I never really understood the idea of a cull buck. Sure the buck is on his way down hill, but at one time he was a trophy, and as far as I know dna doesn't change, so he will still produce trophy racks out of his offspring unless he grows only one anltler every year or something screwy like that then I would take him ( a 5 1/2 year old buck is a trophy in my book no matter the size of his horns)