Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
I guess my “argument” is genetics are uncontrollable in a free range herd. I think they are a variable for sure but it’s not one that we should bother ourselves with as hunters and managers. Science has proven we have no idea what we are doing in that regard on free range deer!You may disagree, but nutrition and age are environmental variables, genetics is the physiological base you start from.
If nutrition and age are omnipotent, and genetics are low, then in a area say 1000-1500 acres, all deer in each age class would have the same size antlers because they all have the same sources of nutrition ... correct? Well we should know that is not the case by simple observation. In many areas of species development, bloodlines or genetics are what drives superior specimens ... horse & cattle breeding, deer farms, athletics, etc. Antler development has many studies that support genetics being a critical factor as without it age & nutrition cannot exploit genetics. Deer farms are a good example of selective breeding that allows nutrition and age to produce superior antler development.
I agree with you that saying genetics can be an excuse for not seeing large antlered deer when overhunting of bucks regardless of age is more the issue. Regarding age, by passing and allowing deer to get beyond 3.5 yo means that all of those animals, including the superior class to pass on their genetic traits. When folks hammer everything with a horn it's no wonder they aren't seeing big bucks.
There are 17 sub-species of whitetail in north america ... http://www.whitetailsunlimited.com/i/p/bk_distribution.pdf . Odocoileus virginianus borealis is the largest of the whitetail subspecies and is found in central to eastern Canada south through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois with the key buck in Florida being the smallest..
To some extent the argument is the chicken and the egg. Age, nutrition, and genetics are all tied together; however, genetics is the foundation that allows for exploiting antler growth.
There have been plenty of examples of low quality areas with supposed bad genetics producing giant bucks with the right two ingredients…nutrition and age. In none of those properties were the genetics managed, if that is a thing.
But just like each of us and every living thing, your genetic blueprint accounts for something I’ll definitely agree with that.