QDM in the U.P.

[Pauly3511]

I hunt in the rock area in the U.P. This was the last year of a 5 year test with the 3 points on one side. Our camp and area personaly has seen a very nice improvement in deer numbers number of bucks and size, we are all very happy with it. I was wondering if anyone knows are they gonna try and continue with the 3 on one side rule, like vote, petitions or whatever. I am not familiar with the way it originated, or how the process worked. I was pretty sure it was Superior deer mangement that got the whole ball rolling. I am willing to get involved to help this thing in any way I can, any info would be appreciated.

[NorthJeff]

The surveys were sent out in early Dec. and most have probably already responded. From what I've heard, there are a lot more that did not like it at first, that like it now, than those who wanted it first, and now don't like it. The results were very high to implement at around 70%, so if we didn't lose much support, it may have a very good chance of continuing.

I'm not even in the test area and I'll continue my "no yearlings" rule, regardless of number of points they have and I'd imagine there would still be a lot of participation in the Rock area if it doesn't continue by law.

[Pauly3511]

Do you know what the criteria is on who gets the surveys? Landowners or whats the deal. If they were sent to same people as before you think it would have no problem passing again, or is it a complete different batch of people. Just wondering cuz all landowners I talked to did not get a survey.

[Gilbey]

That's great to hear Jeff.

We hunt in the QDM area not too far from Rock. What we have noticed was that I was the only one in camp to support it when it first came out. I decided to start hunting again as there was more opportunities thought to be had.

Year one. Not many results.
Year two. Not many results, more spikes seen
Year three. Two 3.5 yr old 8 points taken out of 4 people
Year four. Not many sightings, two nice ones seen during bow.
Year five. Three bucks shot out of 4 people.

Many immature 1.5 yr olds that are going to be NICE next year. Massive buck seen by two of us. Passed on probably a half dozen 6/7 ptrs.

Now everybody, includiung surrounding camps want this to stay in place. Our row of camps have decided that we are going to continue on just trying to shoot 8's and up.

[Gilbey]

And incidentally - did you guys, or anyone that you know for that matter get a survey????

I know ZERO people that received one. Jeff, I live in the boonies just like you, and not one of my neighbors got one. No farmers. No hunters. No land owners. Not one person.

All I know is that I couldn't vote. Nor any influence from friends who have realized the same.

[yooperkenny]

And incidentally - did you guys, or anyone that you know for that matter get a survey????

I live and bowhunt in the boonies of DMU 152 and did not receive a survey nor do I know anyone else that did. Pretty sad IMHO

About the only means to provide input to the DNR is the annual Deer Camp Survey and meetings like the one at NMU tonight, both of which I did/will participate in.

[Whit1]

I live and bowhunt in the boonies of DMU 152 and did not receive a survey nor do I know anyone else that did. Pretty sad IMHO

About the only means to provide input to the DNR is the annual Deer Camp Survey and meetings like the one at NMU tonight, both of which I did/will participate in.

Please start a new thread with a report from the meeting at NMU! That way it won't get buried under all the posts above.

[Gilbey]

Thanks Whit. I would have asked the same.

Sorry to vent about the survey, but I'm just pissed off about how they are doing it.

1st of all, what method of selection did surveys go out to?
2nd, what areas were selected for this, it couldn't be cornell where i live and hunt.

I guess I don't even know anybody in Escanaba that received it either (not to say there weren't any)

My perception of the survey was that landowners and hunters were to be randomly selected for filling this out. Not only this, but the % of people to respond had to be high, and the % (majority) had to go for the implemented QDM change as a positive thing.

So....being that I don't know anybody that got one. And I am in one of the MARS areas for 3 on a side. Shouldn't SOMEBODY I know have gotten one of the "random" samplings??????????

Just a point of concern.

[Trophy Specialist]

And incidentally - did you guys, or anyone that you know for that matter get a survey????

I know ZERO people that received one. Jeff, I live in the boonies just like you, and not one of my neighbors got one. No farmers. No hunters. No land owners. Not one person.

All I know is that I couldn't vote. Nor any influence from friends who have realized the same.
I own property in DMU155 and I got to vote back in 2000 when the proposal was first introduced. My brother also got to vote in 2000 and he is the only one that I know of that also got a survey in 2005. He does not own property in DMU155. They selected 1000 land owners and another 1000 hunters to participate in the survey. In 2000 they chose hunters based on records from antlerless applications. In 2005 they selected hunters from post card surveys. My brother got a post card in 2004 and indicated that he hunted in DMU155 thus his luck in getting selected for the survey in 2005. Property owners were found from county records both times.

I have also noticed a tremendous improvment in the buck to doe ratios in my hunting areas in DMU155 in the Rock area. My hunting sucess has also skyrocketed. I just talked to a friend of mine (a non-deer hunting Yooper) and his relatives hunt in the Perkins area. They were not supportive of the antler restrictions when they were first impemented. In 2005 their camp got 11 trophy class bucks and they have now changed thier tune. I hope the measure passes again.

[Pauly3511]

Thats good to hear trophy

I hunt a few miles down the road if you take a right at the blinking light coming from perkins, i forget the road, but anyways Its my buddies land he has 200 acres and there has been great improvement especially the past couple 4 very nice bucks were taken this year and a few more seen the buck to doe ratio is awesome. I started hunting up ther right before the 3 point rule started and the difference now is very noticable. Also alot more cyotes and wolves now too but we are still doing good. I hope it passes again too

[glock29]

Are you guys talking about hunter surveys? We received 2 of those this year..I got one and my son got one. They were different colors and came a week apart. That leads me to believe my survey was a landowner and his was a hunter. I have never received a survey in the past. We hunt DMU 007 so it wasn't a pretty response.....:rant:

[Gilbey]

Well thank god somebody got one!!

We've been running our "own" survey this year on how many people got surveyed this year by the DNR at pool league.

Nobody. Notta. Zip. Living in the UP shooting pool league leads to a very large percentage of those that deer hunt as well. Since we've started asking around here we haven't found anyone that's gotten one.

Hmmmmmmmm..........you'd think that they would want some more feedback on how the MARS has worked??????????

[NorthJeff]

I don't know anyone yet that received an actual DNR hunting survey, but I've heard of at least 7-8 people from the Rock area that received the AR survey for the continuation of the 5 year test area...they all voted "yes", but then again, those are the type of people I associate with, so it stands to reason that some guys only know of people that said "no". I basically only know people in the Rock area that support the AR because of the SDM branch of the QDMA I'm involved with, so you can't go by my observations of who votes "yes", or "no".

[Trophy Specialist]

I've personally talked to several people that got them in 2005 and each of them told me that they voted "yes". On the otherhand, I did not talk to one person that got one of the U.P. wide surveys.