I am seeing more small 1 1/2 year old bucks after implementing antler restrictions; is that because I am shooting more mature bucks and the smaller bucks are breeding?
Tom from MI asks: Over the past several years we have been shooting only 8pt or better. We have been shooting does to try to get the numbers close between does and bucks. We are seeing some decent bucks, but in the last 3 years the number of yearling buck have been spikes and rag horn 3, 4 pts. It seems like the only bucks left to breed are the immature bucks, is this why we are getting more spikes, raghorns or is it just mother nature trying to help us shoot mature deer since we will not shoot nothing less than an 8 pt. Thanks….Tom Winke Responds: Tom, No, genetics are not that easy to alter in a free ranging whitetail deer population. I would say it is more a matter of coincidence, you are just seeing the smaller ones or possibly a hard winter or a few late dropped fawns. These things will all play into that. We see spikes and dinky bucks here on my farm too and it is not because we don’t have any mature bucks to breed. It is just the way they fall some years. I wouldn’t read too m
