What is a Cull Buck?

You’ve heard the term before, but what exactly is a cull buck? Sure, white-tailed deer managers and hunters often talk about “cull” bucks and  it’s a hot topic — which bucks are cull bucks and which ones are not? However, there is an important factor to keep in mind: Sometimes a cull to one person is not a cull to another. A cull, by definition, is something that is considered inferior or inadequate — not as good as the rest. As such, the topic of cull bucks comes about when ranch managers and hunters want to know which bucks should be culled to improve herd quality. After all, deer antlers are highly heritable. Otherwise, you could never select for antler quality through buck harvest.

Cull bucks are bucks that are deemed genetically inferior in antler quality to other bucks in the area. With that said, a cull buck on one ranch may not be a cull buck on another ranch based on measurable or non-measurable attributes. So, what is a cull buck on your property? The answer depends on several factors — and those factors vary by property and both past and future management actions.

Cull bucks should always be judged relative to other bucks on the property of the same age. For example, if most of the bucks at 3 1/2 years of age on your property have 8+ points, then 3 1/2 year old bucks with 7 or fewer antler points would probably be considered cull bucks. However, a 2 1/2 year old buck with 7 points may not be considered a cull. Other bucks commonly culled are those with very short or missing brow tines or very short tine-length overall. In short, what’s considered a cull varies by ranch, and typically, by who is in charge of buck management and harvest.

A ranch that has been under intensive herd management for years may consider a 5 1/2 year old buck with a 130-inch Boone & Crockett score as a cull, regardless of points. On the flip side, this may be the best buck ever seen on another ranch, especially those at the early stages of deer management.

Culling typically takes place around 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years of age, although the earlier the better (even on yearling bucks). On intensively managed properties, a common practice is cull spike bucks at 1 1/2 years of age and bucks with 8 or fewer points at 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years of age. The idea is to remove “inferior” bucks and leave better bucks to breed and pass their genes on.

Since a cull buck is relative to other bucks at the same age class, accurately aging bucks on the hoof becomes of great importance. Typically, deer managers most comfortable with aging bucks and removing culls are those that have experience and knowledge about individual bucks over multiple years.