Another good read from Wayne Masters.
Recently I met an old friend for lunch. We wanted to catch up on whitetail deer management topics and of course he was going to bring me up to speed on what was new on his well-managed free-range property. After lunch we went up to “the cabin” so that he could show me the shed antler he had recently found. At a glance I could see it was likely from a 4½ year-old buck and he confirmed my determination with numerous trail-cam photos as well as the matching sheds as a 2½ and 3½ year-old.
While we visited he told me of a presentation he envisions giving; a fantasy if you will, but certainly one I could relate to. He sees himself advertising extensively that he is going to put on a seminar that will reveal all the secrets of producing big whitetail bucks. Obviously the advertising will have photos of many high-scoring bucks from his property. He hopes to fill a large auditorium with at least 250 people and charge them a pretty penny to learn his secrets. On the night of his presentation, when everyone is settled in, he walks up front and says “Good evening. Thank you for coming. Tonight I am going to tell you the secret of managing for high-scoring, older-age whitetail bucks on your property — ‘The Magic Pill’ if you like.” The audience goes silent. Pads and pencils are at the ready. They are aware of his success. They are prepared to hang on his every word.
“Just don’t shoot the young bucks.” “Thank you for coming. Good evening.” And he walks away.
Yes, it’s improbable that he would do that, but I’ve actually had the same thoughts myself, or something close to it. And, after 15 plus years of experience my friend knows of what he speaks and like me wishes to share his knowledge with others....
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