Alcatraz Island buck 2021

JakeH

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Mossback just posted these.
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I'm pretty sure I saw that buck out there last year when I was hiking. He wasn't quite that big last year but was still really wide. There are some amazing deer out there.
 
It always pisses me off when Doyle grabs on to the horns like they're his. If you watch videos of hunts he's on, he always runs up there first and grabs onto them. For that exact reason, I make sure whoever shoots an animal is always the first to grab onto it when I'm there. I guess if you go with him, you have to expect that.
 
It always pisses me off when Doyle grabs on to the horns like they're his. If you watch videos of hunts he's on, he always runs up there first and grabs onto them. For that exact reason, I make sure whoever shoots an animal is always the first to grab onto it when I'm there. I guess if you go with him, you have to expect that.
Same
 
The Island has gone downhill on quality. But it’s ok. As long as people will pay, they’ll keep issuing the tags….sounds familiar eh?….dwr??
 
Two years in a row with a buck thats NOT a 4x4 main frame..? Maybe the quality is dropping.? I'll be out there on Thurs, hope some bucks are rutting...
 
Yep he has to be the first to grab it and then immediately they have to pull out a tape and start measuring that IS ALL IT'S ABOUT
 
Maybe it's just me but I like how excited Doyle gets when his client shoots an animal. I am just as jealous as anyone else for some of the things he has accomplished. But to me personally you can tell he sure enjoys it and that's what hunting is all about
 
Sorry but market hunting for the sake of ego just sucks in my playbook. By new age market hunting I mean getting likes on school girl media or youtube hunts/photos. Filling the freezer is what I'm about.
 
Sorry but market hunting for the sake of ego just sucks in my playbook. By new age market hunting I mean getting likes on school girl media or youtube hunts/photos. Filling the freezer is what I'm about.
That's what makes the world go round. Everyone has an opinion and a right to it. Some of these guys do it for money. Others for ego and yourself for meat. I could see you being a meat hunter being annoyed by trophy hunters. Just remember some trophy hunters are upset when you shoot a 2 point or a spike. Just pointing out its the tag holders decision on what they decide to pull the trigger on.
 
So true. Real hunters won't realy on other people for them game...
I have never had the money to hire a guide and I don't know if I ever would unless I really had the need. For me a hunt is what you make of it. My dad drew San Juan elk years ago and shot a really good bull. It was just the 2 of us on that hunt and the distance to scout we only made it a couple times. My brother drew Manti 3 years ago and we had multiple friends and family on that hunt. I was able to bring my kids and with it being a lot closer we camped and scouted every weekend. My brother shot a much smaller bull around 315. He passed on better bulls hoping for the one we had found scouting but I'll be honest. The 2 hunts didn't enough compared. We seen much more elk on the Manti, spent an insane amount of time on the mountain, and it been one of my most memorable and funnest hunts.
 
definitely can tell that the bucks ain't as big as they used to be..just like everywhere else..
 
It wasn't hunted for years and in 2012 Denny Austad took a 270" deer, biggest to come off the island to my knowledge. That deer is way bigger than the buck they killed this year, Why? Hunting and killing the two biggest bucks on the island every November might have something to do with the decline in quality.
 
It wasn't hunted for years and in 2012 Denny Austad took a 270" deer, biggest to come off the island to my knowledge. That deer is way bigger than the buck they killed this year, Why? Hunting and killing the two biggest bucks on the island every November might have something to do with the decline in quality.
It might, but probably not. Drought is probably playing a lot larger role than 2 bucks out of hundreds of bucks on the island getting killed. To get a deer that big, the planets have to align and every factor that makes a big buck big have to all line up. More bucks are dying of old age on the island each year than get killed by hunters.
 
I agree Jake. Management plays a part, but it is just part. If not we would see 270+inch deer in every national park or large unhunted pieces of private property. There are big deer in those places, but nowhere near THAT big. Management isn't the only factor.
 
I didn't say it was the only factor or even the biggest factor only that it plays a role. The genetics are not in every population and a lot of National Parks do have giants some of them are killed after migration from the parks. I understand that age, genetics, feed and the health of the doe when she's pregnant all play a role. The island hunt isn't much different than hunting city deer. Look at the big buck from the Gunnison cemetery that was just killed on the archery hunt. Bottom line the island bucks are big but if that 270 buck was still out there breeding does you're more likely to see bucks like him.
 
