I supposed this a question for a wildlife biologist.

What percentage of bucks in Alabama if left to grow and mature would reach that antler growth milestone? I think we’ve had this discussion before but I can’t remember.

A small percentage in my opinion.

I’d like to know too, I’ve killed some older ones that were nowhere close to 130, I would think a small percentage but some folks think they all will with age but I just don’t think so

Let me add this, everywhere I’ve ever hunted has a small percentage of main frame 10 points for some reason, I’ve only ever had pictures of 3 in 15-16 years of running trail cameras. It take a really good 8 pt to hit 130 but not so much with a decent 10

If people would pass the genetically superior 1 and 2 year olds, instead of killing them on sight, I’d guess about 20% at age 5. Deer are like people, some are just bigger than others. With the current long season and the, shoot any good rack buck you see regardless of age, typical mentality, I’d guess 5% actually make it to 130” here in AL. Most of the ones that have the genetics to make or break past the 130” threshold are killed as 1.5 or 2.5 yr olds. Naturally you’ll have more in better managed, good soil areas, with large landowners, but way less in small parcel dominated, poor soil, unmanaged areas.

I’ll also say this, I’m talking about legitimate, properly measured, 130” deer. Not the “my buddy killed a 130” buck”. I’ve put the tape on a bunch of bucks that the shooters thought were 130” and they were really 115-120” deer. A 130” buck is a really good deer.

I’d be interested to see what Brock, Troy, Jeremy and others think on this topic.

I vote less then 10% I’ve only had 3 maybe 4 on camera ever.

I don't have any data to back my guess up, but not a very high percentage. Maybe 15-20% IF they make it to five, depending on location. Way south Alabama with sandy soils on the low end and Bankhead or Montgomery area on the upper end. Soils make a lot of difference.

I've killed a good number of measured 130s over the years, a handful of 140s, and a very few over 150. I have also killed a good number of 5-7 year old bucks with lots of mass that wouldn't break 120.

Here is the answer, look what Ms., Ga. and La.

I sat through a presentation one time that had individual antler scores placed on a bell curve and it was quite surprising. The area wasn’t in AL, but it was in some of the most fertile soils of the south. I’ll just say this, those of you estimating 15-20% are likely in the ball park for most of AL. It will vary some depending on soil fertility.

As an official measurer for B&C I get to put my hands on a LOT of bucks. There’s tens of thousands of hunters in AL who grossly overestimate the scores on their bucks. I’ve have spent years trying to convince people in AL that a 120” is a good buck, a 130 is a great buck, and anything 140+ might very well be a buck of a lifetime to most hunters here. The problem with scores in AL is most don’t get the opportunity to express their potential. Most 3 year old bucks in AL are going to score 90-115”. The few that score higher than that are likely to get smoked. Those are your 140+ 5 year olds. You leave the 65-100” 3 year olds and they turn into the 115-120” 5 year olds. But truthfully, every deer on a 40,000 acre area in good soil can live to be fully mature and there’s a large percentage of them that will never break 130”. Although, there’s a bunch of folks who think they have a wall full of them. In reality, few people actually do. A quick score at the taxidermists or sitting on the tailgate is usually inflated by several inches over a true score using a cable and 1/4” steel tape.

I’m gonna go with around 20% as well.....…Most deer with the potential to be really big are shot young even on the good properties. Very few people are passing the 130-150 inch 4 year old.....With a couple more years of growth though you may be talking 170+ at age 6-7......

And I’ve seen several areas of the state decline drastically in antler scores over the last few years strictly due to poor habitat management and overpopulation. Areas that used to pump out some giants.

Good question Southwood and I don’t know answer - I would guess small%

I had 2 beautiful 10s on place last year - hav not seen them any in 2020 and it rare to get 10s on camera for me - my 3rd best from last year finally showed up once in Jan 2021 - he put on nice growth - he is a 9 - I think he 4 yr old now and wonder what he be like at 5 - I think he would be awesome at 5 (130s) but if my son sees him this weekend he dead cause he a dang good deer - I would love to see those 2 tens this year (one was 4 the other 5 in fall of 2019) - did they kill each other r somebody could hav shot - I clicked on 1 of the 10s last year (the 4 yr old I would hav mounted) - muzzleloader did not go off - if they were alive this year - I think they would b very exceptional- they could still be Alive - that’s what we really talkin about - what would the good deer look like if we let them get to 5 and 6 years old and what % would that b

If we let our nice or exceptional 3 and 4 year old deer walk - be interesting to see what they turn into at 5-7

A 130" buck in Alabama is like a 20 lb. bag of bass. The deer is actually 115" and the bag of bass is 15 lb.s.

