Shooting "dropped antler" bucks

[Pinefarm]

Is it just me, or is it odd that there's such a fuss often made about later seasons and the possibility of dropped bucks maybe being killed, but many of the same folks don't seem to make much of a fuss about a peak rut opener or buck hunting still continuing for a 2nd buck even after you've just killed a first buck?
It's the later that racks up (no pun intended) the huge yearling buck harvest numbers. Yet, while there of some of us that point to a peak rut opener or multiple buck tags as the bigger problem, an inordinate amount of time seems to be spent on the Early Antlerless season somehow screwing things up or that the Late Antlerless season is accounting for large buck harvest numbers.
If someone is concerned about maximum buck harvest and it's effect on this state, it's Nov.15-17 that should be the focus of concern, not the entire months of September or December. IMHO

[RDS-1025]

While peak rut hunting is a major impact, I think the harvest of button bucks to fill a doe tag is just as much of an impact on the herd as anything.

[CHASINEYES]

Peek of the rut firearms opener is hard on the bucks, this year the bucks in my area where full rut for the opener. As for 2 buck tags, I like my 2 buck tags. This year I hunted all 3 months. If I had only 1 buck tag I would prob been done in november. Had I took took part in the EAS and was successful, I would have been done by late oct.

We just finished our late antlerless hunt this evening and I have never seen this many deer left over. Our group of hunters wait for muzzleloader or the late season to evaluate our herd and fill tags if needed. This year we wish we had more time to fill tags. Looking for buttons and bucks without antlers cost me today, when you have 30-40 deer running you over it can be overwhelming.:dizzy:

AR's could go a long way, even with 2 buck tags. JMO

[farmlegend]

1. I think a ridiculously small number of bucks are taken which have shed their antlers. There just aren't that many bucks alive in Michigan after the m/l season ends.

2. Anyone that has really studied deer in the field can easily tell the difference between a buck that has shed his antlers and a doe. IMO, it's an accident more unforgiveable than taking a button buck, a mistake which is, in relative terms, much easier to make.

As to the main point of this thread - agree. The number of bucks taken accidentally that had shed their antlers is like a spit in the ocean compared to the bucks that could be saved by moving the firearms opener back a week or two.

I think the extended m/l season has been a disaster for buck survival. Originally extended because m/l hunters were proven more likely to harvest does than hunters in other seasons, the extra week has detracted from the sense of urgency to harvest does, and hunters are targeting bucks instead. Look for the 2008 deer hervest survey report to show that doe harvest continues to degrade during the m/l season, as it did in both 2006 and 2007.

[det07]

Is it just me, or is it odd that there's such a fuss often made about later seasons and the possibility of dropped bucks maybe being killed, but many of the same folks don't seem to make much of a fuss about a peak rut opener or buck hunting still continuing for a 2nd buck even after you've just killed a first buck?
It's the later that racks up (no pun intended) the huge yearling buck harvest numbers. Yet, while there of some of us that point to a peak rut opener or multiple buck tags as the bigger problem, an inordinate amount of time seems to be spent on the Early Antlerless season somehow screwing things up or that the Late Antlerless season is accounting for large buck harvest numbers.
If someone is concerned about maximum buck harvest and it's effect on this state, it's Nov.15-17 that should be the focus of concern, not the entire months of September or December. IMHO


yessir

[Reel_Screamer86]

Well this weekend i shot 3 does and not 1 was a buck, but i had to stare at them and see that they were does... But if 1 was what should someone do!!!!

[farmlegend]

Well this weekend i shot 3 does and not 1 was a buck, but i had to stare at them and see that they were does... But if 1 was what should someone do!!!!

Good going on the does, RS. Yes, as you did, we should be confident of what our target is before we squeeze the trigger.

[jackbob42]

We saw 5 different bucks this last week , from a spike up to a respectable 8. According to what I've read , the older bucks are the last to lose their antlers. So , I find it hard to believe that very many of them have lost their antlers already. I don't think it happens often enough to even worry about it. But , I guess some folke just have to have something to complain about.:dizzy:

[UP Hunter]

We saw 5 different bucks this last week , from a spike up to a respectable 8. According to what I've read , the older bucks are the last to lose their antlers. So , I find it hard to believe that very many of them have lost their antlers already. I don't think it happens often enough to even worry about it. But , I guess some folke just have to have something to complain about.:dizzy:

I saw at least 4 bucks this past week. None of them had antlers. I was hunting about 1/2 mile inland from the Lake Superior shoreline here in the western UP. They just finished logging the area I hunted right after Christmas and the deer were still around there. The buck to doe ratio where I was hunting was probably around 1 to 2 on the deer I could identify. I think that some of the smaller deer may have left the area already because of the snow but I did not find anwhere with a larger concentration of deer. In years past, I have seen a number of bucks dropping antlers up here in early to mid Dec. so this wasn't a surprise to me at all.

[weatherby]

[QUOTE=RDS-1025;2481321 I think the harvest of button bucks to fill a doe tag is just as much of an impact on the herd as anything.[/QUOTE]

I agree 100% and might add shot and not found bucks also

[jackbob42]

I saw at least 4 bucks this past week. None of them had antlers. I was hunting about 1/2 mile inland from the Lake Superior shoreline here in the western UP. They just finished logging the area I hunted right after Christmas and the deer were still around there. The buck to doe ratio where I was hunting was probably around 1 to 2 on the deer I could identify. I think that some of the smaller deer may have left the area already because of the snow but I did not find anwhere with a larger concentration of deer. In years past, I have seen a number of bucks dropping antlers up here in early to mid Dec. so this wasn't a surprise to me at all.


My bad.
I thought we were talking about the late antlerless season down here.

[bucksnbows]

Well as for me I am not worried about shooting a buck without antlers. Infact a few years ago I saw two nice 8 points still with antlers in february. I saw them near willow run airport in Ypsilanti. I hope they keep the LAS in my area the does are so thick we could kill 50 and still not make a dent. Jackbob42 can confirm that. I have never been a big fan of the EAS but if it is opened in my area next year I will be out there for sure with my bow.

[Tom Morang]

Pinefarm, I also agree. The entire issue is a red herring.

I also agree with FL about the extended muzzle loading buck hunting season in the slp. If the extended portion of that season were to be made does only I would not have a problem with it. Wasn't killing more does by mz loaders the idea behind the extension? So why allow the killing of bucks at that time?