Culling doesn’t work

[Chance Love]

No, I didn’t listen to the podcasts.

I think most on here are arguing about a word. It’s just a simple little word that is getting y’all’s feathers ruffled. “Cull” means to “remove”. That’s it. It’s that simple. The reasons to remove can vary. On a lot of places in Texas you have to remove a certain number of bucks and does to reach desired ratios, numbers, etc. So you have to “cull” the herd. LF or HF doesn’t matter. You have to “cull” a certain number of bucks, and you have to “cull” a certain number of does. Simple math really.

It’s just common sense that you will remove bucks with lesser quality antlers and leave the bucks with seemingly more potential. I have NEVER seen a study where a ranch “culled” only 10 point or bigger deer. Wonder why that is? If a ranch needs to cull/remove 20 bucks to hit their numbers, then why not shoot the first twenty bucks you see regardless of antler configuration? If it truly doesn’t matter to the genetic make-up of the herd, then why not? Or better yet why not shoot the top 20 bucks and leave the rest? Is it making sense now?

Maybe we need a new word, like “skim”. Can you “skim” bucks without people getting upset? If I said I shot a skim 5 year old 7 point, would that be better? For the record I hunt both LF and Hf. Our LF isn’t big, but we have been “skimming” the lesser quality antlered bucks and leaving the “big” ones for about 15 years now. Average antler size has gone up. We will continue to “skim” on our LF lease.

[Jspradley]

Never cull a deer and let ice water touch the meat......it will ruin it quicker than you can imagine.

But you gotta draw the blood and gamy flavor out!!!!!

The whole culling non-debate is kinda funny... the actual science behind it seems pretty cut and dried that it doesnt really have an effect.

[Smart]

Culling doesn’t work

No, I didn’t listen to the podcasts.



I think most on here are arguing about a word. It’s just a simple little word that is getting y’all’s feathers ruffled. “Cull” means to “remove”. That’s it. It’s that simple. The reasons to remove can vary. On a lot of places in Texas you have to remove a certain number of bucks and does to reach desired ratios, numbers, etc. So you have to “cull” the herd. LF or HF doesn’t matter. You have to “cull” a certain number of bucks, and you have to “cull” a certain number of does. Simple math really.



It’s just common sense that you will remove bucks with lesser quality antlers and leave the bucks with seemingly more potential. I have NEVER seen a study where a ranch “culled” only 10 point or bigger deer. Wonder why that is? If a ranch needs to cull/remove 20 bucks to hit their numbers, then why not shoot the first twenty bucks you see regardless of antler configuration? If it truly doesn’t matter to the genetic make-up of the herd, then why not? Or better yet why not shoot the top 20 bucks and leave the rest? Is it making sense now?



Maybe we need a new word, like “skim”. Can you “skim” bucks without people getting upset? If I said I shot a skim 5 year old 7 point, would that be better? For the record I hunt both LF and Hf. Our LF isn’t big, but we have been “skimming” the lesser quality antlered bucks and leaving the “big” ones for about 15 years now. Average antler size has gone up. We will continue to “skim” on our LF lease.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Don’t be bringing common sense to this Cotulla Cowboy /Dilly Bar Rockstar conversation Chance [emoji23][emoji23]

[Smart]

I've been culling spotted pigs this weekend on my no fence place.

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Why are we drawn to the spotted ones?[emoji41]

[Roy]

I'm sorry, but 'culling' on a low-fence property IS simply killing. You have absolutely no control over your herd's genetics when the deer can simply jump a fence. Yes, you do your part in your management program; however, it means nothing when that deer you are giving a pass to ends up getting shot across the fence. You killed a trash 7pt and your neighbor killed your young 12pt- neither get to pass on their genes or mature, so your management goal is a wash. How hard is it to comprehend that?

But... if the low-fence property is a few thousand acres (5k+), that might change things a little- at least in favor of culling, IMO.

[Mex. Bowhunter]

No, I didn’t listen to the podcasts.


Or better yet why not shoot the top 20 bucks and leave the rest? Is it making sense now?

.

Yeah that Don't Work. Has Been Done and Proven Many Many Times on Most Ranches in South Texas to Mexico

[flywise]

No, I didn’t listen to the podcasts.

