I read a really good article several years ago about the stages we go through as hunters.In the begining we just want to kill a deer period.Any deer.Then as we become proficient at killing deer we want to fill all our tags or kill our limit as we would say down south.Then we want to kill nice bucks or trophys.After you kill a few nice deer then how you kill them becomes the challnge.Bowhunting or muzzle loading etc.Some of us never get out of the filling our limit stages or the trophy stage.I think thats why you see so many different opinions. Many of us are at different stages in hunting and in life.I know from my personal experience I used to kill everything I could,we killed alot of young bucks and very few mature deer.MS went to a 4 point or better(total) to protect 1 1/2 old bucks.We also aggresively shoot does.We have been killing some nice mature deer,some trophys some not.We now only shoot bucks with a 17 inch beam length(not spread).For us this is a 3 1/2 old deer.Now that we let young bucks walk and shoot alot of does we have a more defined rut and a more balanced sex ratio.I can kill 5 does legally so I don't feel the need to shoot a small buck.Now there are some places that are so hard hunted and pressured that you would be wasting your time to practice a mangement plan while your neighbors blast everthing that walks.We have about 15000 acres around us in QDM.It has made a big difference in our herd.I would however never impose my beliefs on anyone else or belittle anyone for killing any deer that is legal.That being said I do believe that QDM can produce a more balanced deer herd.It is not trophy management.Some people make it that.It is only intended to allow a more balanced age structure.Not every deer that gets to 4 years will be a "trophy" or BC deer.Not where I hunt.But if you are killing a mature 3-4 year old buck in my hard hunted neck of the woods then you've done something regardless of the size of his rack.

Billy

WHACKEM N STACKEM