13B, which is first, should be good and solid. We have found a handful of various bucks that we want to harvest and have been seeing them regularly. My hopes are high that we will harvest a few bucks between 200" and 220". There is no doubt that the May/June drought smacked the Strip deer hard and antler growth is significantly down. Anyone that thinks differently is in denial or hasn't ever seen it on a normal year. 200" type bucks are a extreme rarity this year, no question. That said , there will be a few 200 gross bucks killed in B this year, but not as many as the last few seasons. This is tough on the unlucky tag holders that do not encounter the buck they have been dreaming of, but as good friend said the other day, "the deer need to win sometimes too." This is a true statement and I hope some of the other hunters elect to pass up some of the lesser bucks and not shoot one simply because they haven't seen a big one. With the predicted carry-over and unreal moisture we have had since the monsoon started, the stage is certainly set for stellar year next season. We will obviously need the winter and spring moisture, but the herd as a whole will be going into winter in phenomenal body condition and this will provide the foundation for huge horns next year.
