Actually, QDM is not trophy hunting. The only guys who say that it is have not actually looked into QDM. Older bucks are a healthy bi-product of QDM. QDM wants to promote a healthy herd, with education, and the facts, not a bunch of democratic feel-good legislation. QDM also seeks to keep carrying capacities that are balance with the surrounding habitat. If you have browse-lines in your area-such as the entire state of MI-you're deer herd is too high.

Trophy hunting is entirely different. QDM wants to protect yearlings with a 3 point rule or 15" spread, Trophy hunting wants to protect over 3.5 year olds. Trophy hunting wants to "cull" the odd 2.5-3.5 year olds, QDM does not. Trophy hunting focuses greatly on gentetics, QDM focuses on age and improved habitat. Trophy hunting has black and white harvest stratagies which do not allow for first time and young hunters to "bend" the rules, QDM does not. Trophy hunting rutinely involves high fencing and herd minipulation, QDM supports a natural, native herd before man's selfish interferance. QDM is about education, sound scientific research, biology 101, youth involvement, facts, habitat improvement, and is supported by virtually EVERY top whitetail professional in the country, whether it be research biologist, foresters, game managers, or local biologists...Trophy management is not! And finally, QDM is supported by years of scientific research from arround the country to promote a healthy herd, trophy management is not.

QDM goes against traditional management, which is based primarily on hunter opinion, hunches, and license sales, and supports rules and regulations that only have positive, healthy, impacts on the deer heard, and are backed by proven scientific research.

You can show a 100 people that the sky is blue, but you'll still have 4 or 5 in the crowd who are color-blind.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.