What is the reasoning for eliminating mature bucks that are past their prime horn-wise? I killed a buck that had to be older than dirt this past season. He had a sagging belly, swayed back, with a nose that looked like a mule it was so wide. His legs were short and his brisket was deep. Buck had 10 points with double brow tines, but horns were short and stubby and way too small for his huge body. But with the number of spikes and obvious cull bucks running around, why shouldn't I have taken out one of them rather out than this old grandpa buck. I know he was better in previous years and wouldn't it be better if he bred does rather than the spikes and obvious culls breeding does? In either case, a hunter is only removing one mouth from the pasture, but it seems even under controlled situations, you would trust an old sire past his prime before you would trust one that is barely of breeding age or has a possibility of not producing much horn-wise. Numerous people commented on how old they thought this buck I shot was, so others were thinking the same thing that I thought. I considered him an obvious cull, but would I have been better off to eliminate a spike that was older than 1.5 years or another cull? Just wanted some input.

Don't think your going to change the genetics much anyhow. Personally I would rather shoot a nice old mature/post mature deer than a yearling spike.

From what you've described I would say he was not your best cull option, no.

I too would like to understand the logic, but I tend to think that the older deer may not actually breeding the does. I feel like the bucks that are 4.5 and in there prime tend to dominate the fights and get the does. I only hope that when the older buck was in his prime that he bred and continued the genetics. As for killing the spike, I think that if he is past 1.5 and still just a spike that he must be removed to alleviate the inferior genetics.

Just enjoy hunting Mature and older deer... the antlers are just a plus. Hard for me to kill a yearling unless I needed to thin some numbers then I would shoot both

1. Might be too old to breed.
2. Not getting any better. Reduces deer density.
3. Don't want him to die of old age.
4. Just like to hunt mature animals.
5. An excuse to shoot something with antlers.

Because he's not getting any better.

I would shoot the spike. Better eating and you can't eat antlers anyway. Would you want somebody shooting you just because your getting old?

Without any past history on that buck it is difficult to make that call IMO. I will always opt to cull at younger ages so that you do not have to make that call on an older buck. If he made it to that age then you know he was something you wanted to keep around.