RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

From what I saw of him in 2004 he looked to be 3.5. So in the top pic that would put him at 4.5 and harvested at 5.5.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Offspring contains 50% genes from the doe and 50% of the genes from the buck, thats just the way gametes work. So, by the time you decided to cull a buck at 4.5 years of age he has already shared 50% of his genes for 3 seasons which will keep getting passed on to other offspring. By the time he reaches 4.5 years of age he is not doing the majority of the breeding anyways as stated above that most breeding is done by bucks 1.5 to 2.5 years of age. So shooting to cull is really a useless point.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Fletch, go back and read my posts on this buck one page back.....it'll give you a lot more info on him.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Even you herd management guys are missing a solid point. Would a 3.5 yr old+ not be considered a "trophy"....based on age, alone?

Also....the doe may be way mor eimportant in the "gene" argument than many of you are giving her credit for.

Just remember.....if she has twin fawns....there's a real good chance there's two sires. Now figure in HER contribution to each.;)

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

No offense but you said it yourself, unless the deer was aged then we don't know how old he was in the top photo. He could have made that jump from 3.5 to 4.5 which wouldn't be unprecedented but a jump like that from 4.5 to 5.5 would be extremely rare.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I have and it substantiates my point. He was not at least 5 1/2 in the first picture right?? Therefore, not a "cull" candidate in my book. Turned into a great deer though.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Absolutely, but he would by definition (on some farms or ranches) still be considered a "cull buck". IMO the terms aren't mutually exclusive. Even the "pros" that go out and take management or cull bucks are proud of them and consider them trophies but that doesn't change the fact that for that particular property they are management or cull deer.

Just like anything else we do, we have to control the variables that we can control. Management bucks are just one of many variables that go into growing big whitetails. That argument can easily be flipped into an argument against shoot does. But, the fact is that you killing does is yet another tool and there is simply no way that I am aware of to indicate the genetics of a doe, where antlers are concers. So deer managers, manage what they can.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I'm not going to argue with you silent, but I see more than many's share of mature deer each year. Now, when I said he was 3.5 in 2004, that means he was at least 3.5.....no younger.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Gotcha.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I agree that cull buck is simply a cop out im MOST cases....but the above scenario is a terrible example of cull buck. For one, nothing is wrong with the animals rack, it just shed one side by that time...alot of deer could be caught looking like this late season, infact every deer unless they shed both sides simultaneously. The overbite isnt means for a cull anyway, cull bucks are judged by antlers...no one culls by tail length, overbite,or other bodily disorders.

Cull bucks dont achieve anything in the big picture for a wild herd of animals. The genes have long since been passed down by the time one determines it is a cull. That being said, it doesnt HURT anything to remove the animal from the herd, it does in fact prevent any more breeding on his part.

Remember Jeff, the trophy is in the eye of the beholder....just cause me and you see any 3.5+ deer as a trophy, doesnt mean everyone else does. to each his own I guess.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

You guys that are talking about controling the genes of your heard through culling bucks....... It is impossible, plain and simple. It can't be done through hunting... only through an artifically genetically engineered deer heard could this be accomplished.

The only two factors that humans can control ina wild deer heard is nutrition and age. Culling a 4.5 year old deer because his antlers are not a certain size accomplished absolutely nothing for the quality of your deer heard.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

In as non argumentative way as possible......If what you say is true, then why do so many ranches that do this stuff for a living practice what you say is impossible?

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I have no experience with game management but the word cull to me deals with cattle and ranches. Not wildgame ranches either. Like everyone else if you want to shoot that deer hen shoot that deer.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I couldn't agree more. I can't stand that phrase! "Undesirable"is moreaccurate. JMHO;)

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

It keeps that buck from passing along his genetics for years 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 etc. which equates to many many does and yearling that aren't running around with his genetics.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Guys, someone on here while back posted this & I saw it on a TV show as well… The “Cull” bucks that that the heavily managed ranches take out AREN’T doing so in order to manipulate the genes, they are doing so as part of lessening the entire herd, and they obviously choose to shoot the least desirable bucks, rather than their “trophies”.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Jeff....I'm glad you posted this. I never was too sure what the term "cull" buck meant. Now I do...thanks.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Please send any 3.5 YO deer that needs culling my way. More than willing to lend a hand. It'll be my contribution to QDM...

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Some people take out the bucks who do not show potential for growing large racks. Farmers cull out cattle who don't show the genes to produce huge cattle. Its part of management. Since you don't prefer the term "cull" lets just call them "Not Ready For Prime Time" bucks. Personally, I don't like the term "cop out"since most cops are honest upstanding citizens. Shall we come up with PC terms for everything? If so, there won't be much conversation on here.

Next we'll be posting:
"I went out to "harvest" a wild animal who showed the potential for being a disease carrier. Since some people don't consider arrows as an ethical way to dispose of life formswith heartbeats and since guns kill people, I used dynamite to make sure the animal did not suffer and no one would be offended."

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

I hate the term!!! I think it is demeaning as hell!

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

i use it as a deer that u can tell he wont have the genetics for instance a deer that has 4 points on one side and just a main beam. somethign of that nature. unless you have a huge farm and the deer stay there and you can watch them and know how old they are each year the term cull buck doesnt pertain to some extent.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

All the answers have been said, but Dr. Kroll wrote an article in the early 90's about once a spike always a spike. I was only 12 or 13 but the article hit home because in thesouth alot of people are under that notion that a spike is always a spike. He showed a deer that was a 3 pt at 2.5 and over 230 NT b&c at 5 1/2. His argument if I remember correctly was the deer had the genetics but did not get the food. My point being "CULL" simply means I can still charge you $2500 to shoot this fine mature deer since we failed to put you on a "trophy" deer or you could not afford that hunt. I agree with the guys in the big buck states that if a deer reaches 5 or 6 and does not have the rack you desire then by all means take him out, but realize you are not taking him out for genentic purposes (he has already bred 3 or 4 years and countless times) but take him out for the same reason you would a doe, more food for the deer that do have it all.

RE: What's your opinion of the term "Cull buck"?
 

Without reading anything but your original post..my answer is this.

Anywhere outside of a managed OUTFITTER property, where cull hunts are used to take less quality bucks off the land, at a lower priced hunt.

It's a term used when a "trophy hunter" gets tired of waiting and wants to shoot something. The term "Cull" can be used to justify it, in his mind.

To those this offends an opinion was asked for and expressed..it's nothing more than mine.