Killing Bucks with poor genetics

[WhitetailCrazed11]

Good stuff doc. It seems that the only time I ever hear the "culling" term is when they're hunting high fenced ranches in texas, although these tracts of land are highly expansive, a fence is a fence as far as I'm concerned. By the way, good info on the doe being a major player in the genetics, I think we all sometimes forget that it takes two to tango and it's not just the bucks genes getting passed on, it's hers to!

[phade]

I use to stress over avoiding killing buttons. But, dispersal happens (ranging widely in size), and on the small parcels I hunt...they're not staying there.

I still avoid shooting buttons if possible and always try to identify them...I have no real interest in shooting one unless it's a last day/no venision scenario...but even then I'm going to think twice about it. But...when it happens (2x in the last 10 years in gun hunting situations...bow is a little easier)...I don't stress it. Dispersal happens and it evens out.

[nyantler]

A bucks rack has virtually nothing to do with his overall genetics.. it simply determines the configuration of antlers his offspring might have... it does not guarantee size or even necessarily number of points... a healthy mature bucks rack could be damaged during development, but that won't mean that he still can't be the best genetic speciman on the block. Sometimes I think Culling bucks as it relates to so called deer management... is more to eliminate the nasty looking rack than to really get genetically deficient bucks out of the herd.

Although antler traits are carried on genetically... antlers have very little to do with the part of a deers genetics as it relates to herd health.

[gjs4]

Genetics are as much of an issue in WNY as too short of a gun season (yes- thats sarcasm).

Age will yield bigger bucks- 2/3rds (at min) are 1.5 or less. Last yrs stats were total BS

[WhitetailCrazed11]

There's nothing that frustrates me more than when muzzle loader and rifle opens up here in upstate NY because year after year I watch 10-15 yearling bucks get killed, andfor what!? Meat?? Please! Give me a break, New York gives every hunter more than enough tags to harvest 2-3 does a year. But nope instead these guys whack all the spikes and 4 pointers and say "had to put meat in the freezer". Come on guys, save some for the guys who have more passion for hunting than just throwing lead and telling beer stories afterwards! No offense to those who hunt and don't care about antler size, this is for those who just buy a liscense and start shooting at every shade of brown in the woods!  ;D

[bubba]

There is a big difference between a hunter and a person who hunts. 

[WhitetailCrazed11]

Couldn't have said it better myself bubba!

[Paula]

I know alot of people who hunt just for the meat, myself included. one guy will only shoots bucks no matter the size of rack as long as he has his meat for the yr. He only gets 1 does tag every yr and never uses it. others i know will shoot what ever they can to get meat. i  know of 2 that hunt for the racks and don't care about the meat at all. i know one guy who will just kill any deer and doesn't eat the meat just because his wife doesn't like it. there are all kind of hunters and i think as long as the meat doesn't get wasted who cares what others shoot.

[Santamour123]

I still think we can all have the best.  Us hunters who want the big mature bucks and those who want to kill meat.  Put an AR on the state BUT, allow hunters to us their buck tag on a doe if they wish.  (Meat) &(Bucks grow)

[WhitetailCrazed11]

Idk y some guys treat deer meat like they either shoot one or go hungry, GO TO A STORE IN THE COOLER AISLE, OR SHOOT A DOE!

[Santamour123]

Idk y some guys treat deer meat like they either shoot one or go hungry, GO TO A STORE IN THE COOLER AISLE, OR SHOOT A DOE!

Well said!!!

[Paula]

but you shoot the does only then how do they reproduce? shoot only bucks then how do they reproduce? rack or meat?

[bubba]

take the money spent on guns clothing ammunition bows arrows a license and the gas to go hunting and buy meat. 

[Paula]

i for some reason have it in my head that doe meat is better, not as tuff as bucks. if you process your own meat its cheaper to hunt than go to a store. beside who doesn't like killing what they are going to eat.

[Doewhacker]

I dont know why so many threads have to turn into "My way of hunting is better than yours", ok you guys are the best hunters and only you should shoot bucks. Is that what you want?

This is the type of crap that drives me away from this site.  :

[Paula]

this is an argument?

[covert]

I dont know why so many threads have to turn into "My way of hunting is better than yours", ok you guys are the best hunters and only you should shoot bucks. Is that what you want?

This is the type of crap that drives me away from this site.  :

X2.

