Bassattackr
5 year old buck +
Personally, I think it's a little bit of both. You can have a buck with prime genetics in prime habitat not show its full potential in any given year. There are other factors outside the box such as stress, herd ratios and climate. On a dry year for example that buck may not show its full potential because mother nature didn't let it.
Personality of a buck is another example. Its no coincidence that a bully buck may have a big body but tends to have a more inferior rack than its peers. Don Higgins has suggested this may be due to increased stress or "mileage" on the animal. My findings agree. I had one on my farm for two years and he was driving every buck out of the area. Every picture he was in with another buck he clearly was going after him. He also showed up on every game camera consistently all season long, even on multiple cameras on a given day. He finally displaced to my neighbors as a 4 year old before I could get a shot at him.
I have other (idiot) neighbors that have dogs that they let roam and get photos of groups of deer running full tilt, ears back in broad daylight for no apparent reason other than I know they're being chased by those stupid things.
I'm part of a QDMA coop with my neighbors that has helped raise awareness. It's helped with more 3+ YO than ever before. We haven't met in a while but still get most of the nice 3 year olds shot every year. Including an incredible 20" spread you buck that was poached a year or so ago (caught via Facebook).
All that being said, I've worked with my surrounding neighbors on food, prescribed burns and any other habitat improvements and has "seemed" to work over time. If nothing else it gives me the gratification when they move in and use it!
