ORIGINAL: jedge1979
I would shoot them before I would take the chance that they would infect my herds genes. If you let him walk this year no telling how many times he will breed and then in a few years your whole herd could look like these guys. IMO
Infect?
He is a PRODUCT of your herd's genes.
There is no way that letting him live an extra year is going to amount to more than a drop in the ocean of a gene pool.
What seems like the greater benefit?
You let him live an extra year and give him a chance to grow the horn out and be a nice trophy for you (shoot him either way)
Or, you kill him right thenbefore he MIGHT breed 3 does (if he is mature) who will each probably have 60% chance of their fawn living to sexual maturity. (Don't forget she contributes half of the genetics too.)
I'm not saying this can't be a GENETIC trait. I'm just saying in my experience a lot of deer with damaged antlers are getting killed for one year damage to their horns because of fears like the above poster has.