Even you herd management guys are missing a solid point. Would a 3.5 yr old+ not be considered a "trophy"....based on age, alone?
Absolutely, but he would by definition (on some farms or ranches) still be considered a "cull buck". IMO the terms aren't mutually exclusive. Even the "pros" that go out and take management or cull bucks are proud of them and consider them trophies but that doesn't change the fact that for that particular property they are management or cull deer.
Also....the doe may be way mor eimportant in the "gene" argument than many of you are giving her credit for.
Just remember.....if she has twin fawns....there's a real good chance there's two sires. Now figure in HER contribution to each.
Just like anything else we do, we have to control the variables that we can control. Management bucks are just one of many variables that go into growing big whitetails. That argument can easily be flipped into an argument against shoot does. But, the fact is that you killing does is yet another tool and there is simply no way that I am aware of to indicate the genetics of a doe, where antlers are concers. So deer managers, manage what they can.