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What to do with a deer like this? #6497363 10/16/16 11:55 AM
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LuckyVictim Offline OP
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Taking in consideration of Antler Restrictions, what would y'all typically do with a buck like this?
I've got two bucks with racks like this running around this year, and I'm not terribly excited about them passing on there genes.



Last edited by LuckyVictim; 10/16/16 11:56 AM.

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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497379 10/16/16 12:27 PM
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If you hunt in an AR area, there is nothing you can do with them except give them a pass. Good news is that's a young buck that might end up lookin a lot better in a couple more years. up


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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: Pitchfork Predator] #6497396 10/16/16 12:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator
If you hunt in an AR area, there is nothing you can do with them except give them a pass. Good news is that's a young buck that might end up lookin a lot better in a couple more years. up

Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: Pitchfork Predator] #6497436 10/16/16 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator
If you hunt in an AR area, there is nothing you can do with them except give them a pass. Good news is that's a young buck that might end up lookin a lot better in a couple more years. up


Appreciate the feedback. Young Buck huh? I guess I was aging him a little higher, but I've always been horrible at aging deer outside of looking at the molars. Mind if I ask how old do you think he is, and what are the telling points your looking at?


"Sometimes hunting isn't about hunting at all"
Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497438 10/16/16 01:31 PM
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This is why there should be a game warden issued "special tag" in AR counties. Does not replace your buck tag, but gives permission to cull based on GW or TPWD biologist discretion. Sure, maybe also a requirement to check this buck in after the shot to prove it is the same as the game camera pic that got you the special tag.

Maybe he will get better with age. Maybe you're stuck with it.


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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497471 10/16/16 02:12 PM
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Just 2.5, let him walk. Usually best not to cull til 3.5, unless density is a problem as well. He's not hurting anything by being in the herd (any 1 deer's genetic contribution to the overall gene pool is minimal at best; plus can't tell yet if he actually has sub-par genetic capability), and might turn into a pretty good deer. Lots of growing to do over the next 3-4 years. If he's still not performing well down the road, you can cull him then.


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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497510 10/16/16 02:43 PM
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He is young and appears to have had antler damage, a broken G2 in velvet or bumped that side in the early velvet stage of growth. Most people want to cull a "freak" buck with antler damage and have not history on him. It is not genetic and he will probably not look like that next year.


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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497547 10/16/16 03:10 PM
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Are you asking us if we illegally shoot deer just bc they are inferior even though its against the law in AR counties? Something tells me you already are planning to do so and now its on an open public forum for all the GW's to read.

Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: SapperTitan] #6497709 10/16/16 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted By: SapperTitan
Are you asking us if we illegally shoot deer just bc they are inferior even though its against the law in AR counties? Something tells me you already are planning to do so and now its on an open public forum for all the GW's to read.


Outside from this goofy idiots post, thank y'all for the responses. In the few years of owning this property I’ve managed to bring back the deer population to some very healthy numbers with some very nice looking bucks. Haven't seen an abnormal rack like this before, and now I have two strutting around… Left me scratching my head. My original thought was they were twins, since they have close to the same issue, and this was genetics…

Stxranchman, that’s a very good point I didn’t even consider.

Last edited by LuckyVictim; 10/16/16 05:50 PM.

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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6497726 10/16/16 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: LuckyVictim
Originally Posted By: SapperTitan
Are you asking us if we illegally shoot deer just bc they are inferior even though its against the law in AR counties? Something tells me you already are planning to do so and now its on an open public forum for all the GW's to read.


Outside from this goofy idiots post, thank y'all for the responses. In the few years of owning this property I’ve managed to bring back the deer population to some very healthy numbers with some very nice looking bucks. Haven't seen an abnormal rack like this before, and now I have two strutting around… Left me scratching my head. My original thought was they were twins, since they have close to the same issue, and this was genetics…

Stxranchman, that’s a very good point I didn’t even consider.
you asked what do you do with them? There is no option except let it walk nothing else you could do would be legal.

Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6498811 10/17/16 01:58 PM
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Or, go through the process of getting MLD3 status for next year.

Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6498816 10/17/16 02:01 PM
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Let the youngin grown

Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: Rustler] #6499128 10/17/16 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: Rustler
Or, go through the process of getting MLD3 status for next year.


This is an option! ^^^



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Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6499207 10/17/16 05:55 PM
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^^^Haven't heard of anyone going from no MLD to MLD3. You would have to have one year of MLD (MLD1) before you can even use it on bucks (MLD2). MLD1 status doesn't apply to bucks, only does.

But besides, stxranchman is right, this is probably damage during antler growth. He will return to normal next year. Give him a pass. This is not a genetic defect.

Last edited by George - w/ Map My Ranch; 10/17/16 05:56 PM.

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Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6499291 10/17/16 06:51 PM
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How long have you had/hunted the property? How many years have you been running trail cams?

Even if it is genetic, you stated this is the first year you have seen a buck (two actually, twins maybe) with a similar antler configuration. That indicates to me that this is a younger deer.

He will either grow out of the funky antlers or he won't. I would be willing to bet he is in the immature age class (sub 3.5) and probably won't be able to breed a doe as the bigboys won't let him play the game. Maybe he gets one past the goalie this season and a doe throws his fawn in May or June, but I think the odds are against it. If he does the same thing next season, I would be more willing to consider culling him.

Last edited by HuntnFly67; 10/17/16 06:52 PM.
Re: What to do with a deer like this? [Re: LuckyVictim] #6500432 10/18/16 01:47 PM
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I'd give another year. Never know, I've seen 2-3 and 3-4 yr olds blow up!


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