I blame Doyle and his road-blocking posse and high dollar clients and the buffalo and ice cream cone lickers harassing the bucks during rut and shed hunters and coyotes and poor management and drought and lack of trees to lay under and air pollution and and and….
 
I didn't say it was the only factor or even the biggest factor only that it plays a role. The genetics are not in every population and a lot of National Parks do have giants some of them are killed after migration from the parks. I understand that age, genetics, feed and the health of the doe when she's pregnant all play a role. The island hunt isn't much different than hunting city deer. Look at the big buck from the Gunnison cemetery that was just killed on the archery hunt. Bottom line the island bucks are big but if that 270 buck was still out there breeding does you're more likely to see bucks like him.
True you didn't say it was the only or biggest factor, but it was THE ONLY factor you brought up so that's why we talked about it.

The Gunnison buck is a great example of how management can't be the factor. Guaranteed it came from an area that has more hunting pressure than the island, but it still managed to exist and grow.

Again sure there are big bucks that are coming from National Parks, but its still only once in a blue moon that a 270 inch buck is seen. Theres 200-240 big, but getting into the 250+ range is a whole other level. It just doesn't happen often even in unhunted populations.

A buck that is 6 years old has had plenty of years to breed, his mom still had other babies, his dad still sired other deer, he probably had a twin. The genetics he had are still in the population. As are any of the bucks that have been harvested. 2 tags a year isn't doing anything to the genetics of that population.
 
Looks like a great buck to me. I’m amazed a buck can put up that much antler on Antelope Island considering the severity of drought this year.
 
It would appear to be common sense that a 270" deer would be more likely to have a son that has the genetics to be a truly giant 250+ buck, than a 225" deer but I guess common sense isn't that common.
 
It would appear to be common sense that a 270" deer would be more likely to have a son that has the genetics to be a truly giant 250+ buck, than a 225" deer but I guess common sense isn't that common.
And it would also be common sense to know that a buck that lived long enough to grow to 270 has passed on plenty of those gene's as well as has his offspring. Those gene's are not gone.

Any year a new up and commer could explode into a giant.
 
It would appear to be common sense that a 270" deer would be more likely to have a son that has the genetics to be a truly giant 250+ buck, than a 225" deer but I guess common sense isn't that common.
Yeah that’s common sense. It’s also common sense that he got his genes from somewhere and that he already passed on his genes. He didn’t magically appear out of thin air the day they killed him. He had parents that had the genetics who also had other offspring and he was old enough he also passed on his genetics. Taking one buck didn't ruin the gene pool. Think it through. A basic understanding of genetics and biology is even less common than common sense ?
 
It would appear to be common sense that a 270" deer would be more likely to have a son that has the genetics to be a truly giant 250+ buck, than a 225" deer but I guess common sense isn't that common.
You know what your right, it's just common sense that they are killing way to many deer off of the island... we better shut it down. The big buck herd just can't sustain having 2 deer killed every year. Bound to be over ran with sub 230 bucks from here on out. ?
 
You know what your right, it's just common sense that they are killing way to many deer off of the island... we better shut it down. The big buck herd just can't sustain having 2 deer killed every year. Bound to be over ran with sub 230 bucks from here on out. ?
What a problem to have! Only 230
Bucks to be found :ROFLMAO:
 
Why is a guide needed to hunt AI? When is someone going to draw the tag and refuse to let MB or any other outfitter take them and paste a logo on their picture. Is it required to hunt with a guide on the island?
Not Required at all, pretty sure there was a guy several years ago that hunted it on there own. But most people that draw the tag know nothing about the island and when help is offered they take it. The auction hunter on the other hand I can't speak for that.

Hell I think 50+% of the people putting in for it are either women who have never hunted or hunted very little and there husbands put them in, or older people who are pretty much done hunting. I think there has been two women hunters that killed there first buck on the Island, I know the one last year was her first deer. This guy this year was old and just putting in for the off chance he drew.

Plus the hate for mossback is not near as prevalent in the general hunting community as it is in the pages of monster muleys.
 
