Where did it say I don't practice QDM ?? I have passed 26 bucks the first month of season here. By your description I should have shot quite a few of those but did not I only get 1 buck tag here and there is no way I'm burning it on a buck I did not want to shoot. I will eat it before that happens. Would you call this a management buck ?? Personally I can't wait to see what he looks like next year and that is why I have passed him numerous times. We believe he is at least 4.5 but more than likely 5.5 Another 4.5 Hope to see him next year also and have passed him numerous times. Now this guy comes in and is the boss. He is a very heavy 7-pointer with a HUGE body but again not what I'm after so he gets to walk on. Turn off the TV. Put away the magazines and just hunt. If you want to shoot a buck you don't have to label it something just so you have an excuse. If he trips your trigger shoot him if not don't. Good luck with whatever you decide. But the only way to see what a buck can grow into is to let him go.
I agree with gutone on this...my beliefs on "management" are similar, enough said. I would let him go, without the worry he may reproduce. Id hope he breeds many does. He's a healthy whitetail. And I'm kind of a sucker for big 6 pointers too. It would be interesting to see what just one year would do for him! Good luck either way though!!
The cool thing about deer is the inferior ones get there butts kicked by the big boys and if they manage to breed they obviously have good genetics. Looking at the pick I don't see bad genes at all. I see a healthy deer who at this time in his life is essential to the herd. He'll probably knock up a doe and who knows what genes shes got. I kinda thought management meant shooting the injured or taking a doe when you've got plenty. Not trying to argue with ya, I just dont think you'd be doing any management for the herd by taking a healthy young buck.
Quantity or Quality? I thought it was called Quality... Sarcasm? Can't tell... Anyways, I guess we do practice Quantity Deer Management. Inlaws are farmers and they want as many gone as possible. But only one buck in this state, so you better make the buck worth it.
if your top pic is truly a 5.5yr it should be gone as it will never be anything more than what it is. a 5.5yr on our land should be 140" minimum so this buck would be long gone for management reasons. statements like this "there is no way I'm burning it on a buck I did not want to shoot. I will eat it before that happens." tell me you care nothing about management and only about your self. but thats cool to just dont come on here saying your all about qdm when your comments say otherwise. my main reason for posting this pic was to age this buck and classify it not for you to give me your opinion of why im just making excuses to shoot this buck which is clearly what i was not getting at. i agree with what others have said, aging deer in the field is very hard and thats why photos and other people's advice help me when selecting mature animals to harvest. im not going to shoot a immature deer ever but will shoot a mature deer with bad genetics thats all im saying
I really like reading all the great wisdom i find on this web site... It's such a joy to see all superior ego's rising like cream to the top of the butter churn!
It shows how much you know about scoring as the massive buck in the first pic with both antlers is easily in the 150's. How dare I hang stands,plant food plots and bust my tail in July and August when it's 100 degrees and then have the nerve to not shoot a buck I don't want to. Call me greedy I guess. How about titling your post "how old is he" rather than labeling him a "management buck" if you didn't want opinions on your dream of actually being able to alter the genetics on your land ? Not sure it's true but I have heard that 70% of antler genetics come from the doe. Good luck figuring which ones to shoot there. How many acres do you "manage" ? If you want help aging deer just ask there are guys on here that are really good at it. But you also may want to ask for help with scoring bucks also :D Alright I have hijacked this one enough Good luck I hope you manage to get a good buck or if you choose to take one for the team and burn your tag on a genetically inferior buck as long as your happy that is all that matters
OK last one from me on this post (really it is ) ^^ THIS from the same guy that brought us this gem Originally Posted by Bone Head Hunter Last time I checked though there is maybe 5 or 6 states out of 50 that allow baiting during the hunting season, and then it is regulated to private grounds mostly. I'm just saying for the 40 or so states where it not legal in the US to hunt over bait that there are still ways to get a 150 inch buck in front of you without the bait...
Geesh Gut1, Your like the Bill O'Reilly of Bowhunting.com. Just kidding!! I don't wanna be attacked next!
Sorry but your buck in first pic is no way 150 with both sides maby u need field scoring lessons. But none of the 150" talk matters as he does not have the other side so he is just a whopping 75". good job for passing on him year after year "dreaming" that he is going to get bigger lmfao!!!!
There are a few things I dont understand in this thread. I understand shooting does for QDM to try and get a certain buck to doe ratio...but how do you shoot doe's to get better genetics? How can you tell an inferior doe from a superior doe? I also do not think that 6 pointer is 2 1/2 years old. Some people only get 1 buck tag per season so I can see their point on holding off on shooting a buck they want. Like Pat, I only get 1 buck tag per year. I have a mineral and supplemental feeding program, build sanctuaries, have fields of beans, corn, and alfalfa/clover, there are multiple ponds for the deer and I try to keep my buck to doe ratio in check, but I will not shoot a buck that is not on my hit list especially in the first month. So does that mean I dont practice QDM either?
To me thats a great buck and I would shot him in a heartbeat.But if you have a place to let him grow I would like to see him next year.
We only harvest does for numbers not for genetics as i agree that would be impossible with out lab testing and at that point its not really hunting anymore. Would you take a buck with bad genetics at the end of the year? All this is just how we operate and feel is the right way if we are really trying to manage a heard.
I would let it live for a while. At least until it walked up to me and gives me a clear shot...lol. I also practice Quality Deer Management. I hunt, I harvest, and everybody eats some good tasty venison. Still yet to understand that importance of a huge set of antlers, unless some of you have some secret Antler Soup recipe that you are not sharing with the rest of us. It is either that or you guys must be making venison style rocky mountain oysters.
I'm just stirring the pot . You are very fortunate to live in an area with so many incredible deer...savor the hunt and enjoy any deer you decide to shoot.
Wow if the first deer is 150" I got some 300" on the wall. This is one reason I would never buy Monster Raxx. People like you spouting off about stuff like this and their name being tagged to it. I see you in other thread trying to tell people there idiots or dont know what there talking about. Specifically about people using there own minerals or do I mean "salt licks" and if you dont use monster raxx, its crap. gutone4me monster raxx e-thug. You can manage you land any way you want the question is about the buck being mature or not and the opinions of others who might have good eyes on telling the age of this buck. To me he is either a super big 2.5 or a normal body 3.5. for me I would say one more year to tell if he's a management buck. By management meaning 3.5+ with a rack that wont score well.
