You haven't, but by your argument about culls you could take him at 4.5 and it won't make a difference to the herd. That one deer just won't reach his full potential.

Excatly... Way I manage by age and numbers..not genetics

So a herd that consist a higher number of 4.5-6.5 year old 12 pointers will not have a higher percentage of multi-pointed off spring than a herd of 4.5-6.5 year old 8 pointers?

I really appreciate all the feedback on this topic and never thought it would get this much attention.

Like I said in an earlier post, we don't have enough "serious" hunters to manage/cull our herd the way that myself and a couple of other members would like. We have 3 out of 8 that hunt serious and really care. All the others want a place to hunt and get away. I am trying all "I" can do to do what is best for the herd to grow deer like in the other pictures (ie. nice 10's or greater that have the potential to be something special). I love a great looking typical as much as the next guy, but I just was on the fence about this particular deer (and a couple of others that i haven't posted). I also was curious on the the "loppy" deer that someone was referring to. I have not seen him on the hoof but someone else has and other than the messed up right side, there is no sign of injury.

So like SingleShot85 said, all I can do is what I can and don't sweat the rest. But that is extremely hard when I want to manage for bigger and better deer and the help isn't there.

Thanks again to all for the input and opinions/suggestions.

Depends on dispersal. Stx says they will, and his records show that they do Amos says you have what you have, you either let it mature and see what it is or shot and not know.

Kroll says if you can tell me what a 2.5 will score at 6.5 you will be the wealthiest man alive.


Me all about what you can stomach, support, and truely control. I can't stop dispersal. I don't get enough buck tags to do any good to even come remotely close to slowing any genetics down. But I'm way below cc.

I'd shoot him and call him a trophy.

You manage your way and I will manage my way. In the end we both will have kept the same bucks that will be at the top end of the program at 6.5. The difference in your herd and mine? You will cull the bucks at 4.5 and older that I will cull at 1.5-3.5. We will both have the same number of deer on the ranch, yours will be skewed to older age classes and mine will be skewed to younger bucks. Yours will be harder to manage at the older age due to the fact that those bucks are harder to find and mine will be easier to manage since I am culling at younger ages. Trophies under both programs will be harder to find if you shoot them at the same age. Over the years who will have the best bucks? Both will due to fact that you will only talk about the biggest ones harvested. The best genetics will grow the best bucks if you let them get old. All of this is based of the same acreage and the same carrying capacity.

Let him go one more year.

Can't argue that.

It's not any fun if you don't argue

Id give hime another year.

thats deer is older than 4.5 he is a mature deer. i wouldnt consider him a cull. but it all comes back to what your herd looks like and if u want his genetics out there for one more year then let him go. but if your other younger deer are strong then him. then yes i would consider to take him out of the herd.

I would let the arrow or the lead(which ever you prefer) fly on that one. If you think he's 4.5 and no brow tines.

If you feel bad about it ill come do it for you.