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Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
#5521066
01/05/15 03:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,289
BenBob
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
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OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,289 |
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.
Tired, Wired, and Uninspired
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521074
01/05/15 03:44 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,535
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,535 |
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.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521083
01/05/15 03:49 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639 |
From what you've described I would say he was not your best cull option, no.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521099
01/05/15 03:56 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 119
Bengoin
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 119 |
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.
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: redchevy]
#5521102
01/05/15 03:58 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,135
landsurveyor
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,135 |
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.
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521112
01/05/15 04:00 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
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
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521378
01/05/15 06:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 29,603
Sneaky
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 29,603 |
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.
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: Sneaky]
#5521596
01/05/15 07:54 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,830
Grosvenor
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,830 |
Because he's not getting any better.
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5521756
01/05/15 09:21 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,949
don k
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,949 |
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?
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Re: Why Eliminate Mature Bucks That Are Past Their Prime?
[Re: BenBob]
#5522137
01/06/15 12:41 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
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.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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