I’ve been reading the same posts about Alcatraz and the Henry’s. Every year it’s the same thing. Public hunters are forced to draw tags with extremely tough draw odd tags. Battling it out for tag allotments with high dollar clients with big $ that merely purchase high dollar tags that sell for more than most of us earn in 1 to 10 years of working blue collar jobs.

The big question is whether outfitted tags that generate big $ to Utah really worth the impact they may have on the top bucks and bulls in the state? As mentioned in several posts above, does harvesting the cream of the crop critters each year by extremely successful guides and outfitters with high dollar clients have any impacts? Hopefully the tag revenue goes directly back to wildlife habitat, predator control and other sources that truly put more game on the mountain. Does anyone know if this is happening? From all the complaints I've seen about the declining mule deer herds in Utah I would say there is still a lot to be done!

Utah has brought high dollar tags that are bid upon or purchased by clients to the extreme compared to all other states. The same wealthy guys that purchase deer tags have likely purchased high dollar elk and other species tags. Wealthy hunters that have cash go hunting while thousands of average Joe’s sit on their couch and see photos of whopper bucks and bulls posted on websites each year by outfitters with deep pocket clients. I’m sure there is a lot of jealousy…and rightfully so! You notice that I said “client” and not “hunter!”

When you compare public self-guided hunters to wealthy tag purchasers/clients it is often a totally different scenario for the same Alcatraz deer tag and hunt. Having guides sit on bucks for months and having a client show up a day or 2 before the season…. and have a guide point to a monster buck to shoot. The client has probably compared the buck he shot to every available whopper buck the guides have filmed and sent the client video of in the unit and/or entire state of Utah. We’ve all seen it in the videos where the guides have given names to all these bucks and bulls. The clients likely haven’t even set eyes on these bucks until they pull the trigger.

Obviously moss and crew as well as other guides/outfitters are the guys that produce these bucks on an annual basis. Take a look at how many of the top bucks and bulls from Utah are harvested by them. Does this impact overall quality of bucks and bulls for the average Joe hunter over time? I guess I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Hopefully, high dollar tag $ is going directly back to benefitting the majority of average Joe’s wildlife in the state of Utah as it likely was intended? Is Utah making great decisions on priority areas and projects to use all this cash? If I was an average Joe resident hunter in Utah I would be checking out where all this cash is going and make sure it truly is being directly used to impact and benefit wildlife. If this is happening, it may be a deal where average Joe’s are actually benefiting from clients deep pockets. If this isn't happening, I would urge every average Joe hunter in Utah to join together and raise your voices in a way it may improve the system.
 
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I’ve been reading the same posts about Alcatraz and the Henry’s. Every year it’s the same thing. Public hunters are forced to draw tags with extremely tough draw odd tags. Battling it out for tag allotments with high dollar clients with big $ that merely purchase high dollar tags that sell for more than most of us earn in 1 to 10 years of working blue collar jobs.

The big question is whether outfitted tags that generate big $ to Utah really worth the impact they may have on the top bucks and bulls in the state? As mentioned in several posts above, does harvesting the cream of the crop critters each year by extremely successful guides and outfitters with high dollar clients have any impacts? Hopefully the tag revenue goes directly back to wildlife habitat, predator control and other sources that truly put more game on the mountain. Does anyone know if this is happening? From all the complaints I've seen about the declining mule deer herds in Utah I would say there is still a lot to be done!

Utah has brought high dollar tags that are bid upon or purchased by clients to the extreme compared to all other states. The same wealthy guys that purchase deer tags have likely purchased high dollar elk and other species tags. Wealthy hunters that have cash go hunting while thousands of average Joe’s sit on their couch and see photos of whopper bucks and bulls posted on websites each year by outfitters with deep pocket clients. I’m sure there is a lot of jealousy…and rightfully so! You notice that I said “client” and not “hunter!”

When you compare public self-guided hunters to wealthy tag purchasers/clients it is often a totally different scenario for the same Alcatraz deer tag and hunt. Having guides sit on bucks for months and having a client show up a day or 2 before the season…. and have a guide point to a monster buck to shoot. The client has probably compared the buck he shot to every available whopper buck the guides have filmed and sent the client video of in the unit and/or entire state of Utah. We’ve all seen it in the videos where the guides have given names to all these bucks and bulls. The clients likely haven’t even set eyes on these bucks until they pull the trigger.

