Question for BSK.

[BSK]

nutrition in utero is also a very important factor (perhaps most important). I'll see if I can find that study.

It is both a combination of nutrition in utero as well as a system called "epigenetics." Epigenetics is a system of changes to expressed traits where the actual DNA does not change. This has been studied in humans and is the reason women who have experienced severe famine continue to produce underweight children long after the famine has subsided. In fact, these odd changes in expression are actually heritable (get passed on to the next generation) even though the person's DNA has not changed. This is the cause of the deer studies out of the Black Hills of South Dakota that found it took several generations away from the low food quality of the Black Hills before body and antler development equaled that of deer from the high-quality habitat of the Plains of South Dakota. The continuous exposure to the low food quality of the Black Hills region had produced an epigenetic expression for lower body weight and antler growth (a survival mechanism for deer living in low-quality habitat) in deer of the region. Removing them and taking them to a high-quality habitat region did not increase their body weight or antler growth. It took several generations of deer living in the high-quality deer habitat before the Black Hills lineage deer lost that epigenetic expression and began producing bodies/antlers similar in size to the local Plains deer.

 

[BSK]

But what about yearling buck dispersal? Shouldn't they be seeing everyone else's buck fawn genetics?

Much depends on the local situation. If mother does are being removed (if there is a doe harvest in the area) dispersal is reduced. If no females are being removed, dispersal will be high. But even in a high-dispersal area, not all bucks disperse.

 

[EastTNHunter]

This is the best example of the 6 pointer to date but several have been nice deer that I am happy to kill but they only have the brow times and one point up on the main beam. We used to think that we could kill enough 6 point bucks and get rid of the trait but not quiet so easy.

I'd rather shoot a big 6 than an 8, I believe.

 

[BSK]

This is the best example of the 6 pointer to date but several have been nice deer that I am happy to kill but they only have the brow times and one point up on the main beam. We used to think that we could kill enough 6 point bucks and get rid of the trait but not quiet so easy.

Although you're probably not making much genetic impact trying to "shoot out" a particular antler trait by killing the bucks displaying that trait, I have to admit I often target 6-or-less point older bucks.