Food for Thought

[earlthegoat2]

I throw back huge bass in small ponds otherwise the bream will just take over.

Don’t know if that’s relevant or not.

 

[SRShunter]

That's the spirit

 

[sghoghunter]

If you shoot a 2 1/2 yr old 80 in 8 pt buck now wouldn’t he have the same genes as he would if he lived to 4 1/2??

 

[shdw633]

Yes, but he'd have spread them for 2 more years and you would actually be able to see what he could become vs taking him at 2.5. Dead is Dead regardless of when they are killed, it's just your personal preference as to what you like and area looking for as it has always been in hunting.

 

[sghoghunter]

Yes, but he'd have spread them for 2 more years and you would actually be able to see what he could become vs taking him at 2.5. Dead is Dead regardless of when they are killed, it's just your personal preference as to what you like and area looking for as it has always been in hunting.

I’m not one to shoot small bucks anymore but I also don’t hold out for one to get 4 1/2 but I’m pretty sure he’s born with the genes that he’ll die with. One thing I’d like to be able to do is tell which doe carries which genes so I could kill off these short tined bucks

 

[Long Cut]

No you can't but if you kill that 140 the first time you see one you may be waiting quite a long time to see another one. I think what they are trying to do is move the goal posts on what constitutes a mature deer. 3.5 to 4 year olds are considered mature but they are in their prime and may need to be passed until they are 5.5 or older to allow these bucks to be able to pass on their genes while they are in the prime. I highly doubt you will ever see that in most clubs in Georgia as it's hard enough to get hunters not to shoot the 2.5 years olds, let alone 3.5 and 4.5 year old.

Not at all.

A 3YO deer expresses roughly 60% of his true potential.
4YO roughly 80%....
By 5-6YO that buck has expressed 95-100% of his antler bearing potential.

Are you cashing out at 60% or waiting for a potential 80 or 100% “return” on your investment?
Only YOU can make that decision.

I’m simply providing this material to EDUCATE others that are interested in managing deer herds and providing information to help that process.

 

[Long Cut]

If you shoot a 2 1/2 yr old 80 in 8 pt buck now wouldn’t he have the same genes as he would if he lived to 4 1/2??

Yes. Your DNA doesn’t change.

Bucks typically reach Antler maximum by age 5-6.
So figure on average 20% per year is expressed by every buck.

So 1yo 20%
2yo 40%
3YO 60%
4YO 80%
5yo 100%

Now there’s other factors, food available, herd density, predation, drought, injuries...

Peak breeding is done by 3-4YO bucks. So if you kill that 120” 3YO there’s a strong possibility he never got a chance to pass those genetics on.

 

[SRShunter]

I've always heard a yearling buck gets his fair share‍

 

[Big7]

Jed Clampet said he ain't never figured out how to cook a Billiard.

And I ain't figured out how to cook an antler.
I'm fine with a few does a year but if a legal Buck steps out in front of me, he is going in the freezer.

 

[kmckinnie]

It’s nice we have places to hunt with deer on them.

 

[Long Cut]

Jed Clampet said he ain't never figured out how to cook a Billiard.

And I ain't figured out how to cook an antler.
I'm fine with a few does a year but if a legal Buck steps out in front of me, he is going in the freezer.

I think that’s the cool part about shooting deer based off of Age rather than Antler score, typically the older deer are larger bodied and have more meat to eat.