Question about genetics
 

Ok guys I have been wondering about this for a while, ok lets say you have a 4 1/2 year old buck with a 140 inch rack. He is what you want breeding your does because he obviously has good genetics. You would want him again at 5 years old and possibly 6 to continue breeding your does. Now let's say when he's older (7 & 8) and his antlers have really gone downhill, this makes him a "management buck". Which alot of the tv shows are shooting management bucks. My question is, does this buck not still have good genetics? Or do they leave them, how does this work? If he has great genetics at 4 yrs old does he not at 8 yrs old? Just been thinking about this and hoping someone would have some insight. Thanks Guys!

Typically once the rack starts going down hill the deers sperm starts to degrade. There is nothing saying you won't end up with good deer out of him still however your chances are going down. Plus if he's been breeding from 4 1/2 to 8 1/2 it is likely that you will get some inbreeding between father and daughter. But that really depends on the deer herd in your area. If there are enough deer than very little will occur. Typically 1 buck can service about 30 does. My personal Opinion is take him out of the herd at about 6 1/2 or 5 1/2 he's been breeding since he was 2 1/2 years old most likely anyways. You have his genetics in the herd. What you are trying to avoid is if you see a 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 year old deer that does not have a good rack. If you happen upon one of those then you try to remove it depending on your management practices.

Genetic codes don't go away with age.

Yes. If he is less fertile he may not actually impregnate every doe he tries to....but his genetic contribution to those that are successful does not change.

A lot of those shows are "hunting" high fence preserves these days. They need to maintain a certain number of deer, and a buck past his prime is filling the spot a younger, more valuable deer could fill.

Where most of us hunt, a "management" buck is any that you manage to shoot before your neighbor does. :wink:

Actually the genetic material in the sperm does degrade over time. Which is why many of the high fenced places get rid or their deer at the 6 1/2 age mark. What the find is many of the sperm are dead or dying and the sperm tends to have problems with in its self. The same thing actually happens in humans males and females after a certain age begin having birth defects on a high scale than younger people. I don't know what causes this but it is well documented.

good look implementing genetics in your breeding program.

I read a study where overwhelmingly the does were bred by I believe 1.5 and 2.5yo bucks, those were the top 2 ages, forget which was #1, either way good luck.

I think you're best off letting deer grow to their potential. Harvesting management bucks.


And sure if you saw a 170" 2.5yo are you willing to pass up that buck so he can breed more does? Though he would be bigger ideally at 3.5, 4.5 etc...so ya if you can pass up a monster buck who's 2.5yo keep him around, but I doubt on any land someone is really willing to do that.

I read something similar not long ago. About 40% of the breeding was done by 1.5 and 2.5 year old deer. It was mainly because there were just too many estrus does for the big boys to tend in the peak of the rut, so the young bucks got their chance.

The researchers made a note that they had done the research in Texas on lands managed for big bucks, so there were more older bucks breeding than there would be otherwise. Most lands simply don't have that many older deer and the number of young bucks breeding would be even higher in most locales.

sarge unless your hunting in a fenced in area you cannot change the genetics of a free ranging herd by harvesting inferior bucks or protecting superior bucks.
The average male fawn will disperse between the ages of 3 months to 18 months old and travel a distance of 3 to 40 + miles. How ever the average female fawn will live its entire life with in a couple miles of where it was born. And since atleast 50% of the buck in your examples genes come from its mother and the fact that the majority of doe fawns spend their entire life with in a few miles from where they were born you would have to exterminate every doe that currently lives in the area to have any influence on your herds genetics. Pike

Hey guy's thanks for the replies, I understand that there is not much you can do to control this. It was just a question that I was curious about. I knew I could get some good answer's. I do like Spaniels take on "managing" to take the deer before your neighbor does! Thanks guy's, happy hunting! Come on September!

Genetics are genetics no matter the age. He is still gonna have the same genetics when he is a fawn as when he is a 6.5 year old brute.

Maybe his breeding capabilities will deplete, but his genetics will remain the same.