Here are a couple of pics of 1, 2, and 3 year old bucks. There is no agriculture for miles and just old growth forests. I have been working on a plot but with my fern problem and gas prices killing my budget it has been slow going. hope by next year I should have seed on the ground.

They look nice and fat for "malnourished" deer , what time of year were those shots taken ? Also , antler growth isn't a reliable indicator of nutrition , genetics plays amuch bigger role . Look at the bucks in South Texas , they have huge racks but tiny bodies . If those bucks were spindly and wobbling on their hooves I might have shared your assessment of them , but they aren't . If possible , get permission to drop a few trees in that woods to let some light in , then hunt the cuts .

Same thoughts on all of the above!

You're going to need sunlight for food plots to grow. Cut some timber either as a harvest or cut some cull trees to get the sunlight in. Mature forest like that aren't good for wildlife, and mother nature will soon start killing off the timber either through diseaseor insects. Those look like young deer to me.

I have 50 acres there and have begun the process. As soon as you cut the trees though the ferns come! I know it is a process and I will continue to plug along. 5 or 6 years ago you would be Lucky to see a deer there, so I am making progress.

On a side note could the genetics be that poor there. If so what to do to fix that.

Most ferns need high humidity and dim lighting to grow , opening the canopy will reduce humidity and promote competition from other plant species from the increased light . Ferns also have no resistance to a Bush Hog , be cruel to them . Down as many "trash" trees as you can and replace them with mast species like chestnut , hazelnut , beech , and assorted fruit trees . Plan for open spots so that you'll have lots of edges for those new trees to grow on , the open ground can become small food plots .

This is whatI am dealing with. Last year i thought I had them licked in this spot but within a few weeks they were right back with a vengeance. Thia year I have been drowning them with round up and I think I finally am making headway. I sprouted abunch ofapples to plant next spring for this spot and hope to lime and plant. I also plan to cut a bunch more holes in the canopy.

Round Up may not be the best choice , those are broadleafs , not grass . Successive mowing should stress them to where they begin to die back . Alternatively , you could try a controlled burn followed by tilling . I'd pull those stumps too .

You may mislead someone with your statement about the Round-Up not being effective because ferns aren't grass. Round-Up kills just about everything.

Medic -your deer look healthy - Just Young.

Probably (but not for sure) - you have a high harvest rate - and do not see alot of 2.5, or older bucks. Your area is similar to mine - do you have alot of hunters hunt your "area" - are most of the deer harvested 1.5 year old bucks?

FH