After thinking about this, both sides are right. I have witnessed both situations. I noticed a trend in 7 pointers with the oldest one being at least 4 1/2. I'd been seeing him since he was 2 1/2. He is a cool buck with attitude. This year he'll be 5 1/2 and although he is certainly a trophy, he is also a "cull" buck. Especially on managed land. I have also seen and heard, many times, "Yeah, I had to cull this buck, it's only a spike!" 99% of those bucks are 1 1/2 or 2 1/2. These guys just don't have a clue. What is alarming is that there are a lot of them. I hear this at public hunting spots and registration stations in Wi. I have never personally known any of them, just randomly bumped into them. Most of the people that I associate with (deer hunters) know better than that.
Yeah, you can't tell anything about a 1.5yo spike. I did pass on a 1.5yo 8-pointer w/ tiny little spikes, I'll bet he'll turn out to be a bruiser!
I totally agree, it is very frustrating when young bucks are harvested for most reasons imo...This has been an issue in MO for some time until the inception of an antler restriction about 5 years ago. How much that will help only time will tell. The only situation where I would harvest a young buck as a management buck is if it were the last day of the season and the deer had obvious deformations that I didn't believe were injury related. I understand the arguement that there is no definitive way to determine that, that's why 98% of the time I just pass on young deer. I would definetely like to see more research on how much these practices impact deer in free-ranging areas. I would also like to see more research on how likely a buck is to recover from a deformity that is injury related and which types of deformities are injury related and which are likely genetic.
I am not disagreeing with any of this, but if a hunter just feels likes he has to (or wants to) shoot a young buck, and his only two choices is a basket 8 and the other is a spike, which would you prefer he kill as opposed to let grow another few years? Maybe its 50/50 as to which one has the most potential at this point, but day in and day out I will l bet on the basket 8, thinking that it is certainly no worse than 50/50 and probably a little better than that as opposed to the spike. Another question. If most, if not all 1 1/2 yo bucks disperse to other areas as the rut kicks off, why do we care what our neighbor shoots unless we control large tracts of land that contain multiple core areas? Shouldn't I be more concerned (not that that I have any control one way or the other but speaking theoretically) with the guy 2 or 3 miles down the road?
No, I would definetely not call those management deer. They have unknown potential as they are still young. When I say "messed up" rack, I mean a major deformity to the main beam that turns straight back or down. This was the trait we were seeing in our area. I am working on getting a picture for you to see.
I had to really laugh the other day. This guy was hunting in Africa and shot what he referred to as a Management Kudo. LOL It was a young one, nothing management about it. LOL But, he had to put in that catchy phrase... management Kudo. LOL Of course he referred to help and managing the herd. LOL
I would consider this an awesome non-typical buck. Again, not what I am reffering to. I am not talking about "good junk" like stickers and drop tines. I am reffering to significant deformities.
The scenario I originally posed did not involve a spike or a basket eight. To clarify, I said a 110-120 inch buck with a normal rack traveling with another young buck 1.5yo-ish that has four points on one side and just one spike on the other. This imo would probably not be due to an injury and I would therefore, if it was the end of the last evening of the season, let the 110-120 inch buck walk and shoot the other buck as a management buck. I wouldn't ever shoot a regular spike or a deer like the ones GMMAT posted, I don't even know where that came from. Maybe it was my fault for not being more clear.
When I tell you this I am being 100% sincere... I absolutely do not care what other people shoot. Anyone that hunts with me can shoot ANYTHING they like on "my" lands.... (ask anyone who has or will be hunting with me) Whether that be a 50" 6 point or a 200 inch slamma'.... I am a deer hunter not a deer farmer. I have NO interest in playing "god" on "my" whitetails genetic traits. If I have to watch 20 odd racks walk by between shooter bucks... So be it. Perfect.. Now let's let the arm chair deer managers argue with that.
maybe not to you ..but if he typically sees nothing but 160 to 170 class bucks it might be...everyone has their own options and what is a mangement buck or not....a 6 pter to someone could be a trophy so shoot what you want..you dont have to explain yourself to others....your out enjoying yourself....i have had great hunts and got just as excited to shoot a doe....whatever makes you happy..if you feel thats the way to go..
a prime example would be that article of that buck..and that guy took pics of him every yr. until he was 8 1/2 years old...when hes 1 1/2 yrs old i truly wouldnt think that deer had that much potential..i mean hes a monster..if someone would have shot him when he was young..you would have never seen how much he could have developed...alot of deer are like that around where i live..i see alot of young bucks...however..if somehow these bucks would get shot at an early age..we could have monsters all around us..its just the nature of the beast....there monsters for a reason...every deer i see , if it has a messed up kicker or side..something down them lines..i still see it as a good deer...its your own preferrence... EXAMPLE..: haha this might not be the best example...comparing humans to deer..but all well here goes, im bored at work and wanna ramble on: If someone is out of shape or gets in an accident..do you not want to be friends with him because hes different...no you except that person for who they are..haha ...i feel the same way about deer...its better to have deer in your area and have the enjoyment of hunting them.....then to not have them at all...
A buck does not show how much genetic potential they have when they are only 1.5 years old. It really doesn't matter what their rack looks like at that age.
Thats what im trying to say...most people that shoot these bucks..shoot them at such a young age you never really no how big they are...that was the whole point of what i was saying...you dont no when they are that young..if you let me develop in to what they could possible be..we would have monster bucks all around us...if you would have continued to read i stated that. You just never know...i honestly can say that i would never image that buck becoming that large....you look at the neck when hes 1 1/2 to when hes 8 1/2..the body..its crazy...thats why its so awesome...their awesome animals