Obviously moss and crew as well as other guides/outfitters are the guys that produce these bucks on an annual basis. Take a look at how many of the top bucks and bulls from Utah are harvested by them. Does this impact overall quality of bucks and bulls for the average Joe hunter over time? I guess I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Hopefully, high dollar tag $ is going directly back to benefitting the majority of average Joe’s wildlife in the state of Utah as it likely was intended? Is Utah making great decisions on priority areas and projects to use all this cash? If I was an average Joe resident hunter in Utah I would be checking out where all this cash is going and make sure it truly is being directly used to impact and benefit wildlife. If this is happening, it may be a deal where average Joe’s are actually benefiting from clients deep pockets. If this isn't happening, I would urge every average Joe hunter in Utah to join together and raise your voices in a way it may improve the system.
There has been millions of dollars dumped directly back into habitat projects directly funded by the money raised from selling tags in this state. Plus funding for many other wildlife related activities, I see the potential for alot of this money to help with the cheat grass issues you talk about in the future. Could there be more done? Yes I sure there is always better ways to spend the money.

The money raised from that one tag sold for the island all goes directly back to the island to help with habitat projects on the island, or areas it is supposed too I've never seen what it has actually funded but also haven't looked it up.

I think you would be surprised at how much money has been put back into wildlife if you into it Jim's.
 
Jake, that’s great news for Utah! I think a lot of public draw hunters may be a little close minded sometimes to the benefits these big $ tags offer.

It would be really nice to know if there is a list of projects with a breakdown of the funding this revenue represents. It would be good PR to promote the positive attributes from these tags to the public that may silence some of the negativity. Without the public knowing where this $ goes leaves an incredible amount of unanswered questions and skepticism.
 
Jake, that’s great news for Utah! I think a lot of public draw hunters may be a little close minded sometimes to the benefits these big $ tags offer.

It would be really nice to know if there is a list of projects with a breakdown of the funding this revenue represents. It would be good PR to promote the positive attributes from these tags to the public that may silence some of the negativity. Without the public knowing where this $ goes leaves an incredible amount of unanswered questions and skepticism.
Yes there are lists that show how much money went to each project. I know MDF, and SFW both put out lists with the projects they helped fund. As well as how much was spent.

People don't care they love to hate on anything they can.
 
Jake, that’s great news for Utah! I think a lot of public draw hunters may be a little close minded sometimes to the benefits these big $ tags offer.

It would be really nice to know if there is a list of projects with a breakdown of the funding this revenue represents. It would be good PR to promote the positive attributes from these tags to the public that may silence some of the negativity. Without the public knowing where this $ goes leaves an incredible amount of unanswered questions and skepticism.
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Slam dunk, wow that’s incredible info and work! Thanks for posting this! The grand total going to muley projects is stunning! That’s exactly what I was talking about in my post above. It’s great to see the Muley foundation stepping up and getting a bunch of field work accomplished!!
 
Slam dunk, wow that’s incredible info and work! Thanks for posting this! The grand total going to muley projects is stunning! That’s exactly what I was talking about in my post above. It’s great to see the Muley foundation stepping up and getting a bunch of field work accomplished!!
I'll be out at 9am tomorrow doing a habitat project in utah county in a high vehicle collision area. We are planting hundreds of various brush and seeding an area to try keeping deer on the safe side of the highway.
This is all done with money generated by the memberships and banquets, along with the guidance and help from the DWR.
 
It would appear to be common sense that a 270" deer would be more likely to have a son that has the genetics to be a truly giant 250+ buck, than a 225" deer but I guess common sense isn't that common.
It’s less of a genetic thing more of a wintering/ nutrition problem you only get good bucks from doe’s that had a very easy pregnancy and good nutrition you could have the same 250+ buck breed 2 doe’s and if one had a really harsh winter it’s baby would have smaller antlers than the one that had a good winter so it probably had more to do with drought and flora populations than anything else
 
Genetic is the same in the buck when he is 3 as it does when he is 7. So killing 2 of the biggest buck shouldn't do much as hurting the herd. Feed would be a bigger problem IMO.
Also....genetics have absolutely nothing to do with quality of feed.
Quality of antler growth can vary from year to year yes, but genetics never change.

