Handles if you don't think that the practice of QDM and the massive amount of land that is now leased for hunting rights is the biggest contributing factor to bigger bucks being shot then you are nieve. I shot the largest buck in my time before we had EAB. Thank god we only had it for 1 year. I am a meat hunter and take the first adult deer to come by me. Since 2000 I have only shot 3 does. I've shot 4 bucks in that time as well. Only 1 buck would've been a 2 or 3 year old. I'd rather shoot a small buck than a doe because I don't see the deer numbers I did back in the mid to late 80's and early 90's contrary to what the DNR says. I would rather see more deer period. I can use 1 to 2 deer per year and that's all I'll take. Actually I've only gotten 2 deer in the same year once (2001).
The DNR is the main problem with the decline of the deer herd, but as hunters I'm sure you know a group or individual that will shoot several deer in a year just because they can. They're the type to walk into a store and plop ten bucks on the counter for five extra antlerless tags and hunt until they're filled and maybe go back for more. Of course the DNR is ramming it down everyones throat that we have too many deer and the above are dumb enough to believe it.
I did harvest a doe this year (the last doe I shot was in 2005) and yes I'm not happy with the amount of deer I see in a years time. I saw 7 deer in 6 days of hunting, that's not impressive at all. I do hunt mostly private ground during gun season and only was on public land twice so only seeing 7 in 6 days isn't good. I also passed on a doe standing 60 yards away broadside after I'd already taken my doe. I didn't want to shoot another doe on that land. That logic cost me a buck later on as well when I let what I thought was a doe go and decided to just look at it through the scope after it ran. It turned out to be a small buck (6pt). I got one shot and that was it. I may hunt the antlerless season but I won't hunt on the private ground and will travel a little ways to go hunt if I do go.
I talked with 2 guys (IL hunters) who hunt on the adjoining private ground, they've been coming up for years and are increasingly upset that they don't see deer anymore. They also are the same guys that will shoot 3 to 6 does every year and will pass on small bucks. Neither have ever shot a bigger buck on that property which is worth noting. Why they pass the small bucks is beyond me. They're meat hunters they say. I talked to them on Tuesday morning and on Monday night at dusk one of them shot a small buck he thought was a doe. I could tell he wasn't happy and asked him why. "Well I'd rather shoot does and let the little bucks go". I told him I was opposite and that yes I shot a doe this year and won't shoot another one down there this year. I then asked if they realized that by shooting a doe you typically take 3 deer out of the herd for next year. If you shoot a small buck you take one out of the herd. One of them kinda understood it the other one still seemed confused. If they aren't happy with the deer numbers they're seeing quit shooting 3 to 6 does every damn year. One really is enough in a low deer density area.
One of the other factors in me shooting a doe this year is the possibility of EAB coming back next year. I like to be able to shoot what I can to put one in the freezer and I damn sure don't want to be standing there if a buck comes by and wave at it especially with a bow in my hand. I actually eat what I shoot and I know there are some that don't so I use the meat as well.
I'd like to see it go back to sending in a hunters choice application and one deer of either sex with a bow. They can get rid of all the bonus tags and HRZ/CWD tags.