Jaybe -

Wisconsin does have an Earn a Buck program in places. A few years back, Earn A Buck was mandatory state wide. You had to shoot a doe before you could harvest a buck. That was the year I saw two monster buck opening weekend hunting my friends farm, and not a single doe. So I ran home and shot a small doe, then went hunting them bucks and never saw them again. CWD has really brought a lot of this on.

Some parts of the State, the doe herd is so large that motorists are really at a risk after dark. We have recently had two people die in car deer accidents. (Newspaper story) Deputies in Sheboygan County are reminding drivers to be cautious after 12 deer-related crashes were reported in 24 hours.

Many years ago, when I was living in the southern part of the State near Madison, there was a stretch of road that if you drove it after sunset, at posted speeds, without watching the ditch lines, there was a 99% chance you would have a car deer accident on it. That was the route I drove to work. I worked the 11pm-7am shift of course. After hitting one small doewith my brandnew truck, (no damage thank goodness), I bought aAMCConcord DL with lots of miles but a good runner, just to drive to work so my new truck would not be damaged. I hit two of them that year and the insurance company would only sell me liability.

The DNR was let you keep the deer from accidents. And if the parties involved did not want them you could put your name on a list and claim them. I picked up deer in that areafor the DNR a lot that year... The wholefamily lived on venison that year.

One of the advantages of butchering your own and making sausage and salami on your own... I just wish I was better at butchering. I have watched my friend who is a meat cutter by trade. He makes it look so easy. And does such a beautiful job.