Rory/MO

I don't really believe there is a such thing as a cull buck. I wonder if the term "cull buck" would have ever came up, if the "big shot" t.v. guys wouldn't have started making excuses about shooting a sub-standard buck to them.

huntingson

Yes, thank you for clearing that up[&:]

The fact that bucks domost of their breeding at 1.5 and 2.5, when they are too young to really know what they are going to be when mature, makes the whole idea rather ludicrous as far as I am concerned.

I also just flat out disagree with the thought that a buck is measured soley by the size of his antlers. This gets to the heart of the difference between QDM and antler management.

Vito1

I agree with everything you said, especially the bold statement. I hear the term "cull buck" WAY too often in MI. We definitely don't need to kill anymore young bucks regardless of their "genetics". It is also used an excuse to kill a young buck around here. Definitely annoys me everytime I hear it.

fletch920

Those of you that think the term "cull buck"is a cop-out used for immature deer are totally missing the point. Maybe because you live where deer are not allowed to grow to maturity. A "cull" buck here is a MATURE deer that does not posess the antler configurations we desire. It is not a young animal with a tiny rack. By mature, I am talking 5 1/2 yrs. or older. Yes, by that age it is quite easy to tell if he will be the kind of animal you want to have breeding your does. 60% of the genetics come from the doe?? If so, then we still have some input on the other 40%. Not bad if you ask me. My son took a "cull" buck from our farm last year that was an 8 pt. and probably only scored about 120" at 6 1/2 years old. On the other hand, we allowed several younger deer that would score more walk because they have the potential to become huge and are passing along great genetics. Yes, there are "cull" bucks and there are cop-outs but dont confuse the two. You first must have the ground and herd to manage before you can define a cull for your area.

silentassassin

And that's your perogative and it's therefore understood that you won't be using the term to describe anything you kill. BUT, I personally don't have any objections with someone that has the resources to manage the deer herd on their property with specific objectives of growing big deer. Whether you like or agree with the term, the fact is that is a necessary managment tool for people that are managing the herd on their property for big antlers. I don't have the resources to do that nor do I know anyone that does. But I certainly don't begrudge anyone that does have the resources and chooses to do so as long as they do so within the limits of the law. I don't think you can call a buck a "cull buck" until he's 4.5 and shown what his potential is. Which is precisely what serious deer managers do.

Planter

"Culling" or taking a "Management" buck is a luxury for those who can control their herd like they were cattle.
I have shot some small 8's and even a fork or two but I'm just doing my part. It's a sacrifice I make for the overall well being of the herd. Or did I shoot them cause I wanted too?

_Dan

Jeff, funny you bring these pics back up. I was out trapping minnows yesterday and thought about bringing this same topic up and posting those pics again.

The story goes.......

December 28th 2004 I was late season bow hunting on the family land in WI. I saw a huge doe walking my way and got ready. When it got closer I noticed it was a buck that had shed both antlers within 12 hours of coming by me. The other thing I noticed was his tounge hanging out and he had a huge overbite. At 10 yards, I almost smoked him, because of his deformity.....but decided to let him walk.

The next year we never saw him until after season. We gota couple pics of him, but he had already shed one side. (your first picture) Notice the size of his rack and his tounge hanging out.

The following year, 2006, I was not going to be able to hunt the family land until late season bow again. I wanted to shoot this buck in the worst way....he was very mature (5.5-6.5) and extremely unique. During the WI gun season that year I was in SK and called the cabin to see how the hunt was going back home. My brother answered the phone and told me the story of a 23pt non-typical the neighbor had shot, 100 yards from our land. He told me "your not going to believe this, but its the overbite buck." My heart skipped a beat. I told him, "No freaking way that's the same buck. There's no way he could grow that much in one year." Well, he did and these are the pics to prove it.

So, if you ask me, cull buck is a lame term made up by the Texas ranches in order to shoot mature deer with less of a rack and still make money on them. If they didn't come up with the term Management Buck, no one would want to shoot those deer, only the big racked bucks. There's where it stated and unforutnately that's not where its staying.

I've said it before, if you want to start talking about trophy status of a buck, lets start taking pics of their teeth.

fletch920

Well said Silent.

silentassassin

How old is the buck in the photo?

fletch920

Definitely not a cull deer here yet in the top photo because he is not mature.