Do you think young deer with funky racks need to be taken to preserve the gene pool?

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TwoForFlinching

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If they aren't mature, I let em go.

Seeing how you cant manage genetics on free range deer (especially buy killing bucks) and its impossible to tell the potential of a buck before he is mature....
I say NO! There is no reason to kill a young bucks for management purposes.

+1... There's so many environmental factors that can affect a year or two of growth. Until they can fill a freezer, I won't waste the tag.
 

DEER 24/7

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Unless your buck to doe ratio is out of whack those 1 1/2 year old bucks will get to do very little of the breeding.and like several have all ready said you can'nt tell what that 1 1/2 year old buck will be when he gets 5 1/2 so I say a very big no
 

makeithappen

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A lot of the decision would be based on how many acres you have to hunt and the deer density. For examply, I have 40 acres hunt where we see deer about twice a week with the game camera, there's no chance of "managing" a deer herd there. I'd just let the small ones walk.
 

ElkStalkR

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IMO, You should NEVER shoot a 1.5yr old deer, IF your goal is quality bucks. The only body promoting that is Texas and their "spike" law, and even that is not 100% proven. Nobody knows what a yearling buck will turn into.

I do practice taking out "inferior" bucks. If I see a 2.5yr+ old spike he is getting shot, they should have some branched antlers by then. 3.5+ deer better have at least 8 points with some mass starting to build. 4.5+ deer I will almost shoot anything that old, unless I think they have real potential, but honestly if I can get them to 4.5+ plus years and they are in that 130-150" class range I am very happy shooting Oklahoma bucks that size. If I age a deer at 4.5+ thats low 120's to 110's, I'm probably gonna shoot them. IMO, they should be bigger than that at 4.5+ yrs.

Not saying my way is correct. Everybody has a different set of standards, this is mine. Here in Nebraska I will let 3.5-4.5yr old 130-140" deer walk, I will not do that in Oklahoma. So depends on where I am hunting and my expectations for the bucks.
 

Okie4Life

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IMO, You should NEVER shoot a 1.5yr old deer, IF your goal is quality bucks. The only body promoting that is Texas and their "spike" law, and even that is not 100% proven. Nobody knows what a yearling buck will turn into.

I do practice taking out "inferior" bucks. If I see a 2.5yr+ old spike he is getting shot, they should have some branched antlers by then. 3.5+ deer better have at least 8 points with some mass starting to build. 4.5+ deer I will almost shoot anything that old, unless I think they have real potential, but honestly if I can get them to 4.5+ plus years and they are in that 130-150" class range I am very happy shooting Oklahoma bucks that size. If I age a deer at 4.5+ thats low 120's to 110's, I'm probably gonna shoot them. IMO, they should be bigger than that at 4.5+ yrs.

Not saying my way is correct. Everybody has a different set of standards, this is mine. Here in Nebraska I will let 3.5-4.5yr old 130-140" deer walk, I will not do that in Oklahoma. So depends on where I am hunting and my expectations for the bucks.


I have a document from a research study on penned deer from the Texas Parks and Wildlife department that kinda backs that up. Keeping in mind that there are always outliers, the 168-page report basically says if they are not at least forked horned their first year they will never grow into a quality deer. And every 1.5-yr knob head or spike should be removed from the pool.

I have the report in PDF, if you would like a copy PM me. It is an interesting read with neat pictures of antler growth based on varying diets and fist year antler growth.
 

dlbleak

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APeterson brings up a good point. is the bad gene passed from a doe? anyone know the answer to that question? we have a number of bucks with a funky left side ranging from a stick to a fork while the right may be symetrical. i've taken a few over the years but have since left them to the younger hunters.
 

Oklahomabassin

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APeterson brings up a good point. is the bad gene passed from a doe? anyone know the answer to that question? we have a number of bucks with a funky left side ranging from a stick to a fork while the right may be symetrical. i've taken a few over the years but have since left them to the younger hunters.

Yes a doe is as much to blame as a buck.
 

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