HuntingNet.com Forums

HuntingNet.com Forums (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/)

- Whitetail Deer Hunting (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/whitetail-deer-hunting-4/)

- - cull bucks (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/whitetail-deer-hunting/278761-cull-bucks.html)

Cull Bucks
No such thing.
10 year study on the King Ranch in Texas showed it did nothing.
They had two seperate areas fenced of each other, management was done on one side none on the other, (king ranch is bigger than Rhode Island) after 10 years they both had the same size deer.

You're absolutely right and I've preached the same thing for years. Still, most don't or won't believe it. Many, MANY studies have shown the same thing. The term "cull buck" is nothing more than a sales gimick for outfitters.

Do you have a link to the study? Has it been published? Thanks.

What's a 'cull buck' supposed to be??

As I understand the term, it's a buck with an inferior rack, whose genes you don't want passed on. Example, on the lease I hunt, the guys have determined that a 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 year old "slick six" (6-point with no brow tines) is a "cull buck".

I'm not so sure, as I saw a nice slick six last year that I believe had brow tines this year...

Quote:

ORIGINAL: ipscshooter

Do you have a link to the study? Has it been published? Thanks.

It was on TV yesterday or the day before. I'll search around and see what I can find

http://www.nighthawkpublications.com/journal/393/journal_4.htm

found this on it, talks briefly about the kind ranch

I've never seen the entire study results available online but there have been a few writers mention the study.

Here's a quote from one of the articles:

Quote:

The results from Dr. Mickey Hellickson’s recent culling study in South Texas are likely the most applicable to the average deer manager because of the intensity of the culling efforts and the size of the study area. Mickey and his colleagues intensively culled the smallest antlered bucks in all age classes for six straight years on 10,000 acres on the King Ranch in Texas. When the study was over, the average antler quality per age class was slightly SMALLER than when they started! While factors such as yearling buck dispersal off the study area could partially account for lack of impact, it clearly suggests that even intensive culling on this scale is unlikely to impact genetics.

I like the QDM method of shooting deer based on their age rather than the size of their antlers. I passed on a 2 1/2 year old this year that would have come close to scoring the same B&C score as the 6 1/2+ year old I ended up shooting. I tenatively agedhim based on toothwear but I sent off the insicors to be aged based on the cementum anulli method. Shooting the older buck was a much more rewarding experience.

I agree 100%, the same goes for the spike study they did. they took a number of 1 1/2yr bucks and seperated them by 3pts or less and over 3 pts......by the time the bucks were 3 1/2 the 3pts or less had completely caught up with the other bucks.

I also think there are no cull bucks for other reasons.....one being for every buck out there, there is a person who would think the buck is a trophy.