ANTLER RESTRICTIONS, 1: Imagine if all mature bucks 
disappeared. It's happening ... we'll explain on PPT
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the 
Wildlife Restoration Program

Imagine if over time all men 18 years and older vanished 
leaving 17 year old boys as the eldest males of our 
species. Something analogous is happening to the state's 
white-tailed deer population.

Right now in the Pineywoods and in other counties where we've 
looked at this, the harvest of our one and a half and two and a 
half year old deer is extremely high. We don't have a natural 
deer herd out there. It's young. :10

Gary Calkins is a wildlife biologist based in Jasper. When 
hunting is not a factor, natural selection determines 
which bucks reach maturity. 

Mature animals are more likely to achieve their genetic 
potential. Yet, circumvent this natural process, and the 
health and survival of the herd rests on the haunches of 
immature animals of untested fitness. 

Since the 2002-03 hunting season, six east Texas counties 
have taken part in an antler restriction experiment 
facilitated by TPWD, to help study and reverse this trend. 

And a goal of this restriction is to get older deer on the 
landscape, which -- through a whole bunch of different 
mechanisms -- just leads to a healthier deer herd. :08

More on the antler restriction experiment ... tomorrow.

That's our show ... .We had help today from Tom Harvey ... 
The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series ... 
and also helps to fund the operations of more than 50 
wildlife management areas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.