While it would be nice for every deer herd in the country to have a diverse age structure for both it's bucks and does, I don't think that it is necessary in order to have a healthy herd. This isthekey element of how QAM people can do their work in the name of QDM. They will keep telling you it HAS to be that way or your herd will suffer.

The funny thing is MOST of the people who let these smaller bucks walk right by them and say "I did it because I pratice QDM" most likely have NO IDEA what the state of the herd in their area is! For all they know they could be passing on a deer that very well could have been killed and no harm would have come to the herd because of it.

If you let it walk because you want to shoot a bigger deer that's fine, I have no problem with that. I did that this year because of the contest. I ended up killing a small 8-point with a funky rack because I thought (and after killing it was right to think that way) it would have given him problems. If not I would have passed on him as well.

Just don't do it and say it was because of QDM. Now before those who are indeed performing QDM chime in I did say MOST. There are those who indeed do know the state of health their herd is in and are doing something about it andI applaud you. However once the ratios are balanced and the herd is healthy,and you still only kill older bucks or "inferior/cull" bucks because of their racks, then you have crossed over to QAM