TRADITIONAL VS QUALITY DEER

TRADITIONAL VS QUALITY

The only game species in Missouri that quality is mentioned is the Wild Turkey and not one person in the United State can argue that Missouri has the best turkey population. So why not deer

Missouri has been TRADITIONAL DEER MANAGEMENT which means we have protected the does and have unlimited harvest of bucks in all age class. The younger bucks have taken the majority of harvest by Missouri Hunters.

What does this mean to the deer population and you? Well let’s take a look in areas that have been study, that have been TRADITIONAL DEER MANAGEMENT over the years.

DOES = 85% of the deer population

BUCKS 2 ½ years old or less = 10% of the deer population.

BUCKS 2 ½ years old to 4 ½ years old = 5% of the deer population.

BUCKS 4 ½ years old and up = 1% of the deer population.

Remember it takes around 3 ½ years old before a Buck is even consider a mature whitetail. Also when a buck reaches 3 ½ years of age with the correct nutrition the buck has reached 80% potential of its antler growth compared to a 1 ½ year old only has 10% of its antler growth. If a buck reaches 4 ½ years of age it has reached 90% of its potential antler growth. The traditional deer population is considered un-natural since does have been protected.

When a shift is made and does are no longer protected then the quality of the entire herd benefits but the bucks end up with the biggest benefit. This year doe fawn is able to bread, the mature doe harvest will even do more. In captivity it has been found that a mature doe of 17 ½ years was still having twins. So just because a doe is old it is not barren.

Study’s that have what is called QUALITY DEER MANAGEMENT the population changes for the better.

DOES = 50% of the deer population

BUCKS 2 ½ years old or less = 12.5 % of the deer population

BUCKS 2 ½ years old to 4 ½ years old = 25% of the deer population

BUCKS 4 ½ years old and up = 12.5 % of the deer population

If you look at the numbers you have a 1 to 1 ratio between bucks and does and you can then see a visible rut and now have a more natural deer population.

Missouri for the first time last year is headed in that direction when more does where harvested than bucks.

Also the old shoot theory behind shooting a spike is completely out the window, they are not longer what some consider cull bucks. Studies have show that rainfall that second year of antler growth can change the complete average of bucks with 3 points or less by over 50%.

Also studies have found that, if the young spike bucks are allowed to mature that under the Boone & Crockett Scoring system that a spike buck compared to a 4 point buck in it’s second year of antler growth some consider the spike a cull buck. But when the spike bucks are allowed to live, when both those bucks reached maturity that only 6 inches difference has been found.

What is your opinion?