# Deer in ???...



## b1rdman (Oct 9, 2006)

This was inspired by "Deer in Ohio", but since I'm not in Ohio I thought I might start a new thread.

I "shot" this little lady about 45 minutes ago. Went for a walk to check the trail timers and there she was.

A talking point...

I hunt here in NH and in MI every year. Taking a doe here is common, but taboo in MI. The folks I hunt with in MI won't dare take a doe, yet they encourage us out-of-staters to due so to help their population problem. Life long hunting "rules" are hard to break I suppose. What do you all do?


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## musch (Oct 10, 2006)

Here in WI, there are all kinds of goofy rules, split up all over the State.
For many years, there has been "earn a buck" zones, where presumably you thin the herd by having to shoot a doe before you get a buck tag.

The DNR has really gone crazy with early hunts, cwd hunts, cwd herd reduction, shotgun only zones, earn a buck, t-zone, etc. You have to really study to know what the hell to do, and even then, you can literally cross a road and be subject to a whole different host of rules.


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## 04ultra (Oct 10, 2006)

musch said:


> Here in WI, there are all kinds of goofy rules, split up all over the State.
> For many years, there has been "earn a buck" zones, where presumably you thin the herd by having to shoot a doe before you get a buck tag.
> 
> The DNR has really gone crazy with early hunts, cwd hunts, cwd herd reduction, shotgun only zones, earn a buck, t-zone, etc. You have to really study to know what the hell to do, and even then, you can literally cross a road and be subject to a whole different host of rules.



Well said..The DNR cant even figure it out...


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## musch (Oct 10, 2006)

04ultra said:


> Well said..The DNR cant even figure it out...


Thats literally true.
We went to talk to a DNR warden last fall, who my friends father worked with. 
I wanted to ask him about getting extra tags with the conservation patrons license that I had. 
It took 20 minutes, another warden and 2 dnr office workers to figure out what I could do, and whether I needed to purchase yet another tag or not.
 
It keeps a lot of bureaucrats busy, I'm sure.


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## fishhuntcutwood (Oct 10, 2006)

Deer regs are a pain. There's two reasons for that-

1. The insurance companies and politics are involved.

2. Most states don't manage for mature populations. They just manage for numbers...see reason #1.

I could go on and on and make this a 40 minute read, but I digress.....


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## begleytree (Oct 10, 2006)

Deer populations across the country are too high. From the problem of not enough hunters, to hunters not taking their doe limits. (horn hunters) I fear that areas with CWD that are eradicated (less deer now) will be held up as examples of areas where there are deer, but fewer accidents, ie, deer popluation at safe (for motorists) levels. 

There is some fear (grounded) that soon state lawmakers will take deer management away form state DNRs in the form of legislation to control deer populations with regards to deer/auto collisions, and 'public safety'. When the first state does it, watch for others to follow suit.

When that happens, watch deer hunting as you know it, cease to exist.

one example is companies (hunters) being given state permits to go onto anyones property where deer accidents are common, and shoot 75-90% of the deer there to reduce the local herd. or another is the state issuing permits allowing hunters onto private property that has previously been blocked to outside hunter access, like your property, or mine. and the 3rd example is a large relaxation of poaching laws.
-Ralph


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## Ed*L (Oct 10, 2006)

A couple of weeks ago I went to an informal meeting on Quality Deer Management. There is about 4000 acres near me where it is practiced. The speaker for the evening was the Michigan DNR wildlife director, who was responsible for starting the program on his property & adjoining land. The results that these guys are getting with their deer harvest are pretty good. Nice Bucks every year. But, you have to shoot Does. No if's ands or buts about it. Once those involved accepted this their program really took off.
Largest Deer to date has been a 14 point, sadly it was taken with an Astro Van. The people that hit it were nice enough to give it to the landowner and he had it mounted.

http://www.qdma.org/qdm/

Ed


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## hobby climber (Oct 13, 2006)

In Ontario, most hunters I know really don't much care about getting "The Big Buck"! They are just as happy with getting something to put in the freezer! Sure its nice to get one with antlers but it doesn't make the meat taste any better & thats a fact. For me, if I had a choice of bucks, does...I'll go with the one that offers the best shot,(to ensure a clean kill), and then I'll pick the largest one, (more meat)! HC


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## manual (Oct 14, 2006)

You should hunt around here. We have a T.B problem with our herds. 
We have been aloud a doe a day. four the past what five years.
Now the herd is very low and hunters are going else where to hunt.
Because this is the only place in Michigan that you cannot use bate.


