The question I have for everyone is, would you personally cull this buck out of the herd? It's obvious that he is at least a 2 year old, and looks like he will never get bigger than a 7 point (but I'll never know if I shoot him). I personally have put him on my hit list, IMO he has inferior antler genetics.
This buck is in a very good area, and I have my eye on some that are alot larger. Where I hunt here in Wisconsin, we can shoot as many bucks as we earn. Shoot a doe, get a buck tag, so my season would not be over if I shot him.
Would you shoot him, as a cull buck if you had more than 1 tag? Or if you had only 1 tag, would you shoot a cull buck....... When youknew there were bigger ones in the area?

Thats not a cull for me, its a trophy.

I'd shoot that deer.....but not because he has "inferior genetics". I'd shoot him for his trophy value, to ME.

I dislike the term "cull buck". As far as I know.....a whitetail's antler potential isn't known until at least his 3rd set of hard antlers. By the time they grow thos, though........he's a trophy in most people's book on age alone. He's mature.

Good luck if you decide to take him, though.

Here, in SC, that's not a cull...that's one for the wall.

Where you are...I still might give him another year. He could still turn in to a great buck.

I don't know dude if he's only 2.5 this fall, which I agree that is what he looks to be, he's got some really good beam length and awesome G2s for a 2.5. I'd let him walk if I were in your shoes to see what he turns out as a 3.5. If he gets another G3 you get all of your H scores and he'll have towering G2s and great brows. He'd probably gross close to 140".

FWIW, I'd have a hard time letting him walk in PA.

That is definatly a cull buck! I would have no problem putting my buck tag on him!

Would you shoot him, as a cull buck if you had more than 1 tag? Nope. If he's a 2.5 year old like you say I would see what he looks like the following year 1st.

Or if you had only 1 tag, would you shoot a cull buck....... When youknew there were bigger ones in the area? Nope.

Right on Jeff.

The term "cull buck" is the lamest term and idea I have ever heard of in the whitetail world. Does anyone actually think they'll get the genetics out of the herd by killing one buck? You better start finding his sisters too and get rid of them.

IMHO Texas ranches came up the the term "cull" and "management" bucks to find a way to make some money on the less desireable bucks. Most everybody wants a "trophy" buck, but won't pay for it. So they came up with "management" buck, dropped the price and now people will pay to shoot them.

Want to determine a true trophy? Let's look at their teeth.

At 2.5, I think that deer has plenty of potential. He may never be more than a 7, but he is a 7 with great length and in a year or two, should have great mass. If you have bigger boys running around, focus on them and let this guy get another year or two. I think he is a great looking buck with tons of character.

X3

Let him grow. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised with results