It seems to me that the only place you really see a problem with the 3x3, 3x4, ugly bucks is on the limited entry units. It takes too many years to draw a tag to shoot an ugly buck.
Those bucks wouldn't last one season out on a general hunt.
Bucks and does carry genes to pass along to their offspring, and the dominant gene, whether from the buck, or from the doe will determine what the antlers look like on the offspring. Therefore it is still possible to get good genes even with an ugly buck doing the breeding as long as the doe has good genes, and hers happen to be the dominant antler genes. That's why we shouldn't shoot does. You may just kill a doe that is throwing boone and crockett antler genes, and you'd never know it.
Another theory I hear that just kills me is that you can't get big bucks if all the young bucks are doing the breeding.
A buck passes the same genes to his offspring every year, whether he is 2 years old, or 8 years old. He may be a two point that is 2 years old, but he may also have the genetics to be a 240" buck as a 7 or 8 year old. So, just because a two year old deer is doing the breeding, doesn't necesarily mean the genetics are bad. The management is poor because all the older bucks have been eliminated.
Leave a herd unhunted for 5 or 6 years and you will be amazed at what kind of bucks you will see.
Some areas have better genetics than others, there is no doubt about that, but most have a good mix that will produce some awesome bucks if given the chance to reach their maximum potential.
It's too bad we can't exercise some self control and let the smaller, younger animals grow up so we can enjoy hunting mature bucks. If we left them alone for even two years they would be bigger, smarter, and more of a challenge to hunt, not to mention a much more beautiful trophy. (and for you meat hunters, there would be more meat too, just not as tender!)
