Due to ar, and increase in age classes, yearling breeding was supposed to be suppressed.
Not exactly, what was predicted was a higher percentage of 2.5+ bucks would be available to do the breeding. That has happened. More of the bucks available to breed are 2.5+. That doesnt mean that 1.5 bucks dont still breed.
The yearling year is year where most skeletal and muscle growth was occurring we were told. They werent supposed to be doing much of the breeding, they were supposed to utilize their energy & nutrition for GROWTH. Not running themselves ragged fighting each other and steadily chasing does so we were told... With our "plan" in place, yearlings were supposed to be suppressed by the older bucks which we were supposed to have so many more of, or so we were told.
The only part you got right there is that a bucks majority of skeletal and muscle growth takes place as a yearling.
As for the rest of it, AR coupled with HR was supposed to increase competition. That doesnt mean the 1.5 bucks go quietly back to eatin acorns! They still chase seek and do all the other stuff rutting bucks do. Just because they don't all get to actually breed doesnt mean they would not try and to think that they would stop chasing and get fat is about as childish and naive a notion as ever I've heard. You may have gone whimpering back to the potato chip bag when you got rejected for a better guy but in the deer world, the wimps don't give up and get fat, they simply tag along and wait for their chance.
