If a deer doesn't have brows is he automatically a cull?? For example... If he's a slick 6 without brows as a 2.5 year old could he be a good 8 or maybe better at 3.5 or 4.5?? Would he ever have brows? Just curious and was hoping some of the better deer managers might chime in.

the majority will tell you to shoot him. I have a little pet project I'm working on with a deer like you describe.

1.5



2.5



he went and got his front left leg hurt that year sometime between opening morning & thanksgiving and was gimpin' around. It really pulled the weight off of him.



3.5



4.5

lol is that a 1/2 brow tine

Thanks for sharing. Very good body/age identification example as well.

lmao...I believe so, but it's there.. we'll see what it looks like next year and if he can manage to grow another one if he can fly under everyone's radar and not be running does all over half the county like he's been doing.

If the deer is 2.5 or older, we shoot them. You aren't going to change that genetics in the short term, but you do remove a mouth from the herd.

a good taxidermist can fix the problem for you for a fee.

Why add something there that that deer never had anyways?

Does he have a drop tine in the second pic?

no, that's a bush behind him

Very cool pics... So you agree most say shoot them?? I believed that and was hoping to get more insight.. Thanks for the posts and hopefully more will chime in on if they are truly culls.

Taxidermist can add that too

I agree with what Tye stated earlier for a lot of places. My reasoning for keep the deer in the photos is because I want every buck possible around the place and for that particular area he's a better deer now @ 4.5 than a whole lot of ppl have ever been able to see in the woods (in that area).

I shoot them all if they are missing any brows by 2.5. But I probably would have shot him as a yearling before he got to 2 though.

ranchman, no kidding? what age would you cull one really?

he would cull them @ .5 if their nubs aren't carrying enough mass

I cant say if all deer will never grow brows but we just killed a 6.5 year old with no brows 2 weekends ago. I believe it is a genetic trait that should be culled as well. We read that the genetic testing done at the kerrs wma stated basically "data from 385 bucks found that 90% of the bucks without brow tines at 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 years of age were spikes as yearlings (1 1/2 years old). All bucks without brow tines at 1 1/2 years old lacked brow tines at 4 1/2 years old. On the other hand, all bucks with 5 or more points as yearlings had both brow tines at maturity. Bucks that had both brow tines as yearlings had both brow tines at 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 years of age." To reverse the heritable trait it recommended culling back spikes and non brow bucks.

I don't really call it culling but removing genetically challenged deer. If the population and ratios are what I want then I remove everything at 1.5 with less than 6 points. Works for me but may not for you.

Only in East Texas since they are inbred for the most part.

haha so your saying he's a cull machine..... i just dont want to mess up.. i have two solid 2.5 year old 6 pts that are very respectable and above average at that age for my area except for the fact that neither has as much as a bump for brow tines. didnt want to let one of my buddies "cull" them if they may be something in a year or two.

That is on this highlighted statement. I have kept plenty of six point yearling bucks with no browtines and they all had them at 2.5 the next year.

That depends on what type of deer you are wanting to produce and what your area will produce. But no brow tines are not good genetics IMO.

agreed. thanks for the info. will give my buddies the green light and put them in my stand.

I would not do this ^^^^^. Cause the best yearling 6 point you have will be dead when you get to camp. Only do this if you trust them and give them pics to go by, if not sit with them.

I call my buck a fluke b/c to be honest he's one of very, very few I've seen without both from 2.5 on. I had one that only had 1 at 4.5 last yr and at 5.5 this year he has both.

stxranchman, you would be right in most scenarios.... but i hunt a small parcel of land in south mississippi and have 12 bucks on cam since mid july... never seen a new one show up and these are the only 2 six points ive got on cams. but even with that being said, i will take your advice and sit with them because i dont want them to shoot one of the young 8s by mistake. once again thanks for the info.. thats something i hadnt thought about!!!!

rifleman- thats still a nice buck. heck hed be a monster here.