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## CaseyForrest (Oct 14, 2006)

Its illegal to bate around here too. Unless its in the form of a food plot.

Theres a guy at work that has his entire family get tags. He does all the shooting. Then hops over to another county, and gets more doe tags.


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## ddhlakebound (Oct 19, 2006)

Missouri's deer management is getting better, at least up north. Here's the rules as they are now, here:

Bow season Sept 15 to Jan 15, excluding rifle season, two bucks allowed, only one before rifle season, unlimited antlerless bonus tags. 

Rifle season Nov 11 to Nov 21, with the state split into two sections: North of I-70 has a "four points on one side" restriction, this will be the third year. Unlimited doe bonus tags in most areas. South of I-70 no antler point restrictions, and unlimited doe only bonuses. One antlered deer permit statewide. 

Landowners can also get extra tags for free. So if you own land and bowhunt, you can get 5 buck tags (firearms, 2 archery, landowner firearms, landowner archery) every year, and unlimited does. 

There are also several other hunts, urban counties antlerless, lots of managed hunts, muzzleloader season (requires firearms tag), and late season antlerless

Thankfully I already have 2 in the freezer, my buddy got a doe w/ his bow, and his brothers wife hit a 9 pointer with her blazer. The buck was no gimme, as he went almost a half mile on compound fractured rear legs,(running on the stumps) and when I found him (after 2 hours of tracking and scouring the area) he was still quite lively. Figuring I was looking for a dead/dying deer, all I had with me was a filet knife. I had to get ahold of his antlers and hold him down, and slit his throat. Even after all he had been through, he had some fight left. He stood up on his front legs and rear stubs, lowered his rack, and tried to charge me. Thankfully he went down again after 3-4 steps, and stayed down, but I did cut him twice more so he'd bleed out quicker. 

I felt sorry for the tough, magestic fella, but he would have died in a few days from the infection or the coyotes, after much suffering. His rack is probably in the 120-125 range, and its too bad he got hit, he was entering a bedding area where we hunt.


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## bwalker (Oct 19, 2006)

IME most hunters in MI dont mind shooting does. When we had a 650 acre parcel south of Houghton Lake we shot them in spades.


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## woodville (Oct 22, 2006)

Thay all taste the same fried up with some butter, Whats for dinner anyway? Nice pic of the doe by the way. Here in Ma it's getting harder every year to see a large buck, but doe and spikes are always around.


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## oneadam12 (Oct 22, 2006)

Way down here in MS, we get 3 of each with 2 additional does during Bow season. The bucks must be 4 point or better. The 4 point rule has been in effect about 4-5 years and it has really made a difference in the bucks. For 2-3 years we could kill 5 does and 3 bucks, boy did some people take advantage of that! Herd #'s are way down, but body weight is up and the doe to buck ratio is a lot better.


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## smokechase II (Oct 22, 2006)

*east versus west*

In the east it is common to be able to take several deer. Say eight / year in South Carolina as of a couple years ago.

In the west, generally you have draw special tags to get more than one.

Why should we even care about this discussion when Eric W just got back from Williams Lake BC with a thousand *pounds* of moose meat.
I hope that somehow it all spoils.


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## Madsaw (Oct 26, 2006)

Yeap Wisconsin dnr regs are nuts. Some where I read that this years regular season starting the nov 18 ended in Jan. But, I finally get a pamphlet on this season they show Dec10. That makes my buddies from Tenn pushed when they can come back up here to hunt. They can not believe the unlimited tags for the HR CWD zones. I like the idea of the unlimited tags. Sure helps fill my freezer.
How many here have to hunt with slug guns? My preference is a mossberg 500 smooth bore with scope. I have found most mossbergs love federal slugs.
Whats your favorite slug pitcher?
Later
Bob


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