You are right.
But, that is the reason why TDM is not feasible for MOST people/Clubs. Once you get the herd down to where TDM requires it; the opportunities actually go WAAYYYY down.
Not sure where all the well-meaning QDM'ers crossed the line to TDM; but it dang sure happened!!!
True and most clubs that claim to be TDM are really more QDM cause they are killing more 3 year olds than mature bucks. I know quite a few landowners and know of only 2 that practice and have been successful with TDM. Their goal is to kill mature bucks only (and some does) but they still make mistakes and kill a few really good 3 year olds every now and then. Both properties are several thousand acres and on a really good year they kill 5-7 bucks. Probably only 3-4 people hunt on an average weekend (landowner and friends). They have been doing this since the early 80's and continue to kill 140" plus, mature, 200 lb. plus bucks every season. I don't see a flaw in their system but I'm no expert or biologist. TDM is very very hard to achieve even with private land and just a few hunters. The hardest part is dealing with the time required to get to where you can consistently see mature bucks every season. You can't decide to be a TDM club and after 2 years of not killing a buck decide to quit. My guess is it would take 3-4 years of letting 3 year olds walk before you started getting numerous opportunities at multiple mature bucks. I would personally like to move toward this where I hunt but if everyone isn't on board 100% it doesn't work. My guess is on our place we will continue to kill a decent number of 3 year old bucks and a few mature bucks b/c right now the unwritten rule is if you kill it you have to mount it, so pretty much any mid 120's or better buck is going to get whacked. Hopefully down the road we'll agree to start killing based on age not horns, but either way we've come a long way and things are pretty good.
