re: “That deer was on the decline”

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I mean, when people make statements like you did, that makes me laugh.

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Well, I mean....why? You haven't provided anything to prove anything to the contrary. What you linked was an article discussing high grading, which in and of itself is debatable, but discussed absolutely zero facts or evidence about the effectiveness of culling practices in wild populations. You won't find any, either. But you will find loads of articles and research disputing the effectiveness of actual culling programs. Here is one fact....when you know the genealogy of every single deer in a given deer herd...bucks and does alike...and you remove the deer you want every year to change a particular antler trait, it will still take you 13 years to do so. And that's in a penned herd that you know without a doubt which deer sired or fawned which deer. That's facts from New Zealand where on if their main exports is whitetail meat, antlers, hides, etc.

Can you find me any ranches who offer management hunts who no longer have to? Any herd, especially wild herd, that has culled any antler trait? Just one. Find me just one that has been able to cull any antler trait out of a herd. You won't. It's just an excuse to shoot either more deer or young deer. Culling for the sake of changing antler traits simply does not work. There are many others reasons to do so that can help your deer herd, but for the sake of getting rid of 8 points, or deer with no brow tinea, whatever....lmao. Get real.