BEEN HUNTING THE LAST FEW DAYS. SEEING PLENTY OF BUCKS, BUT THEY ARE SHABBY. SAW TWO SPIKES TODAY WITH ONE ANTLER 10 INCHES LONG, ONE ANTLER 3 INCHES LONG. HAVE SEEN BUCKS WITH SMALL RACKS THAT LOOK LIKE TOOTHPICKS. DURING BOW SEASON AND BEFORE SAW SOME VERY NICE BUCKS WITH HEAVY RACKS. WONDERING IF THESE SMALL SHABBY BUCKS SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OR DO YOU THINK THEY WILL GROW INTO SOMETHING?

shoot the goofy deer with 3 inches on one side and 10 inches on the other

They all taste the same . Well not quite, the big trophy animals aren' t as good eatin as the nice fork horns. It' s a personal choice are you a trophy hunter or a meat hunter. I see nothing wrong with either choice. Me I am a meat man and if it has a decent set of horns all the better. IMHO

It all comes down to this. You can boil those horns for hours and hours but they still wont tastse good. But on the other hand the rack keeps good memories in storys. Look for a big one but near the last few days of the season meat should be in the freezer.

Good Luck

I wouldn' t shoot the deer solely on the fact that you think it has bad genes. It may NOT. The way I see it, big deer have more meat, but waiting for a big one might not fill your tag.