I didn't have time to comprehensively read the entire study but in assimilating the data, I took note of this sentence in the study:
Whereas degree of antler development represents a male’s ability to allocate energy and nutrients to antler growth during the previous year, other morphological measures (e.g., body mass, skull length) are more representative of an individual’s condition over the course of their life.
So this backs up my claim about body mass as an important factor to health.
I'm not saying that antler development is not an indicator of health, as it is. I'm saying that in my harvest (killin' them!) objectives, mature bucks "are my target" and it is unlikely that I will pass on a 5 yr old 130" buck in hopes of shooting the 170" buck that I know is there. The best time to shoot a mature buck is when you see him.
Passing on a mature 130" and waiting on a mature 160 or 170", is Trophy Deer Mgmt. I am not against TDM... I just hunt in a hunting situation where true "TDM" cannot be stomached! IMO.
My point.... I support QDMA and its wide variation of its practices AND, its narrow but valid variation of its ethical standards required of its members.
