Increase in "Stag Bucks"

Well, that's a new one on me.

Someone with a tranquilizer gun cutting some young bucks?

Well, that's a new one on me.

We have hunted the same property in Willow City for 28 years. Have never shot a "stag" buck nor seen one on the property in that time. Last year I shot an 8 in full velvet, week after Thanksgiving. After learning this was a "stag" buck I brought him to taxidermist for a shoulder mount.

After season we were filling protein feeders in March. Spotted a 7 pt still in full velvet. Year moves forward and we make several more trips to lease, filling feeders, and general upkeep of camp. On our trips we noticed another 3-4 bucks with headgear in the spring, all full velvet.

Over the last 4-5 years we have noticed the buck to doe ratio really swing. We are seeing fewer and fewer does each year. (We only kill around 5-6 each year). If we had to guess on ratio from observation. 3:1 maybe even 4:1 in favor of bucks would be our guess. It seems I constantly see 10-12 bucks with only 3-4 does.

Could this be causing an increase in number of "stag bucks"? or could this genetic deficiency be carried by one of our does?

Looking for information on topic

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I’m not far as a crow flies from you. We kill several stags a year. It’s a combo mineral/licen/moss ingestion according two the different GW and Biologists I’ve talked to. Not genetic. “IF” genetic, it would mostly be cared by the doe and normal buck dispersal ranges would apply.

We kill 3-7 year depending on what we have left tag wise. Meat is second to none from a venison perspective.

I’m not far as a crow flies from you. We kill several stags a year. It’s a combo mineral/licen/moss ingestion according two the different GW and Biologists I’ve talked to. Not genetic. “IF” genetic, it would mostly be cared by the doe and normal buck dispersal ranges would apply.

We kill 3-7 year depending on what we have left tag wise. Meat is second to none from a venison perspective.

From your discussions with the various GW and Biologists, if a buck becomes a stag, will it always be a stag?

just my Thars alot of emphesess on Trophy (Big Racks) vs for en & chillen. every one fasinated by the big racks. still ta find reciepy for antlers. Older a deer gets change in taste & tecture in the venison same as with livestock. Every year thar b some big bucks taken, have got several pic's on phone. years of out witting hunters. (cage) & good genetics will produce large racks. Here emphesis tis on for pudding on while the veniison quality is second ta younger bucks The trophy tis it has servived. ta meet its potential rack. yet short time been back have seen differance in hunting.. Just down the road thars a deer farm, its has some huge Racks, Cant say for sure but tis thinken lots of protien, & emphesses on growing big Racks. Lots of none typical.. could b whats happening thar ? Deer are naturaly bowser. Ephases on Bigger Racks could play a roll. was complety differant type hunt than here. leasing food plots & corn feeders sitting outa ellaments in cosey stand . as pappy say's execative hunts. Me i work & pay for me foodstamps. & how i use it tis my busness.

would rather be hunten (fishen) than worken, but a wise person realizes by works one can afford ta hunt .

Pappy

Heard biologist Macy Ledbetter talk about it on a radio show last weekend - caused mostly by drought - testicles do not descend and deer produces estrogen - apparently a number of them reported this year so far