I have a question and would like some feedback please. I keep seeing and reading about taking out the old mature bucks. What I can't seem to understand is when they state better harvest him his antlers have gone down hill. Don't want him breeding the does anymore. What puzzles me is he was born with the same genetics and will die with the same genetics. If he was a stud at 4 and a rag horn at 7. What does it matter if he breeds. He's still passin on the stud genes even if he looks raggy at 7.

Must be part of the shoot all the spikes logic!!!!

that's a good ? and point. i myself don't consider me as a trophy hunter. yes i'll try to hold out for a bigger buck, but if i see one that i would be happy with i'll take him. i do let the bb's,spikes,and 4pts. walk though.

First, the average hunter has little control over genetics, unless they own and control 5000 acres of deer habitat.
Second, deer don't live forever and great antlers don't last forever.

Besides, hunters don't get to decide what deer is breeding what deer.

So, I never worry about it.

I agree 100%. IMHO, If he was truly a stud when younger, he will pass on his genes no matter when he mates with a doe. As the buck gets older he will reach a time in his life when his antler development will begin to slow. This was the case when my buddy shot the biggest deer any of use have ever taken. The buck dressed at 269 pounds but had 11 small, thin points. The buck was aged at 9+ years. Very old for a deer in our part of the country. If he could have successfully bred a doe at that age, I am sure his genes would have been passed on.

As far as the spike logic...young bucks may often have only spikes when they're yearlings. Most all the spikes we have taken were only a year and a half old. Very rarely will we see a mature buck with only spikes.

The mother of a buck actually has more to do with its first rack than does the father so just because a buck has good genetics doesnt mean its offspring necessarily will too. Secondly, just as does produce the highest number of fawns when they are 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 bucks tend to produce more viable sperm when they are in their prime. Yes the genetics of a buck are the same when they are older but bucks over the age of 7.5 are less likely to successfully breed a doe. Also, older bucks have a much higher chance of dying with each passed year and begin to get pushed around by bucks in their prime which do the most breeding. So it isnt as much that you want to get the genes out of the herd, but more that you want to take that given buck out of the herd because he doesnt have as much of a purpose anymore

Idk what I was thinking earlier when i put that 42% sorry

can you explain that 42% number?