Yes he was heavy horned...so it sounds like genetics played a larger part in this than nutrition?
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Bubblehide... you may have gotten a little off track and I do NOT share the same opinion on much of what you stated. I'm not into arguing. Maybe we could talk it over sometime over a couple beers.
Bigmoose, lets see a pic of the buck, don't hold out on us.
antler structure, size, etc... is 90%+ genetics and the environment that has supported the evolution of those genetics
all the true big buck country that produces has two things in common 1)low harvest to allow for age and 2)genetics
the strip, jicarilla, CO unit 44, etc... its not a difficult formula
I also think that the environment has a lot to do with antler growth. What I mean is that in an environment that is fairly choked with brush, those bucks need to be able and capable of navigating their environment, escaping from predators..., as such, in areas that are primarily composed of thick brush, surviving simply mean wide antlers will get hung up on brush, subsequently greatly reducing such a bucks chances of survival.
I don't know that I agree with this. I think of Texas and the thick brush country that consistently produces wide antlered deer. Also, many very large deer are taken from the thickest nasty part of an area.
So the real question is do you hunt an area that has the genetic potential but a high harvest or do you hunt an area that has less overall harvest said:The short answer is yes, you need to hunt the area with the genetic potential. If you hunt a area without the genetics to produce B&C type bucks, you may never find one. Not all bucks, no matter how old, will grow B&C type antlers. Very few have the genetic make up to do this. To increase your odds of harvesting a B&C type buck you have to hunt where they have been known to have been taken. Your second choice area, the one without the genetics, could still produce some real monsters and maybe even a B&C type buck at some point but the odds are against it. Old age alone won't do it even with great nutrition.