5 6 Deer Breeding for Fine Heads 



When a buck gets over a certain age, especially if he has been 

 wounded in fighting, he begins to get timid and to avoid fighting; 

 so that the very buck who a year or two before was master of all 

 the rest, and could choose as many does as he liked, becomes too 

 timid to risk a fight, and is consequently driven about by all the 

 other bucks, even by those smaller than himself. 



A buck may be turned out at the beginning of the rutting-season 

 if he is later than the rest in shedding his velvet, and his horns are 

 consequently still tender. When his horns are hard, he may become 

 the master-buck. Therefore do not shoot a good buck till you are 

 sure he is of no use. 



The aforesaid timidity is first noticeable when the deer are being 

 fed. If a buck, however big and suitable in other ways, begins to 

 let himself be driven away from his food, unless he is late in 

 shedding his velvet, he is best shot, as he will be of very little 

 use for breeding. 



I think the reason for this change of temperament is that the 

 animal is getting weaker, and finds he cannot hold his own 

 against other bucks, either from age or because he has been 

 wounded. 



In fighting, the great thing is for a buck to keep his antagonist 

 from taking him sideways : being pushed straight back does not 

 so much matter, so long as the one being pushed can keep his 

 feet, but if, from a slip or from unevenness of ground, he turns the 

 least bit sideways to his antagonist's push (there is very little 

 charging, and it is generally simply a pushing match), he gets 

 slewed round, and then if he cannot get clear he receives a dig in 

 the ribs or flank which may be fatal, or at least make him a 



