Opinions: Shoot or No? 2 year old

[Mexico]

No doubt Shane you have some incredible deer on that ranch, al$o because the amount protein you provide, based on research, that buck should have been a management buck at 2yrs.

Thank you for your compliment! [emoji1] But I'll agree to disagree...we kill absolutely no 2 year olds..no matter what they look like...way too many variables to calculate at 2 why a deer grew the horns it did..this is just my opinion of course [emoji106]



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[westexhunter75]

We have a few of these no brow bucks running around our place. You just saved a few of their lives for a couple years! Man he blew up!!

[txoutdoorsman24]

IMO with the ranch you guys have no. Even seeing the before and after/now pics I wouldn't consider a deer manage my until 5.5 and absolutely trash. Last year I did shoot a buck with no brows that was 3.5 years old. Was our first year on the place and the LO said that there were too many deer like him. So I did what I was told to do basically. Shoot em if you see em.I don't like seeing no brows but I can understand talks decision not to take him out. Y'all provide all the necessities to grow just like he did. Great buck and great thread.

[That Guy]

Wow! Very educational! Thanks! Crazy to see everyone saying to shoot a two year old!


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That's because everything we read on the internet is true, Al Gore invented that fact for us years ago.

[RMW]

Man unreal!! Looks to have added close to 40 inches from 4.5 to 5.5

[bone]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

[Mexico]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

Wow...I don't even know what to say on that comment but good luck..

Our program is actually very simple...feed them and give them a chance to show you something....more times than not they will surprise you ... [emoji106]

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[bphillips]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

This confuses me. If your plan involves growing big deer then why shoot?

[coffmanbr1]

This is why I would never shoot an immature deer. This is the reason I have never killed a spike in my life. You just never know what they are going to do when they grow up.

[Artos]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

Please explain.

Basically what you are saying is you would still shoot this deer at 5 as a cull because he has short brows?? I don't know a single biologist who would allow this 5yr old to count as a cull.


There is simply no reason in the world to shoot any healthy deer at 2...again, including spikes. Encinal and others have showed us how 2yr old spikes have turned into good deer. How much proof do you need that it is a bad practice if managing??

[8pointer]

Thank you for sharing

[rtp]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

Im guessing the place you manage, a native 170" deer at 5 years old isnt up to par? Serious question.

[RanchoAB]

Based on quite a few experiences with bucks that had no brows blowing up, this guy got the benefit of the doubt, as I believe very many deer should. Managing based solely on brows or lack thereof is simply mind boggling to me. Judge a deer by the sum of every single one of his parts. As Shane said, you never know what non-genetic condition caused him to be poor at 2. Drought, late fawn, getting over an injury or illness, overpopulation, etc., etc. Why not just let him go one more year, where's the harm. Focus on culling your bucks that are actual, proven crap. For all those saying you'd still cull this buck even after seeing his picture at 5, I simply have no words....lol I guess if a 220" buck with 1.5" brows walked out while you were trophy hunting you'd have to pass him up for the 145" buck with 8" brows. That makes about as much sense as voting for Ron Paul.....or Hillary Clinton. I guess now we know who they're voting for! Lol Not all marginal deer you give a chance will grow to be trophies, but to me just one out of the bunch makes it worth it. Then again, a lot of the highly promising 3-5 year olds don't end up cutting it either. If they dont cut it by 3-4 they'll be harvested, but NEVER will we harvest a 2 year old. Not even a 2 year old spike, not that I've ever seen one that old. Experience on YOUR property is key. If you've had good experiences with a certain deer type in the past then why not give them a year or two to see what they've got? Only thing you're doing by culling 2 year olds is cutting into your potential future crop. Unless you have nothing but introduced breeder genetics, leave your 2 year olds alone. Yes, even the spikes.
It's been a pleasure watching this buck surprise us year after year. Other bucks who scored twice as much as he did at 3 now score half as much as he does at 5. Just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. So, just give them a shot!


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[rwb42]

As I stated it depends on your management plans and each individual place. On the place I manage that deer would still die at two even seeing what he is at five.

Im sure glad i dont hunt on a place you manage then!!!

[RanchoAB]

Im sure glad i dont hunt on a place you manage then!!!

Amen! Lol


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