way!! No joke, my number 1 dream trophy before I die (and I know it very well may never happen with the way things seem to keep goin muley wise) but my dream trophy is a very very heavy black horned muley. I worked at a taxidermist shop last summer and saw the trophy of my dreams!! decent width at probably 26 or 27 but this dudes mass was absolutely unreal! And carried right out to each tip. Also, darkest horned buck i ever seen. ill gladly and wishfully take mass over any other characteristic anyday!

(nice post here live2hunt)
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ridgetop
hound_hunter, don't be sooooo gloom. There are many,many,many,many big bucks to be had in Utah.
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hound_hunter
I appreciate your hope for me ridgetop, and many tell me the same thing - but i hike my tail off every season and am yet to harvest a buck bigger than last years, an almost 16" 3X4. Never even seen a buck bigger than this except dead ones other people shot.

I know they have to be out there somewhere, but for whatever reason my bad luck with muleys cancels out the time/miles i put in. haha.

btw: every deer ive taken so far has been on the last day of the hunt and also closer to evening time - I do hold out to the very last second every year then finally just take one for meat. Hopefully one of these days a big buck will consider my dues paid and he'll show just a glimpse of himself 4c

Oh - I want everyone to know im really not so negative on the subject. for some reason my writing turns out a lot more emotional than my true state of mind, haha. That 3X4 i got that year was an excellent trophy for me. Its my biggest deer by a long shot and I wouldnt give up the memory or harvesting of that hunt for anything, I dont have any regrets about any of the deer ive been lucky enough to take, but just hope that someday I can get a trophy worth keepin the antlers on.

Again great post you started LIVE2HUNT - thanks for the hope ridgetop - and happy hunting to all.

(lets keep this post goin too, so far everyone but ridgetop here would take mass - anyone gonna team up with his width choice? ya gotta admit, a realy wide buck like that does look freakin cool!)
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bigbuck92
hound_hunter i hope you get your dream buck this year and then youll have a great pics and a story to go along with it. hang in there buddy youll get him one of these days
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AGCHAWK
Mass, Mass, Mass!!!!!! Of course, a 30 incher would be AWESOME but if I had the choice ...(Boy, it would be nice just to HAVE the choice...LOL)
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hound_hunter
haha, yeah - I changed my mind. I dont care if I take either, i just want the opportunity to have the choice at either, thanks for letting me know how i truly feel agchawk
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hound_hunter
okay that last post was definately BS and it didnt take me long to figure it out, i want more than just the choice to pick - i still want that masive buck. haha

(even though having the choice would definately be an incredible experience in and of itself.. I definately want to harvest one. and truly I dont think in the heat of the moment i would be thinkgin "okay now which one do i want" id probably see the 33"ers horns looked bigger and fire shot after shot til i knew 200% sure he was down :222 :thumb
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Default Avatar
Given the chance I would shoot the heavy buck. 60 percent of a bucks score comes from it's fronts so if you have a symmetrical buck with good fronts decent backs and ton's of mass with a 26" or even 24" inside spread you could be looking at a 180 190 class deer. Last year my buddy shot a buck in a limited entry unit here in Idaho with a 22" inside spread that scored 187. All scores aside though I've never worried to much about spread. Personally my Dream buck is a tall, 4 point with good tine length and good mass. If I had one like that on the wall then maybe I could deal with this reoccuring dream of an old scarred up 34" double droptine buck with 30inches of nontypical points and scary mass!!! On second thought you can't beat the steaks you get from those 2 points! xcrossx
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dahlmer
Give me the mass. 33 inches would be tempting, you just don't see many bucks like that, but mass...aahhhh!
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dahlmer
Keep holding out Hound Hunter. Until last year my biggest buck was a spindly 20 inch 4 point with tiny little forks. Last year I lucked out and happend across a big 4 point opening morning...just stay patient.
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bowhunter 616
i would have to say for me it would be MASS or PASS :lame
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LIVE2HUNT
.........................WHAT IF THE HEAVY HORNED 4X4 IS ONLY 24" WIDE, AND THE OTHER BUCK PUSHES OUT TOWARDS 35" WIDE??????

.........................NOW WHAT???

THIS IS PRETTY FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GO THROUGH THIS SCENARIO EACH NIGHT LYING IN BED GETTING READY FOR HUNTING SEASON TO BEGIN.
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bigbuck92
now i would probaly take the thirty five
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hound_hunter
live2hunt - your really makin this tough now ya punk!!!! now its the wide one ](*,)
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MuleyMadness
Now it's a NO-Brainer the other way.

WIDE ONE FOE SHURE!! :)

spelling is wrong on purpose, don't hammer me guys. :))
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Default Avatar
take the nice heavy 4x4 that is 26" wide . it would make a nice wallhanger .
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hound_hunter
didnt read live2hunts post, did ya? The situation changed - now its a 24" heavy boy vs. a 35" with no special mass

colorado, colorado, colorado :)
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a_bow_nut
I'll take the third one that's standing on the grassy knoll that has mass and width. :thumb
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Default Avatar
I like balance personally, but if i had to choose, i would go with mass.
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Hiker
I like them all. :thumb What I really like in a mature muley is deep forks. Width is nice and mass is great too.
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Default Avatar
I had a four by four 30" with heavy mass and blackened out turns on the main beams,one week before archery season last year.This trophy has eluded me now two years,but I won't give up on him as he has the best of both worlds.This is a state park that only allows archery hunting between dec16th and jan 31st---Rut Time Baby---CAN'T WAIT TO CHASE HIM AGAIN!!!!!!
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9er
great posts guys, i like the mass factor but a 35 in deer is not something that you can turn down? it is a problem we would all love, id shoot the 35 incher and let my old man take the heavu buck, then we can have them side by side on the wall

9er
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Default Avatar
Gotta go with the deep salad forks, can't beat em'
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