Good Question WB.
You brought up a point we’ve noticed as well. I’m sure our ratio isn’t as dialed in as y’all’s, but our bigger antlered deer tend not to bust tines. Generally if they get to 160” or better they keep their antlers intact. Why do you think that is? Do you think others don’t challenge them? Or do you think the fights are short lived. I knew of a buck that we never got a pic of with another buck was around. Rattling would send him the opposite direction. More than 3 does around and he’d leave. We have yet to kill a “big” deer with broken tines or antlers. We have a ton of younger bucks with broken racks, but the bigger antlered buck are whole.
Why do you see so many young deer broke?The young guns all have something to prove.They also have thin antlers compared to the older deer.
There are probably more bucks in that age class as well. That is most likely the reason you see so many broke up young deer.
I believe bucks are at their prime at 4/5 years old. That is when I see the most antler damage from mature deer in general. Testosterone is probably as high as it gets during those years. Jet black hocks all the way to the hoof are common here on hard rutting bucks.
As they get older I see a shift to self-preservation if you will. Older bucks try to keep does well away from other suitors.
Lockdown is a prime example of this.
I see the older deer will often time set up shop in a relatively small area to work the girls. The less he travels the fewer fights he will probably have to engage in.
By the time they get to six years old they have established a ranking. Their reputation allows them to buffalo a lot of young deer and bucks in their prime that could probably beat them in a fight. I see this all the time. Their past fights and reputation hold a lot of weight in the field up to a point.
Fields are a war zone. If you have a lot of fields and a good ratio you are going to have a lot of fighting on the green.
This is the last place an old buck wants his hot doe to visit.
In this neck of the brush it's a race to kill mature target deer before they break regardless of their size or age.