i think they get to carried away with "poor genetics". alot of poor antlers can come from injury, nutrition, and other environmental stressors. As far as i know, dna doesnt change as you age. so why do they shoot good bucks that "are past their prime"? they will still be passing on the same traits. I dunno. i dont get it, i think a lot of it is an excuse to shoot a deer. I understand shooting bucks with deformed antlers, although id bet a lot of them came from injuries, therefore not affecting their dna. I think it is just a crap shoot. Like everyone else said, AGE is THE most important factor.