When the QDM crowd just comes right out and says ....."
I don't give a freakin flip about "genetics".....ALL I wanna do is kill bigger racked bucks".....
Then...I'll give them the time of day. When they throw "genetics" and "age structure", etc....I get turned off really quickly. The ONLY reason they want "age structure"....is that is usually means a bigger rack.
I'd love to put a 2.5 yr old 140" and a 5.5 yr old 120" in front of them and watch them **** their pants reaching for the bow to kill the youngin.
Thats me. I try to encouage those that hunt my properties (unless he is a first timer or a kid) to refrain from 1.5yo bucks and try to have everyone avoid the "in between" (usually 2.5yo) sized racks. I do it for ONE reason and ONE reason only and thats to hope to have bigger racks in the futiure.
As far as as 2.5yo 140" vs a 120" 5.5yo. A lot of factors would come into play in that split second called decision time. If it is late in the season, I would be more likely to let the 2.5 walk as compared to early in the season, when I would probably RATIONALIZE to myself, if not me, then my neighbor.
But yeah,I might shoot the the 2.5 over a 5.5 if he had the more desirable rack. I have no problem admitting that. I concede that this type action is not 100% consistent, but it is still more in line with accomplishing the stated objective(for me)for BIGGER RACKS than a "if its brown, its down" mentality.
If I hunted public land or properties that held fewer deer, I would probably have a different perspective than what I do, but since that is currently not the case, this is where I am TODAY.