Handles

So jessie, you are absolutely agreeing with me then aren't you? Thanks. For a moment there I thought you were saying that there used to be more big bucks than there are now. I'm glad that I re-read your email that explained how hard you had to work for that trophy buck. Great point. Yes, the've always been around, but not nearly in the numbers they are now. i'm glad you are backing me up on that. And anyone could easily look at P&Y or B&C records and see a huge increase in the past few years compared to oh, 10-15 years ago, so yes, you make a valid point.
I also note how you mentioned the farmland where you hunt kept the population well fed. That is great as some people don't hunt in quality farming areas, they seem to think that there aren't many deer in the state. It's obvious by your argument that overpopulation in your area didn't seem to have an effect on deer numbers, then it couldnt' anywere else either.
Finally, you are so correct about bucks not getting big by hanging on the meat pole. It's good that so many hunters began shooting doe for their meat and letting the bucks go voluntarily. It's great that some areas of the state were so well managed by the hunters that there was almost a 20:1 doe/buck ratio. I mean, if the hunters hadn't been so pro-active for years, the DNR would have had to step in and tell hunters to shoot some doe to help balance the herd. And that would be crazy, because if anyone knows how many deer there are in the state, and what he can do as a hunter to help the situation, it is the thousands and thousands of hunters who buy their license and ammo (and sometimes even a new gun)the day before season. Those guys are in total control of their lives. What possibly could the DNR know about the statewide deer herd that they don't?
Right? Right.