Changing my mind about genetics

[PSE160]

 

I'm sure many of you guys have watched this, but I just stumbled across it. I don't have enough land to start doing all this management but I am starting to think most of the bucks that cruise through are just poorly fed.  I still wont discount genetics completely but I think this is worth a watch. What do you guys think?

 

Edit: Important info starts at 2 min mark

Edited November 14, 2018 by PSE160

[Zone35killer]

I agree with it, I think most are poorly fed, and a few are actually bad genetics. I think culling doesn’t work, but if there’s a buck that isn’t gonna get better, and you’d be happy with it shoot it. But it won’t affect the deer heard, and people who say they shot a buck to help the heard are just lying to themselves. 

[PSE160]

3 minutes ago, Zone35killer said:

people who say they shot a buck to help the heard are just lying to themselves. 

I'm guilty of at least entertaining the idea LOL. Posted a few weeks ago about a spike on my property and was thinking about genetics but this kinda opened the eyes a bit.

[JHbowhunter]

it's not that complicated - these are the 3 factors in growing big, mature, large-racked bucks, and they are all equally weighted at 33 1/3 percent!

AGE

NUTRITION

GENETICS

The easiest thing we the hunters can control is the "age", it's actually VERY EASY to do, but not enough hunters would ever commit to it to make enough difference when the state offers a Ponzi scheme of 6 bucks a year orchestrated around permits and fees as a money grab.

Those with enough land to do so - can contribute to nutrition...   Better forestry management, mineral supplements, and crops, etc.

As for genetics  - most difficult, and it's hard to play god.  I would rather focus on the first two and let mother nature take care of the rest.

 

[Zone35killer]

4 minutes ago, PSE160 said:

I'm guilty of at least entertaining the idea LOL. Posted a few weeks ago about a spike on my property and was thinking about genetics but this kinda opened the eyes a bit.

I remember that post because I personally thought it was an older deer than everyone else. If I didn’t have antler restrictions I would have shot that deer myself. Being it’s super neat, but its Honestly probably a spike because it just doesn’t get the food an nutrition it needs to be a rack buck where you’re at. But most spikes are only yearling and need at least a year or two (really three years) to show there true potential. shooting it wouldn’t help the herd at all, wouldn’t hurt it either. 

[buckhound]

we had a lot of feed patches years ago down here in the capemay county area but now they are mostly grown up the ones still planted are only planted in sorgum for birds its all brown and deer just walk through or around it..back in the late 80's  a local  planted soy beans not far from me within a couple years the normal 125 pound dressed up to occasional 150 pounds brought a few deer that dressed 170 or so and a few big racks one that green scored 165. if the state would just plant something for nutrition we would probably have some nicer bucks instead they put in the three point rule and yes we have bucks with more points but only a few real nice  bucks...i know of a field with 25 racks but maybe 1 or 2 over 110"-120" i can only imagine if the state actually planted the food plots they have in the area or if the fields where still farmed like they once were...

[3Blade]

Everyone seems to forget that does contribute half the genetics. Also people who think they can influence the genetics are nuts or are using that as  an excuse to shoot a small buck.

[Live to Hunt]

Everyone forgets about the Does  

[Livesintrees]

Age is the number one thing NJ deer need. I’d tbey make it to 4 or 5 they blow up. And they get hard to kill past 3.5 in my opinion. So if you can cross your fingers and let em walk I like to think there’s a 90% chance or better that deer makes it. At least from what I’ve seen anyway. 

[tcook8296]

I let nature do its thing. If its not sporting some good bone on its head its walking. I will head to shoprite if the freezer is empty

[Lunatic]

11 minutes ago, tcook8296 said:

I let nature do its thing. If its not sporting some good bone on its head its walking. I will head to shoprite if the freezer is empty

you can have your shoprite meat. I eat 3 tyo 4 deer /year

[buckhound]

being from the swamps of south jersey that has almost no farming  anymore and seeing the difference driving twenty-twentyfive  minutes away to farming areas  its pretty evident that genetics and nature will not give you huge deer no matter how old they are without nutrition..

[PSE160]

Well I am definitely going to start focusing more on the nutrition, always attempted to. Due to my smaller plot size I cannot set up any farming but maybe some year round good food out of a feeder can help the deer be healthier.


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[Gobblengrunt]

Nutrition doesn’t just come from a great food plot or the right browse.  It comes from what’s in the soil.  That’s why certain areas traditionally produce better bucks on average than others.  There is no such thing as “culling” bucks in a wild herd, impossible to control.  I believe feeding deer high protein type pellets out of a feeder and other beneficial feed does much more for the health of a deer.  Late winter and early spring is the most crucial time for a deers health and nutrition.