Got to love the 2 point shooters...

[ElmerFudd]

It's the trophy hunters who are hurting the genetics:

http://www.livescience.com/animals/090106-reverse-evolution.html

(Just putting this here to stir the pot, I do not necessarily agree)

 

[ridenmuley]

I guess we should start shooting spikes, and forkies. How much would mossback charge for a fork horn hunt?

 

[sageadvice]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, It's clear this guy does not like hunting or hunters. I been hearing this same old lame argument for years. Like the smaller bucks are going to get passed up by the hundreds of guys out there so they all can shoot a monster, Right! There's plenty of guys out there as is, just looking to fill a tag on whatever they can.

Look at what's been happening with game management on private property just in the last 10-15 years. Huge bucks having to be passed up because they aren't 5 years old yet. It won't be long before modern management practices become the norm on our Mule deer and Elk herds as well. There will always be huge Deer with trophy heads available. It will just cost you more and for me, take a lot of the "hunt" out of hunting.

Joey

 

[muleydoc]

If the article is correct then Utah has to have the best mule deer herd in the country (and here I always thought the Utah DWR was in it for the money only going for quantity over quality)!

Muleydoc

 

[muleybull]

Yeah....I guess you do see a lot more monster muleys and elk getting shot than you do small bucks or bulls.

Funny, this saying their bodies and antlers are getting smaller after a year that a 500" elk and a 300" mule deer are shot.

Hope they keep getting smaller.

Is that ethical?

 

[ElmerFudd]

A flaw in his logic is that by the an animal gets to be a true trophy, most of his breeding seasons are behind him. The absolute worst ones to shoot are ones a year or two away with potential, the 26" pretty 4x4 that lacks mass... a 3 point would be better to cull for the meat pole.

 

[eelgrass]

I tend to agree ElmerFudd. By the time a buck reaches "monster" status he's had a few years to pass on his genes. By shooting both small bucks and big mature bucks I think we'll keep the herds in a pretty good balance. And if done correctly, a management hunt here and there could be a good thing too.

Eel