Good and Bad genetics
12-15-2008, 02:51 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MO
Posts: 643
Good and Bad genetics
On our farm, we have two lines of bucks, one with good antler genetics and one with bad antler genetics. I noticed this about ten years ago andwe began to harvest what we thought were the deer with the bad genetics. We took out 1.5and 2.5 year old deer that had small "funky" racks and let the nice six and eight pointers go. A couple years later, it produced results. Over the next 4 or 5 years, there were 4 deer taken that scored over 130",one of themscoring around 160". The last few years, we've been letting all bucks walk that where under 3.5 yrs old regardless of what their rack looked like. Based on a couple of the maturebucks we've seen this year, we need to start culling out the "funky" racked deer. Maybe not necessarily the 1.5 year old deer, but I think you can get a pretty good idea of what a 2.5 year old deer will be in another year or two. Here's an example ofthe bad genetics. What are your thoughts?
12-15-2008, 03:01 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,927
RE: Good and Bad genetics
Ship your bucks with bad genetics down here. I'll shoot them for you. I think you're deluding yourself if you think you can make a big change in antler form unless you control 1,000s of acres. Enjoy each rack for the uniqueness they have and let them reach their potential, whatever that may be.
12-15-2008, 03:15 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MO
Posts: 643
RE: Good and Bad genetics
ORIGINAL: Talondale
Ship your bucks with bad genetics down here. I'll shoot them for you. I think you're deluding yourself if you think you can make a big change in antler form unless you control 1,000s of acres. Enjoy each rack for the uniqueness they have and let them reach their potential, whatever that may be.
Ship your bucks with bad genetics down here. I'll shoot them for you. I think you're deluding yourself if you think you can make a big change in antler form unless you control 1,000s of acres. Enjoy each rack for the uniqueness they have and let them reach their potential, whatever that may be.
12-15-2008, 04:19 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West MI
Posts: 408
RE: Good and Bad genetics
Biologists have stated over and over again, you cannot alter the genetics of a free ranging deer herd. Everything I have read on the subject also stats you cannot tell a bucks potential until 3.5. If I were in your situation, I would let all those "funky" racked bucks walk.
12-15-2008, 04:22 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Castile N.Y.
Posts: 2,090
RE: Good and Bad genetics
ORIGINAL: Vito1
Biologists have stated over and over again, you cannot alter the genetics of a free ranging deer herd. Everything I have read on the subject also stats you cannot tell a bucks potential until 3.5. If I were in your situation, I would let all those "funky" racked bucks walk.
Biologists have stated over and over again, you cannot alter the genetics of a free ranging deer herd. Everything I have read on the subject also stats you cannot tell a bucks potential until 3.5. If I were in your situation, I would let all those "funky" racked bucks walk.
12-15-2008, 06:12 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Monroe County, IL
Posts: 1,188
RE: Good and Bad genetics
Well I know what your saying.. We have good and bad genetics..
Every Year on the farm I hunt there are bucks taken that are 150-160" (large cattle farm) and many other nice ones.. However we have a line of genetics that we found about five years ago that are half racked bucks.. This year I seen three different half racked bucks, they have a rack on right side and a nub on the left. Now we have been trying to shoot these deer but have not seemed to make any progress cuz we keep seeing them year after year.. But we will keep after it.. We also have a thing with monster 8's but that's not a bad thing imo...
Every Year on the farm I hunt there are bucks taken that are 150-160" (large cattle farm) and many other nice ones.. However we have a line of genetics that we found about five years ago that are half racked bucks.. This year I seen three different half racked bucks, they have a rack on right side and a nub on the left. Now we have been trying to shoot these deer but have not seemed to make any progress cuz we keep seeing them year after year.. But we will keep after it.. We also have a thing with monster 8's but that's not a bad thing imo...
12-15-2008, 07:17 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 146
RE: Good and Bad genetics
ORIGINAL: Talondale
Ship your bucks with bad genetics down here. I'll shoot them for you. I think you're deluding yourself if you think you can make a big change in antler form unless you control 1,000s of acres. Enjoy each rack for the uniqueness they have and let them reach their potential, whatever that may be.
Ship your bucks with bad genetics down here. I'll shoot them for you. I think you're deluding yourself if you think you can make a big change in antler form unless you control 1,000s of acres. Enjoy each rack for the uniqueness they have and let them reach their potential, whatever that may be.
scroll down until you see the heading, "Deer Telemetry Study"