They way I've been watching them hit the ground this year not sure there will be any around next year.

I had hoped the one i shot the other day would break 130, but looking at the deer in the other thread, dont think mine is gonna make it. #wouldabeenagoodunnextyear 🤷🏻‍♂️

Ain’t that the truth!!! My word the bucks are getting wore out.

Gman it’s still a very nice deer. Don’t get too caught up on score. He looks high 120s to me but could hit 130”.

Location location location

I have to disagree with you just a little bit. From what I’ve read, a 4 year old expresses 90% of antler growth. Now I’m sure that isn’t a hard and fast rule, but I do believe by 5 for sure, that is about all the deer is going to put on antler wise. May add some character, but don’t think they are gonna add many more inches

In my high fence, there are around 20 buck fawns that made to 6 months old. If four of those make it five years, I'll be happy. Two at most will become a superstar.

We’re/they’re (imma guest at the farm) trying to grow big’uns. We know 1 factor involved is age, and we’re trying. I still feel kinda bad about shootin that gorgeous 8, but i think he’s only 3.

I’m with you on this one. Type of land,soil,and area goes along ways to

That 90% is an average. I’ve seen deer have their best racks at 3-4. Most have their best racks at 5-7. Some have their best racks at 8. I’ve seen more than a handful of deer go from high 140s to 180+ between 6 to 7 years old. You never know what an individual deer will do until he’s had the chance to do it.

First deer I killed this year was only a 3 - probably would hav been a good deer next year and whopper at 5 - but I had a bow and had never shot a deer with bow before and when 8 w kicker jumped out - I was shooting him - no regrets - I think the other kills I been on were 4 year olds this year

And if u see a deer u want to mount r scull mount - I would shoot it - any deer in the 120s in AL would be hard for me to pass unless I already shot a mounter that year

Me and my brother were talking about this the other day. We hunt in Texas a lot at a guys place and he’s got an intense management program on his low fence. Kills some giants but he is on a MLD program and can only shoot a certain number of deer off his property. He pulls and holds big deer on his place. Out there he shoots the bucks that need shooting and keeps the ones that have potential and let’s them breed. Problem with most of alabama most people let the bullchit deer walk to shoot the nice one when all your doing is killing the deer that has good genetics and letting the cull bucks breed. That being said a lot of people hunt all year long in Alabama for the one chance at a buck all year when in Texas you can see what you will see in alabama in one weekend out there. Then you throw in the outlaws and night hunters and your number of big bucks goes down.

Out of the 200 plus I mount a year, maybe 15 will be 130 or over. Most are 100 to 110.

My criteria would totally change score wise in Tx r Kansas etc

Yea JD - Bama has way to many outlaws and night hunters - and my place has few quality deer but lot of trash - i want to get more trash out next year - my son just got out trash deer and my Camden lease I took out one trash 6

I definitely can see this. I have killed a 4 yo and my son has as well. Neither deer broke 120 but are both very nice deer. My daughter killed her first buck this year and I believe it was a 3 yo. Would have been a giant when fully mature but he is going on the wall

Very few will make 130 regardless of age. We have good genetics in my area and we are particular about what we shoot and a fair amount will make it to 5. That being said not many will ever make 130. I've killed 4 or 5 that made 130, the biggest being 148. Biggest we've ever taken on the lease was 158. I have current pics of at least 5 bucks that's I believe are 5 yrs old. Only 1 of those will probably make 130, all are 8 points. I had one last year that I should have killed that was a long tined 10 that I think was 140+. He was still around in March, no pics since. It ain't easy

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Most people who hunt, in every state, are going to kill a 3 year old if given the chance, whether a child or adult.

Just to clarify, so no one misunderstands the meaning behind what I’ve said about deer getting shot at younger ages........(had a CNC multiperiod moment). I’m NOT in any way trying to judge or demean anyone who chooses to shoot a buck that’s not reached its potential. Everyone is well within the law and their own desires to shoot whatever they want to. Scientifically speaking, a buck needs to hit 6-8 to see what he’s capable of doing.

I try to shoot mature deer. Figuring out how to get my hands on them makes me happy no matter the score.

No offense taken on my end Matt

I didn’t think so but I didn’t want anyone else to view what I said that way.

Matt where can I find the info on the study you mentioned earlier in the thread. If it’s even available.

I’ll see if I can find it. It was presented in about 2008-2009.

No worries MBrock - after my first post - think the next one of my posts was kind of for Gman and the other I was relating to what John Deer was saying

Ha!!!! I found it! I actually found the EXACT data I was referring to. It was taken in three distinct soil regions in MS. Of course everyone knows the fertility found in the delta and the size of bucks found there. Most of AL would be comparable to the antler classes found in the loess hills and lower coastal plain data. MS antler data

Great conversation, great topic! Specifically talking Alabama deer truly scoring at least 130", a man has really done something when he's killed that caliber of deer. Someone mentioned in this thread that it takes a heck of an 8-point to hit 130 in Alabama.
That is a fact! A buck that hits that in our state is a true trophy to any Alabama whitetail historian, enthusiast, or purist. I hunt a lot of different states and one Canadian province and the deer on my wall of which I am most proud are two Alabama bucks which both enter this conversation well, I believe. One was an 8-point just under at 129 2/8" and the other, interestingly enough was a huge 7-point scoring 138 5/8". Our incredibly unique re-stocking story in Alabama holds a special place in the whitetail world and that 130-incher in our state is quite the accomplishment! Cheers to the men and women who have hit that mark in the Heart of Dixie.

Thanks Matt

How many people would be willing to quit shooting 3 year olds to find out? Not many

A lot of people talk about it but few can actually put it into practice.

You should listen to some of the Mississippi State’s Deer Lab deer university podcast about culling bucks to influence genetics.

Yep you are right. Gotta justify those high lease prices by killing something

If bucks were allowed to live until age 6 with adequate to good nutrition I believe most here would be surprised with what the bucks would grow into. I would challenge folks to shoot the bottom 1/4-1/3 of the age classes at 3-4yo and let the superior bucks go. These Alabama deer have potential. You just have to be patient and allow them to show it.

True statement. On fertile ground with good habitat and age there’s many a deer that can reach 150”+ with some age on them, even here in AL.

Yep

I agree.

Here are our three biggest. None of them break 120(haven’t measured my daughters yet but pretty sure it won’t).

So inside a high fence where there are no cars and I am assuming predators are controlled to some extent and you don’t shoot 3-4 year old bucks, you only expect a 20% survival rate at 5 years old? If that is the case and you can only expect 20% survival rate from natural causes. So taking that and the studies from MS into account you could only expect 5-6 % of all the bucks born to reach a score of 130+ if nobody ever shot one before it was 5. When you take hunting into consideration that drops even more maybe 1-2 % if your lucky enough to hunt in a really good area and more than likely 1% or less in a lot of places in AL.

This whole conversation surprises me. I would have been way off base based on the general consensus. I would assume that most bucks on my property would make 130” if given 4-5 years. Most, certainly over 75% of them imo. The question was how many would grow to 130” if left alone to grow old right?
I can’t wrap my head around 20% good genetics and 80% that’ll never make 130 even at age 5-6??
I had no idea......
If we’re on the same page with the question.

I guess that justifies shooting young bucks, case closed

Globe, that’s correct. Even if given the opportunity to reach 5 years old in most of AL, the majority of bucks will never see 130”. Add to that predation from coyotes, highway mortality, natural fighting mortality, other natural death, and hunting mortality and its very easy to see why a 130”+ is truly a trophy deer. First, only 1/3 or less could ever see it, and he has to survive long enough to get there.

One thing is certain, if you kill them before they reach 130, they never will. Personally, I don't have to kill a buck to have an enjoyable deer season. Hell, I rarely ever kill a doe, that's why the guys I hunt with call me a bird watcher

Yep. I kill a buck probably every 5 years seems like

That is an amazing statistic! I had no idea. So what percentage of the 90-100” 8’s that looked to be 2.5-3.5 I let go will make 130+? I prob passed 8-10 of them this year. I hoped they’d all grow into great deer given time.

My opinion, at year 3 you have a really good idea of what trajectory the buck is going to be on. If you’re seeing clean 6pts at 3yo then they are likely to remain on a lower antler score trajectory as they continue to age. Your good looking 2-3yo 8pts will more times than not impress the heck out of you and go well past the 130” mark if you just let them grow up.

This has been a great informative discussion and I appreciate everybody’s input. I really just hope that everybody is having fun when they’re deer hunting regardless of your standards.

Yep, but globe, a lot of those deer you let walk others are not choosing the same.

Yea - good thread SouthWood - it’s about what u want to get out of your property or hunt

Wonder what percentage of pictures on our deer thread kill pics made 130

That would be highly skewed. I know of quite a few killed by members over 130” that aren’t posted on here. 😁

Here’s a thought. Maybe it’s not that the 130”+ deer don’t exist, but more so to the fact of that they don’t exist on the property that you hunt. In my limited experience, Good quality properties with minimal pressure that hold 130”+ deer are more likely to hold several 130” deer, and hold them every year. Areas with poor buck habitat and heavy pressure are less likely to hold even one and won’t hold them every year. Increasing the value of your habitat to mature bucks, while decreasing your pressure to almost nothing would in theory make it more valuable to mature bucks.

Sometimes those 2/3 yr 6 points can also reach 130. This one was 129 and change. Jawbone indicated he was old as well 6+.

Ijust want to kill old deer...big score dint matter to me

I don't think you will ever get people to let them walk in most instances.

Of course, I think it could be addressed by shortening rifle season...but that aint happening.

You mean people kill big deer that don’t get put on aldeer or FB?

So I’ve heard. 🤷🏼‍♂️

This line of thinking carries some weight in my opinion. If one was to have a quality property with a lot of acreage that is managed from a lot of aspects. It can be assumed those individuals are reaping the benefits of such a property if they are doing their part with trigger restraint.

I will offer this. If you want a 130 inch deer and that represents 20% of the 5 year old age class then currently in the State of Alabama on 99% of the properties I have ever stepped foot on.... You have ZERO.

The reason you have ZERO is because you have ZERO 5 year old deer. Why? They ALL got blasted somewhere between the ages of 0-3yrs.

Facts. They get in the way of a good discussion sometimes.

100% Goat killer.

It ain’t zero but it ain’t far from it.

So out of 200 + bucks that represent the best bucks your clients have killed that year. Only 7% of them score 130 or more. That pretty much tells you where your expectations should be, and most of ours are out of whack, including mine. Would be very nice interesting and if there was a way to know from a processor and I mean a place that just processes deer not one that does that and taxidermy out of all the bucks brought in how many score 130 or better. If yours is 7% it has to be 1-2 %.

I know a processor and taxidermist that will process over 2,000 deer a year, and shoulder mount less than 200. Of the 200 maybe 30% are over 120” in a normal year. This year he only took in about 120 heads but it’s the largest percentage of 125-150” deer I think I’ve ever seen. It’s far higher than past seasons.

I hunt a military base in central AL, not an area with a reputation for quality bucks. It's 12,500 huntable acres, with roughly another 4,000 acres in "no-access" impact areas. I started hunting there in the early 2000's and we had about half the number of hunters back then as we do now, and killed a lot less deer overall. The first several years I hunted out there we'd kill at least one, some years more than one, 150"+ bucks (these are gross scores, just putting a ribbon tape on them, nothing official). I saw a 171" buck (officially scored) and two more that were 161" and 165" (both also officially scored) Another deer that was around/over 160+" gross (not official), but netted somewhere in the 150's (I think BigGameHunter) scored this deer. We would kill probably 5 more deer in the high 130's to low 140's each year also.

Nowadays we have a much higher deer harvest and I'm guessing 80+% of our bucks are 3 year olds, just a bunch of 100-115 eight points. You don't even see the really big bucks anymore, we're killing them before they get that size. They use a "4 points on one side" rule and we're killing our best deer at young ages. Or that's my opinion of it anyway.

In 15 years of hunting out there I've got a 141" gun kill (gross taped by the biologist), a 134-5/8" (official net) bow kill, and I gun killed a straight 10pt three weekends ago that taped out around 130-ish (this new biologist doesn't "score" them, he just takes basic measurements for their book). I would've told you that 141 was WAY bigger if I hadn't ever measured it. I honestly thought it was a 150+ deer in the woods. That newest 10pt is the biggest rack I've seen out there in several seasons though.....there just seems to be a bunch of skinny-necked 14" eight pts running around now. So I know there are genetics to have big racks, but we're just massacring them before they get there. I think this military base is above average for Alabama, and even in it's hayday I'd guess 15% of the bucks were honest 130 or bigger.

I think game cameras have helped us to shoot mature deer since we know most of the bucks on the 2 properties that we lease. I believe it prevents ground checking and "dang, I thought he was a lot bigger than that when I pulled the trigger".
It also helps hunting with like minded guys that aren't trigger happy

The above, what Abolt and others are saying supports what I have been saying for a long time about high grading vs. low grading. When I have suggested in the past that people learn how to low grade their crappiest inferior antlered bucks and not shoot any good antlered buck until it is at least 4 (5 is better obviously) I have been met with the "you can't change the antler genetics of a free range deer herd" argument. But right here we have a wildlife biologist confirming that low grading can be done and that doing so along with not high grading 2 - 3 year old bucks would significantly increase the quality of the buck herd in terms of antlers.

The problem in Alabama is that the best 2 and 3 year old bucks in terms of antlers get killed each year - which is high grading. Which removes the best antler genetics from the deer herd.

I will say it again: people should learn how to low grade cull bucks and not shoot any other buck before age 4 (5 is better of course)( but I will never criticize anyone for shooting a 4 year old buck).

Also and of course, you have to let young hunters, new hunters, etc. get their first buck kills under their belt regardless of what age or size antlers the buck has.

Been saying it my whole tenure on Aldeer - only to be met with criticism as being foolish, impossible to make a difference, and "an excuse to shoot a buck."

Now it looks like people are coming around to common sense.

**********

I would add this: instead of just low grading out the worst/most inferior 3 and 4 year olds I would include worst 2 year olds for the low grade list.

A 4 month long deer season ain’t helping deer get older aand bigger neither

This

I would say there numbers are a little skewed to the high side because they do taxidermy work also. More than likely process some of the bigger bucks because that is where they chose to have it mounted.

You could shoot those crappy bucks at 3-4 and would definitely let the good bucks get older and bigger (if you let them walk) and have more available food. It will not however change the genetics.

There are those that will tell ya long as we don't kill too many , you could hunt them year round.

I think the term for that is called "no closed season" and we have it on several species....Of course we couldn't do it with deer but we could however modify our number of gun days and lengthen the season to begin Oct 1

And we get to rifle hunt the entire rut and don’t get me wrong I enjoy it. With the long season any buck with any age is ALMOST impossible to kill outside of the rut. Most of the big buck states bow hunt the rut.

I’ve noticed the same thing at my taxidermist’s shop this year too...WAY more big deer than previous years

Food for thought: The AU 400+ acre experiment station in Tallapoosa county contains only ORIGINAL Alabama genetic stock from west Alabama. In other words, whatever was in the area inside the erected high-fence is what they got; no improved stock, genetics, A.I., etc. The largest deer ever measured inside that enclosure up until 2019 was 155"+/-. That's with free-choice high protein pellets year-round, predator control, and population control of the fawns. I do not have 2020 information on recent highest scores. All of these deer in that specific area of Chambers and Tallapoosa counties were stocked in the early 1960's from Sumter and Marengo counties. The Sumter deer release was just to the east of there and the Marengo county deer were released just to the west. With all that said, near perfect conditions hit "only" 155", AND most of the other bucks I have seen in that enclosure along with shed antlers have not hit 130". That's MOST! I have seen some nice ones for certain and some jaw-drop sheds. However, again, it takes a lot to make a 130" deer in Alabama, and most just don't have the INDIVIDUAL GENETICS to hit that number. Overall genetics are here, just like in a 7-foot basketball player is "in" our overall genetics in the U.S., but quite the rarity. Now, how many guys even hit 6' 4"??? That's your 130-class equivalent. A measuring tape was mentioned on a previous post. The practice of measuring yours and others' racks will help in judging and appreciating what it really takes to make 130". Check youtube on how to accurately measure a whitetail on the Boone & Crockett system, if you don't know how. Gross score, I believe, is what we would all consider inside this discussion, I assume. Again, best discussion I've seen on Aldeer in quite a while. Thanks!

One more thing. The study of Alabama's whitetail restocking is a fascinating one. It really goes hand-in-hand with this discussion.

Yessir and they can blow that smoke up someone else’s ass

I’d vote for it Walker. I’ll leave you in charge of making it happen

Violators would love it.

I bet it would tickle

Genetics in everything is always changing and "evolving" and becoming different all of the time.
Animal husbandry and plant crossbreeding has been changing animal and plant genetics for millennia.

Low grade = less crappy genetics.
High grade = more crappy genetics.

And as a practical matter low grading would weed out bucks that will never hit 120+ inches and make room for ones that will.

I have “matured” as a deer hunter and have let several bucks walk over the last few years. Hopefully it pays off for me soon. I haven’t killed a buck since January 2016

I agree with the last part. But as far as changing genetics in a free range deer herd. People with virtually unlimited resources have tried it and it didn’t work.

Hav we had any pics on the aldeer kill thread that measured 140 and above this year from Alabama? I don’t remember any - but my memory is bad. I hav never gotten a 140 on camera in my life - if one of my 10s survived - he likely 130s or so - high 120 last year. But I don’t hav him on camera and for all I know he dead

I guess my point - 115 to 135 inch deer is a heck of a deer in Bama - bigger are killed but extremely not common. Think one taxadermist on this very thread said he had done something like 220 deer and like 15 of them busted 130s - extremely small % and that sounds about right

When I was in N FL - just an example - not a brag point - it lines up perfectly w what I am saying - I killed a 128 on that club - that was the second largest buck in that clubs 22 year history and it was a big and good club - my buddy killed one that same year to beat my deer or it would hav been number one

All I am saying - where I hunt in Bama - 130 and above is not very common and if I let my deer live as long as they could and put out protein every day - don’t think they make 160 where I at - I ain’t in Kansas - now 150 common in Ks not here

What I was giving a thumbs up to and what I think willyb was referring to really has nothing to do with changing the genetics but rather it focuses on removing the competition from below average bucks and only allows the best potential bucks to live on your place.......Take out the 3 year old six and seven points and allow the 3 year old 10 pts to grow to 6-7 years old kinda thing

I don’t want it to change I’m just saying it gets a lot of up and comers killed.

Good post, T-Dog! Great example!! This year was my first 140+ deer on cam. I'd say most guys, (such as in this case), are reluctant to show a deer like that on any social media outlet. This deer I vid-scored to be right at 146". We started feeding free-choice roasted soybeans two years ago, February 11th thru end of September, which I believe has made an incredible difference, even in that short time period. We've done our best to kill only 5 1/2+ year-old bucks and keep pressure way down. These three factors I would say are our most important in growing the 130-inchers. My opinion...

I know of at least one 140” deer posted here

Location, location, location, even in Alabama.

Yep

Big Hairy - sound like y’all got it going on

Keep pressure down for me key - goin to try to target inferior deer next year - out of the 4 deer me and my son killed this year - 2 of them very inferior - my 1st deer needed another year or 2 but I was not going to turn down a nice 9 for first ever bow kill - I do think he was young super star - he just stepped out at wrong time - I think we also gone start feeding protein this year and I just started predator control 6-7 months ago

So if one can't change the genetics and you have plenty of food and cover and all the stuff a herd needs, why shoot the 6 and 7 pointers?

I tracked a deer the other day on a couple thousand acres of prime habitat in Fitzpatrick just inside the prairie soil region that had 230 acres of plantable ag fields…..I bet you I could grow a few 130’s on that place.

To reduce the competition from the other bucks......To keep them from possibly running the three year old 12 pt off to the neighbors where he gets shot.....You're not really looking to have an intense rut with lots of fighting between bucks etc......You're wanting to keep things nice and comfy for your potential young trophies....Don Higgins used to talk about this on the old QDMA forum....It's where I picked it up and it made sense to me what he was saying.

We used to kill bigger bucks when we used to shoot spikes and all kinds of young bucks.

Not gonna happen with a 3 buck limit on many properties. Who wants to tag out first week of season? That sounds good on a small wood lot ,Midwest property. That's nothing but "culling" . Those 3 yo 6 and 7s may be a dandy 9 or 10 in a couple years.

I have had a lot of difficulty aging deer on the hoof. Mostly my fault for making snap judgements. Last year I killed a 12 point that I thought was 5. When I got to him he was definitely no older than 4. Earlier this year I killed a 10 that was running a doe on a snap judgement on nothing but horn size. That deer was a solid 3 year old. I swore that would be the last time I killed one that hadn't shown what he could be even if I never kill another one. Since then I've let a couple of solid 4 year olds walk and one old warrior that was probably older than 5 go. I don't care what his horns are, if that deer ain't walking with a cane on his way to pick up his social security check, I ain't dropping the hammer on him.

Yeah, I think putting it into practice on a property in Alabama would be more less focusing on just reducing the numbers of those lower potential bucka and not necessarily trying to eliminate everything BUT the high potential ones……There are some bucks on either end of the bell curve that are no brainers for the most part