Well said Brian.
VT, Like I said earlier...I' m not a biologist, and don' t claim to know it all by any means. I
CHOOSE to support QDM, frankly because I think it is great overall for the deer. Like Jeff said:
QDM is, and only is....
1. Adequate buck age structure
2. Maintaining population levels at or below the carrying capacity of the habitat
3. Adequate sex ratios
That' s it, period.
Now, I think where the dilemma " mostly" comes in to this is....some folks associate QDM directly with BIG Antlers. Yes, deer can have big antlers under QDM plans, but that is not the goal of a TRUE QDM plan. What Jeff said is exactly right. Personally, I enjoy the aspects of QDM. I like having the opportunity to observe and " select" the deer I want to harvest. It gives me a good feeling knowing I just let a young basket rack 8pt walk, and shot a doe instead. I know that I' m helping the overall herd in the ways listed above. Am I hoping that the 8pt will live and grow big antlers....YOU BET! But that is a bonus if it happens, and the overall goals are more important. Honestly, I want to kill BIG, MATURE bucks. I' ve shot so many small, immature bucks over the years....I just didn' t want to do it anymore. We implemented a self imposed QDM plan that basically involves shooting many, many does each year...and letting almost all the bucks walk. I' ve seen some dramatic changes on our property over the last 5 years.
The # of does, although still high...is coming down.
The # of bucks over 1.5 has gone way up.
The # of mature bucks seen, has gone way up.
The avg overall health of the herd has gotten better, as seen by increases in body weights.
We also put out mineral supplement thoughout property at various locations. We do have food plots (corn, alfalfa, hayfields) but they are not planted by us, and are not specifically for the deer. (cattle farm). The deer feed in these regularly during the year, however by the time hunting season rolls around...all the good stuff is gone. The farmer doesn' t leave much of anything for the deer(which is a bummer). I have hunted farmland for over 20 yrs, and have yet to harvest a deer coming to a " food plot" . I guess I could, but I just don' t focus my hunting in those areas. I enjoy hunting the woods. I don' t consider a food plot the same as a bait pile though. Food plots give all the wildlife year round food, and they are usually decent sized plots as a rule...not concentrated to one specific spot such as a pickup truck load of corn. Personally I don' t care for baiting, and will not hunt over a pile of bait period. Some folks like to, and if it' s legal and they want to...go for it.
Like Brian said, hunting shows, and what the avg joe goes through in the real world are usually very different. I personally think QDM helps to make one a better hunter all around. Understanding what real QDM is all about, is a good thing for hunting and the wildlife.
Maybe I' m wrong, but it seems that your are against QDM very much. What is the reason? You seem knowledgeable enough... Just curious.
It seems to me that the folks that are adamently against QDM, and who say it' s all about antler size....in reality, they are the one' s that are concerned with antlers. They want to be able to shoot " ANY" buck with antlers...and don' t support anything that has to do with antler restrictions. They really contradict themselves, because by saying they don' t want any rules that would lead them to take a doe instead of a buck....this shows THEY are the ones truly concerned about antlers. Not saying this is you, but many folks against QDM seem to think this way.
By the way...if you want to come down (to the impossibly overpopulated va)
and swap some of your concrete expertise for some hunting...let me know [:-]