Practicing QDM on large plots of public land is as productive as beating your head against a tree.

If it is your own land and you have enough of it then QDM is something you can accomplish to whatever standards you set.

I hunt public land. I don't let anything walk by that I have a tag to take. If I do they have a VERY high percentage chance of getting whacked by the next guy. Passing up deer during bow is also fruitless because they don't stand a chance once the slugs start flying.

You have to remember that not everyone goes deer hunting to bring home a big buck.

My primary goal for the seasons is always meat in the freezer. ALWAYS. If I waited for a trophy buck I would go home empty handed every year. As long as no one else is doing anything illeagal you have no right to pass judgement on them just because they don't share your ideas of how to hunt or what a trophy is.

I killed a 13 pointer this year on Thanksgiving day with a shotgun. That, and a shot at a running doe were the only chances I had this year to take a deer. I hunted countless days of archery, shotgun and muzzleloader. Saw very few deer this year......as is the story of many WNY hunters this year unfortunately. When my chances are that few and far between it better have spots on it for me to hold back.

I killed 3 deer last year.......a 6 with bow and a 4 and a doe with shotgun. I killed the 13 pointer this year with shotgun.

While taking the big buck this year was great and I will always have him on my wall............last year was a MUCH better year all things considered.


Here is an example of a deer's chance to survive gun season around here if they wander around in daylight.

My brother was sitting on a blowdown when he saw 3 deer walking along the upper ridge above him. A shot rang out and 2 came down the hill. My brother shot and 1 was left. 15 seconds later the third and final shot dropped the last deer. The first was the mom. My brother killed her button buck son and the last guy killed her daughter. Pretty rough stuff when a whole family bites the dust in 1 minute.

I just ate some goulashe made from that little button 3 days ago and it was DE-LI-SHOUS!!!!!

I personally love venison and my family loves it as well. I prefer to feed them venison vs. drugged up beef from the store. That demand far outweighs any desire I have to collect a bunch of horns.

If it has a big rack........GREAT!! If it doesn't......GREAT!! Any deer I take is a bonus because they are not crawling out from behind every tree. If I saw 30 deer a day like some people do I might think differently. If I had a huge plot of my own land I might think differently. In the current situation I have to hunt in I have no choice but to take any chance I am fortunate enough to get.

Your intentions are good and I wish you were rewarded more for your efforts. You just have to accept the truth about where you are and what you can realistically accomplish.