tsoc

This is getting to be a bit much! I have hunted in Idaho for 10 years consecutively and will be out there this fall.I know you can shoot whatever you choose in most states and have said time and time again that antler restrictions are not "the answer" but a different approach that without question will allow a greater amount of 1.5 year old bucks to go forward in to their second year.Please prove to me that that is not true!
There is no question that that hunter density and the vastness and difficulty of a region influence the age class of animals that reside there I have never said otherwise and have in fact said exactly that on a number of occaisions.
I cannot speak for Montana aside from the knowledge that I have that it is a draw whitetail tag and you can draw approximately one out of three years unless you are hunting with an outfitter and purchase a guaranteed tag through them.I don't know what Montana's tag permits as far as gender,whether it is an either sex tag.I don't know how many deer can be taken as a resident hunter out there.
I do know that in Idaho as a resident or non resident one deer of either sex and you are done.If there are non resident tags left a resident or non resident can purchase another tag.Needless to say unless you are an outlaw one or two deer and you are done.The consensus out there is you either shoot a nice buck or you shoot a doe.Of course there are exceptions to this but they are just thatexceptions.
New York will grow big deer if they are given the chance to age,there are countless examples of that in all regions of the state.The genetic theory that you suggest is understood and not without some merit,with the exception that as a buck grows older it's breeding tendencies lesson.They become more concerned with survival than breeding,the majority of breeding is done by mature but younger animals.So nature has a way to protect the liklihood of the inferior genes going forward,again there are exceptions to this but they are just that exceptions.