My son will still look the exact same whether his mother ate Top Ramen or Ribeyes during her pregnancy.
Genetics are blood.
 
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My guess is if you take the same 2 bucks you mentioned in the post above and look at them when they are 6 years old. Say, the 270 genetics buck has a poor winter/moisture while the other 6 year old buck with poor genetics has an excellent winter/moisture. My guess is that the 270 genetics buck would still score way more and his rack would tower over the poor genetics buck even in a poor year. Obviously age, genetics, quality feed, weather conditions are all important. All these factors tie into why some states and counties produce many and others few B&C bucks.

Genetics stay with a buck for their lifetime and conditions change from one year to the next. I’ve shot amazing bucks in poor condition years! Yes, if the conditions were prime they likely would be even bigger but genetics is super important.
 
if killing the oldest bucks means there are just young bucks remaining there will likely never be older age class bucks that will make B&C. Killing the few older age class bucks impacts quality and age structure and probably doesn’t alter genetics much. When I say quality I’m referring to proportionately an older age class structure of bucks available in a unit.
 
It always pisses me off when Doyle grabs on to the horns like they're his. If you watch videos of hunts he's on, he always runs up there first and grabs onto them. For that exact reason, I make sure whoever shoots an animal is always the first to grab onto it when I'm there. I guess if you go with him, you have to expect that.


They are his.

He does the work.
 
And it would also be common sense to know that a buck that lived long enough to grow to 270 has passed on plenty of those gene's as well as has his offspring. Those gene's are not gone.

Any year a new up and commer could explode into a giant.
Correct.
That 270" buck has fathered a lot of fawns in his breeding life, his genetics were put in bucks and does.
 
In my view, jkass is correct about nutrition in does bred by that 270 buck. It's talked about as fetal programming in cattle. The exact science is above my pay grade, but starvation of the pregnant cow will alter for life the ability of that year's offspring to express it's genetic potential. Some of the original studies were from human experience. Starving deer for example are likely altered by a stressful winter too.
 
"Genetics" don't change or alter, period!

Does YOUR children's genetics change with how well they eat from year to year?
No!

Antler growth can vary yes, but once that sperm enters the egg, the genetics are there forever.
 
"Genetics" don't change or alter, period!

Does YOUR children's genetics change with how well they eat from year to year?
No!

Antler growth can vary yes, but once that sperm enters the egg, the genetics are there fo


This!!!

Never understood why this is confused.

Genes are genes.

Potential is based on nutrition.

Bad genes + good nutrition= small horns
 
Not my intention to argue, just think it's interesting. Search "Funston epigenetics" or "Barker Dutch Hunger Winter". Maternal nutrition can alter life long gene expression (maybe antler growth?) in the fetus being carried at the time of the insult.

Diving down another rat hole, I was at a meeting recently where information was presented regarding alcohol, drug, tobacco use by the male at the time of conception having a negative effect on the offspring. Must have slipped one by b/c my college born son is not an obese, water-head, drug dealer, lol.
 
The type and amount of feed is what keeps the body building BONE that means all bones so if the fawns has lot of feed it should grow good bones, If a mature buck has great feed his horns should be bigger that year of good feed and good chance they will smaller in a bad year of feed.
We do the same with cattle, feed them lots of nutrition their calves with come out stronger then a cow only fed on range grass.
Can mineral blocks help. I'm sure they can't hurt.
 
The type and amount of feed is what keeps the body building BONE that means all bones so if the fawns has lot of feed it should grow good bones, If a mature buck has great feed his horns should be bigger that year of good feed and good chance they will smaller in a bad year of feed.
We do the same with cattle, feed them lots of nutrition their calves with come out stronger then a cow only fed on range grass.
Can mineral blocks help. I'm sure they can't hurt.
Yes, along with great genetics.

When all the stars are aligned, great things happen.
 
I have 10yr old twins. My daughter, born a minute and a half before her baby brother, is 7 inches shorter, and 35lbs lighter. They were fed the same in the womb. And fed the same as babies. They were within an inch and a couple ounces at birth.

