Yankees13 I do agree with you to a point. We have too many hunters in this state that do think they need to fill every tag they have. I have little time for those people. The DNR here loves those type of hunters, they have over inflated the deer herd numbers for years and have made it possible to buy as many extra antlerless tags as you want for $2.00 each. They do that to control the herd so they say. Well they have now controlled it damn near to death. The DNR is still spouting off that we have too large of a herd and need to drastically reduce it. The DNR doesn't let up on that stance even with the public outcry and dismal harvest numbers staring them in the face.

Now onto the rest of your post. You said don't shoot small bucks or fawns. In a state where we are not seeing deer numbers where we want them to be I'll shoot a small buck over any antlerless deer anyday if given the opportunity. Here's a free biology lesson for you SMALL BUCKS DON'T CARRY FAWNS, DOES DO. There is probably lots of info on the internet on which sex has the offspring if you want to look it up. I didn't see you post not to shoot does just small bucks and fawns.

Here's a breakdown of my harvest record since 1999 before that I can't really remember. I didn't shoot a lot of deer maybe 6 or so but I saw far more deer in the 1980s and early 1990s than I see now. It's not even a comparison. You had to send in for a doe tag back then not get one or more given to you automatically. I kinda miss that.
1999- small 8 pt.
2000- nothing
2001- adult doe and small 6pt. (The only year I ever got more than one deer).
2002- The only year I didn't hunt since I started in 1983.
2003-nothing
2004- 8pt
2005- adult doe
2006- nothing
2007- nice 8pt
2008- small 9pt
2009- adult doe

I am a meat hunter not a horn hunter and have yet to find a recipe for that. I did take a doe this year and passed up a standing shot on another one. I didn't want to shoot more than one on the land I was hunting. A big set of horns is nice but I'd rather see deer numbers and get one to eat. Maybe someday I will get a big buck, maybe not. To each his own. I can use at the max 2 deer a year. My deer meat will be consumed well before next season starts.


Now about the deer getting killed by autos that has been happening forever and will continue. I think someone posted that we now have about half the car kills as we did in 2000 so our deer herd is on the decline but the DNR can't see that.

Same thing as poaching I don't think it's as widespread as what people think because the cost and risk is too big. I can see it being more of a problem for someone wanting a large rack to show off. There may be some people shooting one to get by if they're desperate for food but it nothing I see much sign of around here.