I think I'm misunderstood. He's not even a big antler restriction guy. He's a big proponent of determing the age of the deer on the hoof - something which is very difficult to get deer hunters to do in the field overall.
His "management practices" are to manage to whatever goals the landowners have. Our biggest project in our deer management class where we traveled to a variety of landowners who had different goals was to write a management plan to suit the goals of the landowner. Some wanted more deer for any opportunity, some wanted just bigger deer, some wanted trophy deer. Your job as a wildlife biolgoist and manager is to provide a management plan to accomplish those goals.
if a landowner in texas asks Kroll to help them out.... what do you think on average their goal is?
to raise a ranch full of 3 year old 110 inch deer, or perhaps shoot for the stars a little bit? part of the antler restriction program in texas allows for shooting spikes... most of which are 1.5 year old deer at harvest, so I can understand why he's not fully behind the program. on a year like this, which is one of the worst drought years texas has seen in a long time, there are spikes everywhere. I have at least 3 at each camera location on my place... typical years we might only see 2 spikes on the entire ranch.
I've met him at a couple TDA conventions, he's confident but friendly... One of his studies I enjoy passing on to other people is to stop shooting young spikes, or young deer as a "cull". you don't know a deer's full potential in south texas until they are at least 4. people that go around shooting 1.5 year old spikes (or any 1-2 year old deer) to "cull" the herd drives me nuts. If you want the meat, fine... shoot them, but to make the excuse of culling is just wrong.
