RE: Passin the Buck
The problem with the healthier herd argument is that its not about healthier deer at all. QDM advocates define a healthy herd as one that has lots of big racked bucks in the population. They argue that we need to increase the average age of the herd. But what does the average age in any population have to do with being healthy. The average age of the U.S. population is older than the average age of the Chinese. Does that mean we are healthier. That's nonsene. Here is what a healthy herd means...
If the individuals within the population display a normal or low incidence of maladies i.e. disease, genetic disorders, nutritional deficiency and also display other physical characteristics within the normal range for their age e.g. weight; the population can be considered to be healthy.
No, if we are honest, QDM,AR,PBS whatever is about big racks not health. The health argument is just a justification. It is really disingenuous to define a healthy herd in terms that have nothing to do with health but simply in terms that are clearly determined by what is desired for good hunting.