Every time I hear the term "cull buck / management buck" it makes me cringe (not really but you get the idea)... Nothing personally against the guys who use this term or this line of thinking.... But to attempt to alter a free ranging whitetails genetic pool is an exercise in futility... I just think the idea of killing a buck because it does not have the antler traits you desire is retarded.... I believe the term is used as an "excuse" (as if you need one to shoot a deer) in most cases. You have ZERO chance in completely altering "your" herds gene pool on free ranging lands. Zero. To add most "cull" bucks are deer that were injured causing a deformity to their antlers... Which is not passed on to their offspring. I may be different than most, I just want to work with the hand I was dealt. If the buck does not meet my standards... He gets passed.... Not shot and labeled as a "cull" kill. Just my opinion on the subject.
I couldn't agree more. The only shot you've got at it is if you happen to own, and have TOTAL control of, a very, very large tract of land. Texas, for example. I do believe we can have an impact, but there is no way possible to completely alter it.
Not to mention the doe carries half the genetics. Better found who that cull buck's mommy is! I also come from the line of thinking you cannot alter free ranging whitetail genetics...but I also believe in science. :D
I think the King Ranch and it's divisions (along with MANY other large ranches) is doing a pretty damn good job of managing their herds Agreed, if you hunt public land or a small piece of private property (under 10,000 acres which most fall into this category) But on a large piece of land with a good management program which includes not only "culling" bucks but also keeping keeping buck to doe ratios where you want them, supplemental feeding, predator control, etc.... you CAN alter the gene pool enough to see a difference JMO
I'm not sure about this. I always thought the idea of cull bucks was lame, but after seeing a few, I'm not so sure. The area I've been hunting has a wide age class range, Over the last 3 years I've noticed and increase of 7 pointers. Last year, I saw 4 different 7 pointers, a 1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2 and a 4 1/2. They range from about 50" up to 127" and they all look alike. They gotta get those traits from somewhere?!
Let me offer you this scenario: On our farm over the last 6 years or so(I'm not really sure when we first noticed), we started seeing bucks with 1 normal side, and then their other side would be something like 1 large spike, or something messed up like that. One or two of these then yes I would have believed an injury may of caused it, but when EVERY year we report sightings and harvest a few of these animals, then it causes reason that this is being passed on. So if this was your property, and you shoot a good amount of does, you guys would all pass on these bucks if they were not meeting your personal standards, and just give an "oh well it happens" that the gene is out there, or would you shoot it in hopes of hampering the gene from spreading. BTW---I have yet to shoot one of these funky raked bucks on our farm so yes I would shoot one if he walks by me and be happy as hell to tag him.
I am not saying there is not a line of prevalent genetics in areas.... But to use the term "cull" buck to make it "ok" to shoot them...
I was watching a show today and the guy wasnt gonna shoot this buck til the guide said he could shoot it as a management buck. So he shot it. It was prolly a 140 class buck too. It didnt look like a management buck to me...lol
If you are happy as hell to shoot it... Would it not then be a trophy and not a "cull" buck... I could post a dozen different bucks with odd racks from the last couple years from my spots... I choose to let them go. I would never shoot a buck based on my dislike of its antler characteristics.
My first one...yes...it would be a trophy I would be proud of, as I would prefer to shoot any 3.5 yr. old buck regardless of rack than to take an immature buck. But imagine watching a soybean field during the summer and a bachelor group of 5 bucks walks out. FOUR had these "messed" up racks. This was 3 years ago. So these deer get a free pass every year since they are not considered regular or normal, or do you attempt to try to stop these bucks from reproducing no matter how futile your efforts may be? Let me also note that in Illinois we are allowed 2 bucks every year, so that may play a little different role compared to other states.
I wouldn't shoot. Someone else? That is up to them. If I had two buck tags, I would hunt for two bucks that I would be proud of.
Ohhhhh, I get it. I'll tell you what, the 4 1/2, 127" 7 pointer was pretty tempting! He had a 20" spread and was quite aggressive. He would be a fine deer to shoot, I had a different goal in mind at the time.
Greg has the perfect example, he saw 4 of the same 7pt deer. They obviously all have the same genetics, so which one do you kill and then 3 more go on breeding many more does than you can expect to harvest. You cull one, the other 3 breed and spread that gene 50 more times. The King Ranch has some monsters, not because they cull but because they do not shoot the deer until they reach maturity, year round feeding and smash alot of does (equals more food for the herd). The deer they are "culling" are 130" and 140" 8pt deer that are 4 and 5 years old. How many does have they passed their genes onto by the time they are "culled" 4 years later. The term is there so the another group (income level) of hunters can come and shoot their buck of a lifetime, and not feel bad about it because it is not one of the 170" deer they have. How come a cull buck can be 150" there, but 61" on our local lease...I would like to change the term to PRIDE SAVERS, I like that better than cull buck.
My point exactly Jeff, say you kill one of those 4 deer but never kill one of the does they breed...there could be 50 deer with those traits dropped the next year...now you gotta "cull" alot of slickheads...and button bucks, hopefully they have a brand so the difference is obvious. Jeff, I am not directing this toward you, I just used your post to further bounce my ideas around, no matter how wrong they may be...as I am no biologist.
