After 2-yr. lull, I finally get a deer....

[Eleanors38]

8. Texas has encouraged the taking of does so as to suppress populations...

of deer, and it seems to have a positive effect, here. The question is: which does are preferable for achieving this goal? Some argue older more mature "trophy" does, as they are by their very presence survivors, and most likely to produce the most offspring. In a peculiar way, this dovetails with the thinking about taking bucks: The bigger the trophy, the better. But that is a surface similarity. Taking "trophy" bucks near the end of reproductive life seems to prevent in some measure the negatives of consuming large amounts of vegetationn before gracelessly starving to death. But does reproduce till they die. This ability to pass on "survivor" genes until the last weeks of life causes me to wonder if the policy needs better thinking. Taking younger does means you are per force taking deer with unknown genes as you favor the older survivor's prgenes. And therein is the problem.


Antler restrictions exist in most Texas counties because head hardware is easier to theorize about.

Edit: White weasels. Where do you live?