this showed up on new location of trail camera. What causes this; genetics or injury? Cull it or let it walk to see what develops? Would kinda look cool on the wall. Lol
Only issue with letting it walk is the neighbors. I oversee 167 acres and the joining neighbors here look at just filling the freezer. I mostly bow hunt and it gets tough hearing those guns going off around me knowing that the old saying "if its brown, its down" is what is being practiced on joining neighbors property. I have let a many young bucks walk to have the next hunter take it out, bring it to my house asking me if im not seeing anything. Try and explain my limits and what benefits we would have in getting those bucks bigger. Mostly all i get is "your watching to many of those hunting shows". Lol
Here's my opinion on "culling"... It's pointless. Theres no reason for it. You would have to shoot that buck and any siblings and offspring he may have in order to get those genes out. Not really possible when you are hunting free range whitetails. You can't control the genetics, just roll with it. And besides, can you imagine how freakishly awesome that buck would look like as a 5 or 6 year old?
That does not look like a young deer so I don't think it is going to blow up into a giant. It is a very cool buck though.
What if he breeds the one doe that a Booner would breed had it not been for the scrawny twerp getting to her first? It's not going to work miracles in a free range situation...but it can't hurt the odds either. I'm perfectly fine with the concept as long as they are 3+.
2 years old is what I was thinking also. I would hope he would get to 4 1/2 at least. By me not taking him out i will be doing my part in making that happen. My decision will be to let it grow and see what happens. Thanks all for honest open opinions. That is exactly what I was looking for.
^^^^ My thoughts exactly. That is a thick bodied older deer. I'd take him while the meat is still chewable.
IMO - Unless you are hunting a high fence operation there is no such thing a cull. Shoot him if you want the meat.