Ask The Biologist

With so many factors out of your control, QDM doesn’t always work.

QUESTION: For several years now on the property I hunt, we have been practicing QDM by passing up yearling bucks. My goal is to shoot a mature buck, but I have yet to even see one. We run several trail cameras and I have not even gotten any pictures of a mature buck. My neighbors are less selective, and I’m wondering if I’m wasting my time holding out for the big boy.

ANSWER: Practicing QDM is never a waste of time. If nothing else, you gain personal satisfaction from your efforts. Also, passing up younger bucks forces you to spend more time in the woods observing and learning about whitetails.
You can improve age structure in the herd by letting yearlings walk, but you also have to be realistic about your expectations. Heavy hunting pressure on surrounding properties can reduce the effectiveness of your efforts. The deer where I live and hunt experience fairly heavy hunting pressure, and very few bucks live to age 3. Know that I’m content to take a good 2- or 3-year-old buck.

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