Management Buck?

[QB1]

One of the guys I hunt with got a shot of this buck on the property. Any idea on age? He looks like a big 6 and we are debating whether to put him on the hit list as a management buck? Thoughts?

[deerpassion]

biggest 6 i've ever seen... for sure i'd weed him outa the gene pool

[phade]

Culling a free-range buck? RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.

In NY? DOUBLE RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttttttt.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Let'em walk.

[NFA-ADK]

Free pass... If he is young he will be a brute next year. If he is older and has a wide body indicating a more mature deer he might be on the hit list... As long as you have fun, it's all good!

[SplitG2]

He has some age to him. He would be on my hit list.

[dave6x6]

Miz.. If you don't shoot him, The stupid neighbors will...LOL They wouldn't know a big deer if it kissed them on the lips..

[mbucks27]

I agree split. He is at least 3 1/2. And only a six point. I dont see him getting much bigger.

John

[WNYBuckHunter]

The jump they make between 3.5 and 4.5 can be significant. He looks like he will be a 3.5 come deer season, judging from the lack of sway in his back. It would be a really hard deer for me to pass, but I would never shoot it in the name of culling the gene pool. It would take so long to change the gene pool in a wild herd of deer, youd never see it happen in your lifetime.

[deerpassion]

Culling a free-range buck? RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.

In NY? DOUBLE RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttttttt.

no one ever said anything about culling a buck... i simply meant that I WOULD SHOOT him... he's a nice deer, and if he walked under my stand I don't think I could keep the arrow on the string! and yes it is possible to cull bucks outa the heard to create more "potential" for the heard with one simple cohesive effort from the neighborhood to agree on some aspect of QDMA... so i agree in NY no, but it is possible...

[HuntOrBeHunted]

I would take him out. Not for management reasons but more for the fact that he's a big boy and a really good sized 6. Plus u can't eat his antlers anyway. Goodluck.

Bill.

[deerpassion]

no one ever said anything about culling a buck... i simply meant that I WOULD SHOOT him... he's a nice deer, and if he walked under my stand I don't think I could keep the arrow on the string! and yes it is possible to cull bucks outa the heard to create more "potential" for the heard with one simple cohesive effort from the neighborhood to agree on some aspect of QDMA... so i agree in NY no, but it is possible...

*QDM

[WNYBuckHunter]

no one ever said anything about culling a buck... i simply meant that I WOULD SHOOT him... he's a nice deer, and if he walked under my stand I don't think I could keep the arrow on the string! and yes it is possible to cull bucks outa the heard to create more "potential" for the heard with one simple cohesive effort from the neighborhood to agree on some aspect of QDMA... so i agree in NY no, but it is possible...

Its been scientifically proven that efforts to effect the gene pool in a wild heard of deer are fruitless. The only way it can be done effectively is behind fences. I believe phade was referring to the original poster calling this deer a "management buck" which is a term high fence operations use for "cull" bucks. It gets thrown around alot on TV shows.

[phade]

no one ever said anything about culling a buck... i simply meant that I WOULD SHOOT him... he's a nice deer, and if he walked under my stand I don't think I could keep the arrow on the string! and yes it is possible to cull bucks outa the heard to create more "potential" for the heard with one simple cohesive effort from the neighborhood to agree on some aspect of QDMA... so i agree in NY no, but it is possible...

Management buck = culling. See below:

One of the guys I hunt with got a shot of this buck on the property. Any idea on age? He looks like a big 6 and we are debating whether to put him on the hit list as a management buck? Thoughts?

Culling a free range herd has been largely discredited in 99% of the hunting world. Even the King Ranch in TX has issues with it and they own a chunk of land close to the size of some of our smaller states. In fact, they pioneered the groundbreaking study on it - part of their land had no cull while another did...and shockingly, little to no change was observed in average antler score. I know a fair amount about it because I was working with the QDMA while that study was ongoing - they were involved in radio collaring with helicopters in that study. Lots of experiences with cactuses (Cacti) that I don't want to remember.

Big difference between choosing to take a buck becuase you want to shoot him and he makes you happy, and burning a tag on a "management" (read: cull) buck to try and improve free range genetics.

Edited July 31, 2012 by phade

[phade]

I would take him out. Not for management reasons but more for the fact that he's a big boy and a really good sized 6. Plus u can't eat his antlers anyway. Goodluck.

Bill.

That's what the answer should be. Not whether he should be taken out in the name of management.

Edited July 31, 2012 by phade

[chiefbkt]

If he is the biggest buck that you get pictures of, shoot him. If he is the smallest, let him walk if you want. I have let plenty of smaller bucks walk in hopes of getting a shot at one of the nicer ones, but that is me. And it doesn't always pay off. It's all personal preference...unless you own thousands of acres, forget QDM. Manage your freezer.

Edited July 31, 2012 by chiefbkt

[QB1]

Miz.. If you don't shoot him, The stupid neighbors will...LOL They wouldn't know a big deer if it kissed them on the lips..

Dave,

I know what you mean. I haven't shot a buck off that property in the 3 years I've hunted there (haven't even taken a shot with bow or gun at one). Last year I had a buck come thru during gun let him walk...wasn't bigger then 120inches. 10 minutes later BOOM neighbors shot him. I'm in no place to tell another hunter what they should be harvesting but it is frustrating when you sit there watch a buck in range and tell yourself to let him walk then find out the neighbor shot him that same day. And to boot I learned the buck was never recovered!

