QDMA read on "goofy" racks

[dmitchell28]

Some hunters believe weird antlers are a problem that should be fixed by killing the buck. We disagree, and these antler casts help explain why. This buck lived at Mississippi State University's Deer Lab research center, and his antlers are arranged from age 1.5 on the bottom to age 4.5 at the top. The odd antler at age 2.5 resulted from an injury during antler growth, but the buck returned to normal antler growth every year after that. So, if a buck's estimated AGE meets your personal goal, enjoy him, but if it doesn't, and he's wearing a weird antler, give him the benefit of the doubt.

Okay...a few years ago, I killed a deer that I had shot the year before in the shoulder. The year before, he had a goofy rack..way goofy that he had broke down in velvet and continued to grow. Well when I harvested the deer from the same stand, same day (opening day), and almost same time of the day. I had a few people on here tell me there was no way that was the same deer and that I was crazy for thinking that, even tho I watched the deer limp all spring..numerous camera photos, and a scar on the shoulder I hit him. Then QDMA put this on Facebook today and proved I wasn't as crazy as it sounded. Here is what they posted.

 

[dmitchell28]

Harvested

 

[UTGrad]

Re: QDMA read on "goofy" racks

Yep I agree. Our club eliminated the "cull buck" harvest cause some guys were killing young bucks with funky racks that could have grown up to be awesome 3.5-4.5 year olds.

 

[dmitchell28]

 

[dmitchell28]

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[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Did anyone notice that the bad antler is the different side than the bad shed pics

 

[hitek7]

Did anyone notice that the bad antler is the different side than the bad shed pics

The shed pics were not from the deer he killed. Go back and read again...

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

While there is a lot that I agree with on QDMA...this is just one area where I have to disagree with them on. I have seen this in practice and it works.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

While there is a lot that I agree with on QDMA...this is just one area where I have to disagree with them on. I have seen this in practice and it works.

What works?

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

While there is a lot that I agree with on QDMA...this is just one area where I have to disagree with them on. I have seen this in practice and it works.

What works?

"culling" bucks or killing of "scub" bucks.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

While there is a lot that I agree with on QDMA...this is just one area where I have to disagree with them on. I have seen this in practice and it works.

What works?

"culling" bucks or killing of "scub" bucks.

x2

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I believe in QDM practices,but after getting to know BSK on here I learned not to believe in the QDMA

 

[Shed Hunter]

I believe in QDM practices,but after getting to know BSK on here I learned not to believe in the QDMA

I think BSK would say something along the lines of "antler deformations as a result of bodily injury can heal, however, if the injury is due to pedicle damage, the antler likely (almost surely) will never grow correctly again" Not an actual BSK quote so don't let me put words in his mouth, but I'd bet he wouldn't be too upset about me sharing that statement.

I don't have pics to share at the moment, but in 2010 we photographed a 5x3 that had a dinky upward growing right side. In 2011 he returned with tweleve total points (4 of which where very small) and his right side was normal.. not as big as the left, but nor abnormally smaller. In 2012 he grew more mass and lost one of the nubby points. Same story.. normal right side, but not quite as large as the left.

 

[jb3]

If his rack is deformed because of damage why "cull" him. Let him live and take him as a mature body deer. Why are we worried about the rack?

 

[Shed Hunter]

If his rack is deformed because of damage why "cull" him. Let him live and take him as a mature body deer. Why are we worried about the rack?

Because some of us enjoy big antlers. Deal with it.

 

[dmitchell28]

The deer I killed in the pictures...i watched it all year in 2012..in velvet..and he broke his antler down (Maybe on a branch or something)..and i thought it would just fall off...but it continued to grow for the most part. First day of bow season 12, had him at 25 yards or so...and shot hitting his right shoulder. .actually found the arrow and even the broadhead. Didn't see the buck until around november..favoring the leg. Spring of 13..he came around alot more, visible scar...and even more visible limp. His antler growth started out the same as the year before..but this time he lost the 5x5 frame as you can see and gained some sticker points around the base. I shot this deer opening day bow season 13 in the same stand at almost the same time. I think he was bigger the year before even with the break...but it was so nice to put an end to it...but I remember a few guys on here pretty much said I was full of it..that it wouldn't happen like that. This is proof it

 

[megalomaniac]

If his rack is deformed because of damage why "cull" him. Let him live and take him as a mature body deer. Why are we worried about the rack?

Because some of us enjoy big antlers. Deal with it.

If you enjoy big antlers why in the heck would you shoot a 'cull' buck that has not genetic defect? His antlers are below your 'big antlers' standard, yet he is not passing those deformed genetics onto the next generation??? I don't get it.

 

[Shed Hunter]

If his rack is deformed because of damage why "cull" him. Let him live and take him as a mature body deer. Why are we worried about the rack?

