ORIGINAL: lrhuntr
I'll add one more thing. Yes I hunt private land in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is known for big bucks as is other states. The land I hunt on, I dont have permission to plant a food plot. The land isn't that good for deer. Its a very suburban area with weed and wheat fields. There is a river threw it though. There are more does than a person could count. I shoot what makes me happy here because I know that just letting a buck go isn't going to help his antler growth. He needs a good food source and adaquite land to live on. Here he doesn't have either. The does just add more stress because he's going to try to breed as many as he can. I know stress is another anter growth killer. I am shooting as many does as possible this year. I shot two last year. If a buck that I'm happy with steps out here I will take him because I haven't shot a buck with a bow yet. To me, this land is unrepairable. With more houses being built I'm sure that it will be gone in a couple years. Its sad yes and I wish it wouldn't happen but thats what it looks like. I have land that my family owns that I will try to plant a small food plant in next year. My uncle who lives close to this land could probulary help withthe equipment part of it.That land is great. I know before I started hunting it, there were really good bucks shot off of it. I haven't seen any there yet in two years of bowhunting there but I managed to shoot a mature doe there last year. This land I will try to pass small bucks up because I know it has potential. In my last post I was angry because I was only thinking of the land I first mentioned. Believe me, I know QDM works but people need to realize that some don't have the land, equipment, or moneynecessary to practice QDM. I apologize wolfen68 and I don't want start fighting on here. We as hunters can't fight each other, we have to fight people that don't want any of this at all. Ok I need to stop typing, its starting to hurt.
*EDIT* I forgot to add that the first land I talked about is in a Herd Control Unit and the last one I just talked about is in a Earn-a-Buck unit.
Brother, I ain't mad at ya! Believe me...I appreciate your struggle and I am there, been there, and I will continue to be there because my fine state has done very well in it's preservation of it's herd but of course opportunist have noticed, and nowwhere 20 years ago I could knock on a door and hunt, I now have lost to out of state hunters from places where browner downers with old schoolold money can afford to leaseor be the leasee on properties all around me. These guys don't give a hoot about the does and pass every one...but any buck pushing a spread inside the ears gets an arrow flung at them whether it be 10 yards or 70 yards and they usually miss or leave grub for the yotes...I know...I have helped track them...very sad. Bottem line...know it or not...we are all in this together.