Buck Season

6pointer

Well-Known Member
Well I was out this morning and saw a nice buck still in velvet and still tight Do members wait for the good bucks to clean or do you shoot them from the first of April no matter what.
 
April regardless weather velvet or not don't collect heads or antler so makes no difference.
 
Much better to shoot them in velvet before they have had chance to fray any trees! If you wait til they are in hard antler, then you are little more than a trophy hunter and NOT a deer manager!
 
Depends on the ground and landowners wish.
On my syndicate spot if in season I would shoot it, there is no issues over tree / crop protection and if I don't shoot it the next guy will.
On a small wood / plantation I try to leave 1 or 2 nice bucks and take any smaller ones if in velvet it's better before they start to trash the young trees cleaning the velvet off, that's what the land owner expect of me
Wingy
 
Much better to shoot them in velvet before they have had chance to fray any trees! If you wait til they are in hard antler, then you are little more than a trophy hunter and NOT a deer manager!

100% correct. Nothing is truely gained by prolonging the cull. Early culling can be a advantage as others may move in before the rut.

Any one seeing any velvet shedding.
 
Normally don't start till May, but some clean bucks seen by clients when at the does in early March so they are coming back mid April this year.
 
Well I was out this morning and saw a nice buck still in velvet and still tight Do members wait for the good bucks to clean or do you shoot them from the first of April no matter what.

Ah Davie your having a quandary over your own mind and the rights and wrongs, simple work within the bounds of the law use the various acts in the Deer legislation ,that's why they are there and shoot them when you see them.

You have to put perspective on this, the only way bucks get rid of velvet is to rub which causes fraying, which shows that you the stalker are not on the case, if there is mass amount of damage occurring in forests and plantations, the very reason the legislation is laid down for the stalker/ land manager to be able the curb the problem before it costs money ,by rendering crops useless .

Shoot them this is the main time/ part of the year when damage occurs .
 
Ah Davie your having a quandary over your own mind and the rights and wrongs, simple work within the bounds of the law use the various acts in the Deer legislation ,that's why they are there and shoot them when you see them.

You have to put perspective on this, the only way bucks get rid of velvet is to rub which causes fraying, which shows that you the stalker are not on the case, if there is mass amount of damage occurring in forests and plantations, the very reason the legislation is laid down for the stalker/ land manager to be able the curb the problem before it costs money ,by rendering crops useless .

Shoot them this is the main time/ part of the year when damage occurs .

All true, but it does depend on your situation, most of mine were shot with clients very little if any damage mature woodland and rough grazing hardly any crops in any case roe damage to crops in spring and summer is negligible being browsers not grazers.

However due to gales over the last two winters have had quite a bit of tree damage resulting in several thousand acres of replanting no fencing as the cost is too prohibitive.

So change of strategy called for, ah well it will keep me from getting bored.
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT

Ah but how do you know its a good buck? by his general body shape and condition? that will give you a fair idea of his age and whether he is a decent buck, by his antlers ? no a bucks antlers while tending to keep the same basic shape can change drastically in size from year to year last years big 6 pointer can easily be a four this year and vise versa so any attempt to judge a buck purely be his antlers is flawed to know that its a good buck you will need to have known him from several years,and if you have known him for several years he will have already passed on his genes.

To really judge the bucks on your ground you need to get to know them and that can take several years even then you will encounter bucks you have never seen before.

Even then its only half the story as the does genes are just as important when it comes producing youngsters
some experts in fact think the genes of the doe are more important.

How do you judge a good doe?
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT
You shouldn't need to wait until antlers are fully formed to know whether a buck is a good one or not! Even then, a decent set of antlers is not the only indication as to whether a buck is genetically 'good' or not.
Some birds have bigger tits than others, but it is not always a good indicator of genetic quality!!!
Proof:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=426655567446850&set=vb.259279187517823&type=2&theater
MS;)
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT

Pete, Does it not depend on what you are trying to achieve. If you are controlling deer to reduce impact on trees and protect the crop you must take out bucks before they do the damage. If you are a recreational stalker where tree damage/crop protection is not an issue and trying to ensure a year on supply of good quality animals, you take out the lesser quality/older beasts and through this hopefully improve the stock. But are we not both deer managers. Managing deer to achieve an objective. The value of tree/crop protection can be immense and why not use the venison obtain.
 
velvet or not if they are in the plantations i look after they will be shot.
I have shot clean bucks already this year never had one this early before do you guy's think its the mild weather
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT

Well said Sir
regards pete
 
Depends on the ground .. on one place I shoot, they are shot on sight due to huge areas of replant.
On other bits left till they are in hard antler and they can fray to their hearts
content.
 
I did say if the landowner what's them gone that's fine if it affects his living but on most farms a bit of fraying does not make a hell of a difference and on those farms why not shoot small bucks in velvet and leave the better buck for what I think is one of the best things in life stalking clean roe bucks on a great summers morning because most of us do this because we enjoy it (I don't mean shoot all your good buck )
 
Well for me its about the management objective and if possible I will leave the best bucks to reach there full potential. Normally they (the bucks) sort out who's best in the area and I pick out the rest.
 
If it is a good buck? As a deer manager you should let it pass on it good genes. If it is not a good buck shoot it when you want in season it makes no difference. But if you shoot a good buck early in my eyes you are a deer killer not a manager which is fine to be that way if that is what the landowner wants or if you are only interested in money or venison BUT THAT IS NOT DEER MANAGEMENT

One thing people seem to forget that a buck has passed his genes on the previous rut ,delayed implantation through to the incoming year .

I have no interest in antlers, medals or anything else that isnt what deer management is about, it isnt about money either , it is however about crop protection ,habitat protection and deer population control, if carried out correctly will help produce better stock and less damage ,there are many varibles, that stalkers forget for the sake of a set of antlers .
 
It also annoys me that some people only ever consider Bucks when they refer to the conservation of genetics! If anything it is far more important to preserve the better Does! Not only do they determine the genetic quality of recruitment, they also determine amounts of offspring through threshold body weights and are responsible for transfer of 'life skills' to the next generation of deer. But because they don't have antlers, scant regard is given to their quality when it comes to culling! It should be realised that good Bucks are also a product of good Does!
MS
 
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