I think it is also important to be able to judge age. That is a work in progress for me. I'm getting better but can still be error prone. One of the Kids that hunts my land shot a spike last year. It had a wedge shaped head, short spikes and was a runt. One look and I knew it wasn't a young deer. After it was in the ice chest, it weighed 36 pounds. When we pulled the lower jaw bone to age it, we figured it was 7.5 years old and just about at the end of the trail. I'm glad it is out of the gene pool. It was with a couple of younger bucks, about 2.5 yoa, that are probably going to be good deer someday and was chasing them away from the feeder. It wouldn't have gotten away with that aggressiveness with older bucks or does. I have seen other spikes with that deers genes. They have been younger but I know we don't see them all.
To learn to age deer, go to the Texas Hunting Forum. They do this all the time.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa
