I practice selective harvesting. I invest more time than a single weekend to the hunt, so I can afford to be picky.

If you study Deer for awhile you can spot the good breeders, the healthiest, the more intelligent and the stronger lines. I don't shoot them.

Hunting the same area for decades I can see the results.

I tend to harvest the young sub standard Bucks or the Bucks that are still hanging around Mamma late into there second year. Helps avoid recessives and inbreeding.

I harvest young Doe that are small or malformed.

Inbreeding is to be avoided if possible, bad recessives tend to show up.

In nature predators tend to stir the mix and weed out the weak. Many places Man is the only real predator. So I tend to follow the natural order whenever possible, when I harvest. The stupid, slow or excess young are the first to be harvested.

I'm just a very small part of the mix, some hunters hunt for trophies, some for size, some for the first Deer they get a shot at.

It is easier to be selective here, we have a nine month Deer season.