I have 350 acres with 15 adjacent landowners. Some have over 1000 acres - a lot have 15 acres. The larger landowners are much more selective than the smaller landowners. But, there are usually a number of mature bucks that make it through every year. We take two or three bucks a year - usually one really nice one (for here) and a couple of lesser quality, older bucks. I dont think we are affecting the herd by selective harvest. However, I feed a lot of protein in the summer. I had one bachelor herd of 12 bucks and another of six bucks. We now kill a buck every other year or so that weighs 200 lbs or more (live weight) - and the previous 20 years have never killed one over 182. It would stand to reason that if you are adding 25 lbs of weight with a protein-based food source, you might also be adding a few inches to a select few bucks.
I have a neighbor with 1200 acres - one mile wide and two miles long. He lets three of us bow hunt it. We take one or two bucks a year off it. There is always a buck or two knocking on 150" It never gets any better. If a buck is standing the farthest he can get from the property line on that place, he only has to walk 850 yards to be on someone else's property. We have six weeks of gun season, baiting, deer dogs, two buck limit, rut hunting - about the only thing not legal is thermal scopes. We still produce quite a few 5 yr old bucks - but the average 5 yr old buck here scores 115" You have to produce a lot of mature bucks for one to approach 150. Fortunately, we are overwhelmed with cover - that is our saving grace. I just dont think you can affect antlers on uncontrolled ground by selective buck harvest - protein, maybe.