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Dave,

I know what you mean. I haven't shot a buck off that property in the 3 years I've hunted there (haven't even taken a shot with bow or gun at one). Last year I had a buck come thru during gun let him walk...wasn't bigger then 120inches. 10 minutes later BOOM neighbors shot him. I'm in no place to tell another hunter what they should be harvesting but it is frustrating when you sit there watch a buck in range and tell yourself to let him walk then find out the neighbor shot him that same day. And to boot I learned the buck was never recovered!

Thats why there are choices. Even if AR was going on in your neck of the woods he would still be a legal shooter. Cant worry about another hunter if you only own a small piece of ground!

[steve863]

Dave,

I know what you mean. I haven't shot a buck off that property in the 3 years I've hunted there (haven't even taken a shot with bow or gun at one). Last year I had a buck come thru during gun let him walk...wasn't bigger then 120inches. 10 minutes later BOOM neighbors shot him. I'm in no place to tell another hunter what they should be harvesting but it is frustrating when you sit there watch a buck in range and tell yourself to let him walk then find out the neighbor shot him that same day. And to boot I learned the buck was never recovered!

I tell you, the philosophy some of you guys have is totally messed up!! Do you guys realize that you don't own the bloody deer? If you pass up a buck because it isn't big enough for your standards, you have absolutely NO reason to be pissed if the guy on the next property shoots him. Absolutely NONE! These are free ranging deer and it's just too bad that it didn't lie down for you and stay on your property until it gets it's bigger set of antlers next year. I think you guys need to only hunt behind fences where there would be no chance of the deer escaping with your attitudes. Just mind boggling how hunters think these days. I guess watching too many deer hunting TV shows and screwing a camera to every tree in the woods will do this to people. Someone might as well come up with a device where a number is spray painted on a deer when it walks by so then you can argue with the guy on the next property when he shoots it that the deer was numbered on your property and that you are claiming it! Unbelievable!

[phade]

Dave,

I know what you mean. I haven't shot a buck off that property in the 3 years I've hunted there (haven't even taken a shot with bow or gun at one). Last year I had a buck come thru during gun let him walk...wasn't bigger then 120inches. 10 minutes later BOOM neighbors shot him. I'm in no place to tell another hunter what they should be harvesting but it is frustrating when you sit there watch a buck in range and tell yourself to let him walk then find out the neighbor shot him that same day. And to boot I learned the buck was never recovered!

Not even does?

That is a long time not to drop a string or squeeze a round. I hope the goals match the parcels capabilities for your sake.

[QB1]

I tell you, the philosophy some of you guys have is totally messed up!! Do you guys realize that you don't own the bloody deer? If you pass up a buck because it isn't big enough for your standards, you have absolutely NO reason to be pissed if the guy on the next property shoots him. Absolutely NONE! These are free ranging deer and it's just too bad that it didn't lie down for you and stay on your property until it gets it's bigger set of antlers next year. I think you guys need to only hunt behind fences where there would be no chance of the deer escaping with your attitudes. Just mind boggling how hunters think these days. I guess watching too many deer hunting TV shows and screwing a camera to every tree in the woods will do this to people. Someone might as well come up with a device where a number is spray painted on a deer when it walks by so then you can argue with the guy on the next property when he shoots it that the deer was numbered on your property and that you are claiming it! Unbelievable!

Steve,

This is why I said I am in no place to tell another hunter what he/she should be shooting. Not my call and none of my business. What I meant was that it was a tough pill to swallow knowing I had a layup shot at the buck and chose not to shoot and 10 minutes later the buck was shot on the neighboring property. Frustrating for me yes. Congrats to the neighboring hunter of course. But I am sure you can see how this would be tough for me especially knowing the deer never was found.

[QB1]

Not even does?

That is a long time not to drop a string or squeeze a round. I hope the goals match the parcels capabilities for your sake.

I don't know if I could bring myself to go back to the stand if I hadn't harvested a deer on the property. I have taken Does each year, and can't remember the last time I sat without seeing at least one deer. I just choose to pass on young bucks, I would rather take a good doe and let a young buck walk any day of the week. We know there are quality bucks on the property and I don't depend on the meat so I can afford to be picky when it comes to what I shoot. In our hunting group we have big buck contests and rules for the property regarding "shooter bucks". To us this just adds another dimension to the hunting expierence and brings out our competitivness. I also think its pretty cool to see/watch a buck grow, learn and study his patterns and be able to take him out while he is in the prime of his life.

[steve863]

If you have no place in telling anyone else what they should shoot (like none of us do), why is it frustrating then? If it was an easy shot, and you didn't want someone else shooting it, then you should have shot it yourself. You can't have it both ways. If you let them walk, then the odds are good that someone else might kill it. That's just the way it goes.

[BizCT]

If you haven't shot a deer in 3 years, why are you passing up a 120" deer? I only hunt the 3 week shotgun season and pass up smaller bucks the first weekend in the season, but once Thanksgiving comes I gladly take any buck I can get. I only live once, and my goal is to shoot a buck every year if I can.

I was plenty happy with my 3 pointer last Thanksgiving morning.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Biz-R-OWorld

[QB1]

If you haven't shot a deer in 3 years, why are you passing up a 120" deer? I only hunt the 3 week shotgun season and pass up smaller bucks the first weekend in the season, but once Thanksgiving comes I gladly take any buck I can get. I only live once, and my goal is to shoot a buck every year if I can.

I was plenty happy with my 3 pointer last Thanksgiving morning.

I've shot at least 1 Deer every year. Just not a buck since 2007, well I lied I got a button buck on accident a couple years back. I get 4 tags a year, 2 for bow, 2 for gun. Goal is to harvest a doe and a buck during each season. As I said before I don't depend on the venison that just an added bonus.