Genetics
 
JUDAS Hossy!

Isn't The Male Supposed to Be Bigger?

I Also Take it They Are Not Identical?



I have 10yr old twins. My daughter, born a minute and a half before her baby brother, is 7 inches shorter, and 35lbs lighter. They were fed the same in the womb. And fed the same as babies. They were within an inch and a couple ounces at birth.

Genetics
 
One More Thing!

What If We Started Wiping Out Humans When they were only 1/4- 1/3 of the Way Through a Lifespan?

It'd Be A Smart/Tough Bunch wouldn't it when the average oldest age was 23 to 25?

Just Putting it in Perspective!
 
I have 10yr old twins. My daughter, born a minute and a half before her baby brother, is 7 inches shorter, and 35lbs lighter. They were fed the same in the womb. And fed the same as babies. They were within an inch and a couple ounces at birth.

Genetics
Yep, and their specific genetic traits will carry on to their siblings, but those genetics won't alter due to their age of procreation.
 
Guys I'm not there to view the specific variables but I can discuss one hypothetical.

This is an island herd. Killing 2 deer a year isn't going to effect the genetics. If I was the biologist there and this problem was brought to me the very first thing I would look at is my capacity. What is a likely reason for the smaller antlers is the stress put on these deer through competition. Not just competition between each other but competition with the other ungulates on the island. Let's say, HYPOTHETICALLY, the deer population 5 years ago was 250, the Buffalo were 60, and the sheep 90. Five years passes and you have 800 deer, 100 buffalo, and 110 sheep. You have significantly increased competitive stress on these individuals. You will see an effect in overall health within your heard. ESPECIALLY ANTLER DEVELOPMENT.

The fact is killing 2 deer a year is not enough with an island herd at some point. At some point you reach a tipping point and the point MAY have been passed.
 
They actually keep the deer herd at approximately 500 head, Bison approximately 700, Sheep approximately 130 and Antelope approximately 250.
Animals are transplanted to control numbers.
Deer have been moved to San Juan, Oak Creek, Henry Mountains and others throughout the years.

But you are right....2 bucks harvested doesn't touch the genetics.
 
I f you want bigger deer bred them with bigger Genetic bucks.
BUT Doe's have some say in the matter also. Check out a deer or elk farm and you will see what genetic can do with the right buck and doe comb can grow huge deer and elk, The feed has alot to do with growing the antlers you need both.
 
Western side of state has huge grass lands few grain fields
Eastern side has Huge corn, soy beans fields, Etc.
That should have a some pull why. Look cows get bigger eating corn then just hay .
 
Western side of state has huge grass lands few grain fields
Eastern side has Huge corn, soy beans fields, Etc.
That should have a some pull why. Look cows get bigger eating corn then just hay .
Bodies get bigger, yes.....
 
It's clear you didn't read the article...
Yes, I certainly did.
It's completely full of science and man made agriculture and even hand fed studies.
It mentions body size far more than antler growth, nor did I see where it talked about growing a "trophy" size rack from a poor genetic blue print.
A poor genetic buck with a two point frame will always display that trait regardless of resources.
Yes he may grow a larger heavier frame and possibly a few nontypical points, but his frame is in his blue print, regardless of how much bodyweight he gains or loses from year to year.

I have learned a lot from a close friend who owns an elk ranch and breeds hundreds of elk for trophy hunting and breeding purposes.
We have seen 500" bulls sire offspring from various cows that didn't amount to anything and are culled out of the herd at 3.5 to 4.5 years of age when they display the poor antler growth. Yes these animals are fed both alfalfa, mineral blocks and wild natural feed for optimum growth potential.
Deer are no different.
Genetics build "trophy" racks.
 
In the study it also shows that the poor health of the mother carrying a buck through a malnourished pregnancy can effect the bucks antler growth for the rest of its life.
 
You're working extra hard the last few days to keep your "trolling in chief" badge.
Muffs please! It comes natural!

All I’m saying is just because you volunteer for a for profit organization focused on mule deer does not make you an expert in what it takes to grow big mule deer. And especially so if you’re going to disagree with all other opinions while holding “ one of the best mule deer tags in the west” and you kill a 150 buck.

It’s only a troll when you get your feelings hurt muffs…
 

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