Nothing actually guarantees this. Females actually contribute 50 percent or more of the genetic makeup for the offspring, including the genes for antler growth, so unless the doe giving birth also carries genes for large racks, bucks bred by a high-scoring buck may not inherit antler traits of racks of a large size.

According to deer breeders, the solid but not outstanding bucks are often the ones that father the best offspring. We haven’t begun to fathom fully the complexity of antler genetics; we’ve still only scratched the surface in terms of the forces causing a buck to turn out however it does.

And for the sake of my own peace of mind, I hope that we never do fully take all the mystery and wonder out of that process, such that trophy bucks can be cranked out like so many auto parts on a factory’s assembly line. Where’s the joy in that?