ORIGINAL: rybohunter

I think I’ve figured out one last way to explain it.

You are hung up on EI’s older deer with superior genetics, I have never once even remotely alluded to that.

Take a group of 50 bucks, half with “good” genes, half with “bad” genes. As 1.5’s you don’t know which is which, the DEER don’t even know who has the better genes. You have a 50/50 chance of a buck passing bad genes.
Now let them grow and mature.
At 4.5 years old, there is going to be a larger disparity between the “good” gened bucks and the “bad” gened bucks. When push comes to shove (literally) for breeding rights, the good gene bucks will do the lion’s share of the gene passing. So you’ve improved your odds of passing good genes.
Notice no where in my example did I mention inches of antler or “smart” genes.
Good genes & bad genes criteria is left SOLELY to the deer and natural selection. I know the bucks with the biggest inches of antler aren’t necessarily the most dominant and that a bunch of other factors come into play. All I am advocating as that the bucks are allowed to grow up and figure that out for themselves.
It’s a win-win. The deer get to do their thing as evolution intended and hunters get to see a few more big mature bucks (hopefully)


One last disclaimer…… I know I spent all this time arguing and making a case for passing on the best genes possible for the deer, but I fully realize a wild free ranging herd’s genes can’t really be affected to any significant degree…AND I also (at least where I live) feel that in all but the rarest of occurrences, even a “bad” gene buck, is going to be a whopper if left to mature.