I think most on here are arguing about a word. It’s just a simple little word that is getting y’all’s feathers ruffled. “Cull” means to “remove”. That’s it. It’s that simple. The reasons to remove can vary. On a lot of places in Texas you have to remove a certain number of bucks and does to reach desired ratios, numbers, etc. So you have to “cull” the herd. LF or HF doesn’t matter. You have to “cull” a certain number of bucks, and you have to “cull” a certain number of does. Simple math really.

It’s just common sense that you will remove bucks with lesser quality antlers and leave the bucks with seemingly more potential. I have NEVER seen a study where a ranch “culled” only 10 point or bigger deer. Wonder why that is? If a ranch needs to cull/remove 20 bucks to hit their numbers, then why not shoot the first twenty bucks you see regardless of antler configuration? If it truly doesn’t matter to the genetic make-up of the herd, then why not? Or better yet why not shoot the top 20 bucks and leave the rest? Is it making sense now?

Maybe we need a new word, like “skim”. Can you “skim” bucks without people getting upset? If I said I shot a skim 5 year old 7 point, would that be better? For the record I hunt both LF and Hf. Our LF isn’t big, but we have been “skimming” the lesser quality antlered bucks and leaving the “big” ones for about 15 years now. Average antler size has gone up. We will continue to “skim” on our LF lease.

[jshouse]

Semantics is a *****

[muzzlebrake]

Do fat cull deer taste different?

[Chance Love]

I'm sorry, but 'culling' on a low-fence property IS simply killing. You have absolutely no control over your herd's genetics when the deer can simply jump a fence. Yes, you do your part in your management program; however, it means nothing when that deer you are giving a pass to ends up getting shot across the fence. You killed a trash 7pt and your neighbor killed your young 12pt- neither get to pass on their genes or mature, so your management goal is a wash. How hard is it to comprehend that?

But... if the low-fence property is a few thousand acres (5k+), that might change things a little- at least in favor of culling, IMO.

Let me ask you this...you hunt 1300 acres low-fence. You HAVE to kill a certain number of bucks. You have a 5 yr old 82” 7 point and a 5 year old 120” 10 point in front of you. Which one will you shoot? Why? Keep in mind your target age on “trophy” bucks is 8 years old.

[Aggiehunter08]

I love culling Cull, management buck, non trophy is all the same to me Also I don't like spending thousands of dollars in feed on 115 -130 mature 8 points or less like some do.

[Mayhem]

Argue this till y’all are blue in the face but I think the studies have shown that you can Cull or Kill all you want but the effects of that technique are not a drop in the bucket compared to using age and nutrition.


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[Aggiehunter08]

Let me ask you this...you hunt 1300 acres low-fence. You HAVE to kill a certain number of bucks. You have a 5 yr old 82” 7 point and a 5 year old 120” 10 point in front of you. Which one will you shoot? Why? Keep in mind your target age on “trophy” bucks is 8 years old.

I'd shoot the 7pt and get off that lease! A 5 year old 120" 10 pt isn't a place for me to hunt!

[bphillips]

Call it culling or killing you’re doing the same thing with the same goal. Reduce mouth and when deciding which to remove leaving the ones with the most potential. N Tx, Hill Country, S Tx, or Mexico all doing it. Who cares what you call it

[Smart]

I'm sorry, but 'culling' on a low-fence property IS simply killing. You have absolutely no control over your herd's genetics when the deer can simply jump a fence. Yes, you do your part in your management program; however, it means nothing when that deer you are giving a pass to ends up getting shot across the fence. You killed a trash 7pt and your neighbor killed your young 12pt- neither get to pass on their genes or mature, so your management goal is a wash. How hard is it to comprehend that?

But... if the low-fence property is a few thousand acres (5k+), that might change things a little- at least in favor of culling, IMO.

I see we have a Cotulla cowboy hung up on semantics in our midst....

One can 100% cull/kill less desirable deer out of the herd to remove mouths to allow their better traited deer better nutrition resources. All without any regards concerning improving overall genetics and with full regard for trying to grow the deer alive in front of you bigger. This is not that hard. Age and nutrition availability are things you can control with culling....genetics are not..

Is culling, killing?.....well of course it is. Selection and rejection for a purpose ...aka culling. If one is a Cotulla Cowboy or a DillyBar and they can't get past this, call it what you or your armchair biologist manual says....just don't get your panties in a wad when folks use the word in its true definition.