Because some of us enjoy big antlers. Deal with it.

If you enjoy big antlers why in the heck would you shoot a 'cull' buck that has not genetic defect? His antlers are below your 'big antlers' standard, yet he is not passing those deformed genetics onto the next generation??? I don't get it.

His post is very clearly saying that its not the antlers that matter and we should be worried about letting them mature just for the sake of it being a mature deer. He's saying antlers have nothing to do with why we should or shouldn't shoot the deer.

"Why are we worried about the rack"

Because some of us enjoy big antlers. Deal with it.

 

[jb3]

"because we like antlers", I think that's the problem with hunters today. I grew up hunting deer and not racks. Yes, I'd love to kill a 200" buck, but I'm not raising my kids to hunt antlers, but to hunt deer. Yes, we have passed on smaller deer, but I teach them that we are looking for mature deer, whether it be a doe or a 100" 5.5 year old. For myself and my family, it's about enjoying the hunt and appreciating the kill, no matter what size or shape.

 

[BD1]

So, let me ask a question. I've got two different bucks on trail cam. One has 4 points on one side and a cow horn on the other, one has five points on one side and a cow horn on the other. Will these two always have these cow horns? They both are 2 1/2 year olds and the cow horns are on different sides.

 

[Mike Belt]

I suspect with points on 1 side and a spike on the other, these bucks will remain like that.

As far as shooting antlers... in defense of myself and others that shoot them... almost every buck I see come by my stand is dead for all practical purposes... if I wanted him dead. I prefer to let them pass in hopes of seeing one with headgear that impresses me. For the life of me I can't understand how anyone that doesn't hunt antlers could complain about that. It just means that those bucks are still rambling through the woods potentially giving you an opportunity at taking them.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I suspect with points on 1 side and a spike on the other, these bucks will remain like that.

As far as shooting antlers... in defense of myself and others that shoot them... almost every buck I see come by my stand is dead for all practical purposes... if I wanted him dead. I prefer to let them pass in hopes of seeing one with headgear that impresses me. For the life of me I can't understand how anyone that doesn't hunt antlers could complain about that. It just means that those bucks are still rambling through the woods potentially giving you an opportunity at taking them.

Your right Mike,the cull bucks I complain about that I want to kill are easily 5 1/2,and you know how hard it is to kill a 5 1/2 year old.I got a couple with messed up racks and have been messed up that I hate to use a tag on because their is bigger around.

 

[Winchester]

So, let me ask a question. I've got two different bucks on trail cam. One has 4 points on one side and a cow horn on the other, one has five points on one side and a cow horn on the other. Will these two always have these cow horns? They both are 2 1/2 year olds and the cow horns are on different sides.

No way to answer that without letting the buck go a year and see if his antler deformity goes away. If its pedicle damage it will continue to be funky, if it was simply damaged that yr in the velvet growing process, or maybe a skeletal injury that made him deficient on that side temporarily, it will likely be back to normal the next yr.
I also don't understand shooting any buck that's not genetically inferior and calling it a "Cull" buck. These bucks with funky racks due to Injury of some kind either pedicle or skeletal or even in velvet don't pass that to their offspring. A true "cull" buck is a fully mature buck that consistently grows an inferior or smaller rack than whats norm for that area. 99% of all so called "cull" bucks are shot because the hunter wanted to shoot them, not because they needed to be shot for any real reason. Shoot what makes you happy, just no need for excuses as to why you shot it!

 

[Shed Hunter]

"because we like antlers", I think that's the problem with hunters today. I grew up hunting deer and not racks. Yes, I'd love to kill a 200" buck, but I'm not raising my kids to hunt antlers, but to hunt deer. Yes, we have passed on smaller deer, but I teach them that we are looking for mature deer, whether it be a doe or a 100" 5.5 year old. For myself and my family, it's about enjoying the hunt and appreciating the kill, no matter what size or shape.

I KNOW people like you are what is wrong with hunting today. Why? Because nothing is wrong with hunting today. It's how you percieve it that makes you feel like something is wrong with it. You're making your own reality by thinking because other people have different desires than you, the world of hunting just isn't right anymore.

What is so wrong about killing deer in hopes of them having big antlers? I dont care if a deer is ten years old.. if his antlers arent impressive I'm not going to shoot him. Afterall the more mature deer in the herd the better, right? And don't worry.. I only hunt to enjoy it too. I don't give a rats end if I ever kill another 160" deer.. I'm jist realistic with mtself and know shooting a mediocre set of antlers isnt going to excite me at all when I have tonage of them I picked up off the ground. 99% of my hunting has turned into walking around the woods just curious what I'll see/find or putting other people on deer.. we all hunt for different reasons. The only "wrong" mentality is to look negatively at someone else for enjoying the experience differently.