[WhitetailCrazed11]

Nope it's just annoying when people take away from everyone else's hunting just because they think that shooting a small buck for the "meat" justifies the kill. Quite frankly I do feel that being a better steward of the land, and practicing better deer management is the right way to hunt, and I don't care who disagrees with me because your probably just a killer not a hunter. It's not very stewardly to have an itchy trigger finger everytime a small buck walks by, plus how proud are u really of holding up a spike horn with ur thumb and 2 fingers two your buddies? Sorry but I'm way to passionate about hunting to be conservative about my feelings on this subject, the last thing I intend to do is drive people away from such a great forum!

[Doewhacker]

Nope it's just annoying when people take away from everyone else's hunting just because they think that shooting a small buck for the "meat" justifies the kill. Quite frankly I do feel that being a better steward of the land, and practicing better deer management is the right way to hunt, and I don't care who disagrees with me because your probably just a killer not a hunter. It's not very stewardly to have an itchy trigger finger everytime a small buck walks by, plus how proud are u really of holding up a spike horn with ur thumb and 2 fingers two your buddies? Sorry but I'm way to passionate about hunting to be conservative about my feelings on this subject, the last thing I intend to do is drive people away from such a great forum!

No need to repeat your BS, I dont care. You are how old again? Come back when you have a home, and kids and bills to pay and some land of your own to be a "steward" for. And you dont know how I or any one else on here really hunts kid, its just the internet, half of these guys like you probaly have never even killed a deer before. Later fellas.

[bubba]

Nope it's just annoying when people take away from everyone else's hunting just because they think that shooting a small buck for the "meat" justifies the kill. Quite frankly I do feel that being a better steward of the land, and practicing better deer management is the right way to hunt, and I don't care who disagrees with me because your probably just a killer not a hunter. It's not very stewardly to have an itchy trigger finger everytime a small buck walks by, plus how proud are u really of holding up a spike horn with ur thumb and 2 fingers two your buddies? Sorry but I'm way to passionate about hunting to be conservative about my feelings on this subject, the last thing I intend to do is drive people away from such a great forum!

 

No need to repeat your BS, I dont care. You are how old again? Come back when you have a home, and kids and bills to pay and some land of your own to be a "steward" for. And you dont know how I or any one else on here really hunts kid, its just the internet, half of these guys like you probaly have never even killed a deer before. Later fellas.

so having a home kids and bills and owning land makes you an expert hunter?  Seems to me you ae starting the argument and you say this drives you away, but you are still here whining. I am qualified with all your prerequisites and I agree that any one who has ot shoot anything because they "need" the meat is lying.  As I said take the hundreds spent on hunting (not being a hunter) and buy meat.

[WhitetailCrazed11]

Just because I'm 19 (soon to be 20 Oct 1.) does not make me any less knowledgeable or less educated on the subject. I don't need kids and bills to justify my valid points. If u want to use my age as a way out and an excuse for the way some people hunt that's fine, it's people with my passion that make the hunting for everyone more enjoyable and stand up for the right of a young buck to reach an age of maturity where anyone could enjoy him as a trophy. New York has the genetics, food, and landscape to produce record whitetails but thanks to hunters like u who don't care we lake age structure, and that's your coors light cold hard fact! That's my last post in this topic, thank u for doubting my knowledgeability

[ejp419]

I can't believe that there is so much resentment to the fact that ya might have to let spikes, threes and most four pointers walk by. Imagine letting a buck walk by and the next year seeing him growing up. It's much more rewarding then walking up to him being a dead spike. Try letting a deer walk by. It's much more rewarding. Try not shooting a deer just cause it's a deer. It's much more rewarding. Try enjoying the hunt, not the kill. It's much more rewarding. A yearling buck is the dumbest animal in the woods come November. It's it really satisfying killing him?

[Paula]

everyone has reasons for hunting and for those of us that hunt for meat  know you can't eat the rack. and for the meat that we have gotten over  the yrs have paid for what we use or wear. i will be proud to bring me  home no matter the size of the rack or button or spikes, any deer!

[ejp419]

Why didn't u mention does for meat?

[Pygmy]

I have passed up many spikes, forkhorns, six points and eight points. Perhaps more than some of you young fellers have even SEEN in the woods. I've been hunting deer since 1965.

I have had a couple 14-15 inch eight points in front of me and chose to shoot the mature doe BESIDE them. I like to kill adult does..Never ate a doe I didn't like.

Still, I resent the state mandating that I should not shoot a buck unless it has 3 or 4 points to a side.  That should be my choice. Especially on my own land or other private land where the owner approves of such a choice.