SWBUCKHNTR
Member
I have been looking through all my trail cam pics and started noticing I have an a$$ load of mainfram 8 points any suggestions on what to do to get a few more 10's or 12's running around?
Plagued by 8's
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Lung Popper
Member
that unicorn buck looks like a pretty sweet buck!!
doublerack
Active Member
I'll take your "problem" of being plagued by big deer. They look solid to me.
Got a similar problem by me. Last year we killed or found dead about 6-7, 8 pt frames or other wise cull deer that had traits we don't like. Now it looks like some more desirable deer are hanging around. i think since there is a little less testosterone around that we have some other bucks moving in.
I base my theories of culling bucks not on a 8 pt frame but on the character of it. If it is very tall tined or has tall brows or long beams, I would leave him to see how he does. He could blow up or breed a doe while mixing that great genetic trait w/ the does great traits.
On the other hand if it's a 120" 3 yr old 8pt w/ no great traits I would defenitaly get rid of him. I don't care what others say about letting them get to 4 because there is no way that will be a future booner or a deer that I want ruling the woods someday and breeding my does.
Let your 10 pt framed deer or better get to at least 5 yrs old so they spread some genes before attempting to harvest them and start whacking your 8's w/ less desireable traits and then see how it turns out in a few years. You'll find yourself going after more cull bucks then trophies though so beware because there is always more of them and always one that needs to be shot.
I base my theories of culling bucks not on a 8 pt frame but on the character of it. If it is very tall tined or has tall brows or long beams, I would leave him to see how he does. He could blow up or breed a doe while mixing that great genetic trait w/ the does great traits.
On the other hand if it's a 120" 3 yr old 8pt w/ no great traits I would defenitaly get rid of him. I don't care what others say about letting them get to 4 because there is no way that will be a future booner or a deer that I want ruling the woods someday and breeding my does.
Let your 10 pt framed deer or better get to at least 5 yrs old so they spread some genes before attempting to harvest them and start whacking your 8's w/ less desireable traits and then see how it turns out in a few years. You'll find yourself going after more cull bucks then trophies though so beware because there is always more of them and always one that needs to be shot.
RageintheCage
New Member
like DOR said start whacking
squ1rr31_
Brother in Bone
We had the same problem in our land for a few years, a lot of older small 8 points though. We started whacking and within a year I shot an 8 with an 18-20" inside spread. Seen more bigger deer in the area now too. Just gotta decide which ones you wanna take. If you have the option for multiple owner land owner tags, buy them up, take them out.
Culling might not make a difference in the genetics of the area BUT, let's say there's 20 bucks, 10 of them are EIGHT POINTS, you kill all those (ok, this won't happen BUT making a point) and leave the others that have more points- for several years your MATURE shooters will then be the 10's and 12's, etc you let live.
If it were me, i'd shoot a heavier weighting of 8 pointers, I'd improve the nutrition (which you are probably already doing BUT I'd do more mineral licks and year round food sources) AND kill some more does to ease the stress, etc. Just my opinion. *Everyone I talk to seems to have a big amount of 8's BUT the crazy amount of point bucks ALWAYS seem to surface.
If it were me, i'd shoot a heavier weighting of 8 pointers, I'd improve the nutrition (which you are probably already doing BUT I'd do more mineral licks and year round food sources) AND kill some more does to ease the stress, etc. Just my opinion. *Everyone I talk to seems to have a big amount of 8's BUT the crazy amount of point bucks ALWAYS seem to surface.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: THA4</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wish i had your "problem"
/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
id be happy to come down and help out, call me if you need some "management" done!
hahahaha
great pix </div></div>
/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
id be happy to come down and help out, call me if you need some "management" done!
hahahaha
great pix </div></div>
Huntdoc is correct. There is nothing that you can do to greatly change the genetic makeup of your local deer herd. But, anytime you remove a buck, you are freeing up space for other deer to move in. As for shooting 2-3 year olds that don't look good, I'd let them go for a while. We have pics of a 140 class 8 that didn't show anything promising until he was 8 years old, then he ballooned into a 180 class stud. Either way, do what makes you feel comfortable.
