On the subject of quality deer management

[Steve]

A lot of people have been complaining about this year's deer hunt. I am sure that what they observed dramatically fewer deer in a lot of areas. My only point is that hunters must share a stake in the management of the deer population. If they took advantage of unlimited doe permits last year by filling them, it should be no surprise they see less deer this year. Just because the DNR allows that many deer to be taken, doesn't mean that a landowner has to do it. Obviously in areas with a lot of public land, it would be hard to coordinate hunter's efforts, but private land-owners of large tracts should be able to get together and figure out how many deer it makes sense to take, regardless of what the DNR says they can take. Just my two cents.

[bwiltse]

Excellent comments Steve.
We oftentimes are critical of the DNR for not giving us an opportunity to manage the deer herd. We can't have it both ways. When it comes to antlerless deer, we hunters have been made the decision maker. And I believe that in the long run, hunters will make good overall deer management decisions.

One management area that we probably need to work more on is the button/fawn buck harvest. The taking of button bucks accounts for about 20 to 25% of the antlerless harvest, and I'm confident we'll improve in this area.

Boyd

[bwiltse]

Excellent comments Steve.
We oftentimes are critical of the DNR for not giving us an opportunity to manage the deer herd. We can't have it both ways. When it comes to antlerless deer, we hunters have been made the decision maker. And I believe that in the long run, hunters will make good overall deer management decisions.

One management area that we probably need to work more on is the button/fawn buck harvest. The taking of button bucks accounts for about 20% to 25% of the antlerless harvest, and I'm confident we'll improve in this area.

Boyd

[DAVER]

Steve, Stated perfectly!! we have a deer camp around the corner from us that on the third day of rifle season this year had 30 YES 30 doe's and or button bucks hanging from their buck? pole. And I'll be the first to say that I have no problem with taking doe's. However, I think we need to rethink some things. Why not hold the doe season last? If I remember correctly, years ago when there was a doe season it was held after the buck season. Why not make the late season the only season for doe's? I feel that way maybe fewer button bucks may be harvested, and you won't have folks shooting at everything that is brown during the November season.Just some thoughts. DAVER

[Steve]

To me that's fine if those guys want to take so many deer as long as its within the law. But if they start complaining about not seeing any deer the next year and blaming it on the DNR.......

[DAVER]

Steve, I agree as long as it is with in the scope of the law. A year after we purchased our place the farmer whose fields border my south fence line sold out. The new owners on the first day of the next rifle season shot 17 deer, bucks,doe's and their new fawns, opening morning in one, 100 acre hayfield in which they had eight blinds with hunters in them behind my blind.(didn't hunt much opening morning once it got daylight, I was to busy keeping my head down) The Following year just prior to rifle season while working on my blind the new owner who was out in the field doing his farming stopped to chat. The first words out his mouth after saying hello was " Boy we sure don't have the deer around here that we did last year" DUH..........

[Steve]

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Not saying this is the case all over, especially not on public land.

[bwiltse]

These have all been excellent responses with good points. The potential for over-harvesting deer has been mentioned and I think most if not all hunters agree we want to avoid this condition. However, let's also keep in mind that destruction of habitat due to too many deer is a very serious problem that may be extremely difficult to fix. Obviously, the challenge is to maintain the proper balance between available habitat/nutrition and deer numbers.

Boyd

[Steve]

Yeah, just look at the deer in Kensington Metropark as far as the size of the fawns towards the end of the year and you can see how the deer will eat themselves out of house and home. Not to mention what it does to the flora.

[Bow_Hunter]

Hunting Ethics.

I know, I know. This is a difficult area. But isn't that what we are talking about. You know that the DNR is not getting the job done. So now if falls on ETHICAL HUNTERS to get it done. Problem (in my opinion) too many unethical deer hunters in fire arm season. You do not hear of over kills in bow camps like you do in gun camps. Problem - The DNR knows how buys permits. Limit the number of permits any one person can purchase in a year. Of course crop damage and block permits are another issue, but limiting doe permits issued to one person is easy for the DNR to enforce.

I had better stop......

[DAVER]

There is no doubt crop damage caused by Deer. I feel that if a farmer is given Block permits, 50% should be made available to the general public. I know a farmer that raises Strawberries, in the spring he gut shoots deer at night in the berry fields. The next day will locate a carcass or two to feed his dogs. He gets block permits yet it is impossable to get permission to hunt ANY of his land. I have turned him into the C.O.'s at least four times for poaching. He actually brags about it in a local coffee shop how many he shot the nite before. However nothing has been done and he continues the practice. He actually ran for a state office recently. I heard through the grape vine that he buried fifty deer this spring. This type of abuse MUST stop. DAVE

[Seldom]

In the short time I've been reading this forum, I've noticed the number of insightful posts and replies concerning our deer herd and the management of it and I'm glad to see this. I also know by the posts that people here are apparently well read and experienced. Have many of you read the February issue of Woods-N-Water News. If you haven't, pickup a copy or go to your local library and take a look at the "Letters to the Editor" and "Outdoors Opinions" on pages 100 & 101. The people who post on this great forum should find the comments there VERY INTERESTING!
It you watch "our man Fred" on Thursday nights you'll recognize the editors name because Fred uses parts of his "Field Notes" column often to comment on.

[Steve]

Seldom, aren't you even going to give us a hint on what they say?

[Seldom]

Hi Steve,
Just asking makes my old tail wag! So I'll give you the article titles-
In the "Letters to the Editor" section-
"Were we conned when we voted for Proposal G?
"Give us a decent hunt!"
"Respect our fellow hunters"
"Slob hunters in their glory!"
"We can't just shoot everything that is brown"
"We need your help tp protect our rights"

And an extremely thought provoking "Outdoor Opinions" commentary by Larry Dame intitled "TO BAIT or NOT TO BAIT"