I would think that prior to 2.5 years they would have to be 1.5 years and breeding? If the big one is killed i would assume he was dominant and has bred everything on the mountain? The genes then would perpetuate? I also think we as landowners help w/that by lessening the amount of hunting/hunters that can get at that animal. Again, I don't depend on the PGC anymore, they just want to write tickets. I swear we can see traits of some old big deer in the young bucks we spotlight at night, or we see in the fields or in the woods.