They may be willing to shoot young bucks AND does, but I gurantee you that the majority of your meat hunters, will harvest younger bucks on a regular basis.
Severalthings:
1 - I find it hard to believe that someone in VA (or anyone else non local to my area) could possibly guarentee what the hunters do here. Anymore then I could tell you what the hunters do in your back yard.
2 - 40% of the DMU's in NY had low or no doe tags issued because of populations. Unless a hunter also bow or mz hunts (2/3 do not), they would only be able to shoot bucks w 3" or more spikes. Under many proprosed AR's,what could they shoot?The majority of hunters heremay huntopening day and a couple more ties - tell them they can't shoot hardly anything and the recent declines would escalate - we DO NOT need to lose any more hunters!!!
3-I get a lot more opportunities at doe/family groups then I do at bucks - therefore I shoot does until my tags are done.
4- All 1 1/2 old deer are great eating - and the majority of hunters are still DEER hunters - not trophy guys. Their trophies are the memories of the hunt.
5 - You suggest I shoot small bucks - again a wild arse guess - I let them pass. But I don't tell anyone they should too just because that is what I choose to do.
Steve