I just find it ammusing that many advocates try say its for the benefit of the deer when its benefit is clearly for the hunter.
Actually I have done studies of hunting pressure on deer herds during my undergrad for Biology and a good culling plan for mature does does have a positive impact on herd health. As far as bucks, it does have an impact but it's more a population dynamic than pure health.
I'd be curious as to how you determined the health of the deer. How large was the population that you studied and what percentage of that population did you examine for maladies? Seems to me that QDM was designed by hunters for hunters.
Does anybody think it makes a difference to the deer if the average age in there population is 2 1/2 or 4 1/2.
To the 1 1/2 year old deer that isn't shot it does.
Not much of an anwer. Did you ask him?
Can't a population of deer where 80% of the buck are 1 1/2 year olds all be healthy and strong well fed and of good weight for their age?
Not entirely. Young does 1 1/2 years old or younger, that breed don't have as high a fawn survival rate as does in the 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 range and don't have as many twins. So you do set up a population decline syndrome. True QDM takes the doe population into consideration, not just the buck population that everyone focuses on.
The population didn't decline here in NY, in fact the herd has been expanding at a rapid rate for some 60 years. The DEC has been issuing more and more doe permits to hold it back so its pretty hard for me to buy your "population decline syndrome".
I would also ask you to consider the idea that too much emphasis on killing a big rack can be bad thing.
I agree. It lessens the value of deer hunting as a whole.
Thank you for an honest answer.
No one has answered my question yet: What is wrong with having more deer, and bigger body mass, and older age structure? Who doesn't want that? Who wants deer that are a rarity and scrawny and small? Who wants a forest full of only fawns and button bucks? Given the choice, which would you prefer, honestly? It makes no sense to defend a practice that has given you a set of woods that only offers a prayer at sighting a deer and a small one at that? Again, I'm not advocating legislation but self restraint. Nothing smug, just an invitation to something better
Like I've said there is nothing wrong with it as long as its value is kept in perspective with other important hunting values and traditions. But your premise is wrong at least here in NY. We have lots of healthy deer. We don't have a woods full of fawns and button bucks. Every year hundreds of trophies are taken as well. Would QDM increase that number? Sure it would but there is a price associated with it. If the bigger buck mentality (no scarcasm intended) becomes too obsesive. That is if it winds up convincing young hunters that killing a big buck is the all important ultimate end to successful deer hunting then the price is too high for me. Atlasman made a great point when he said
"QDM itself is one big assumption that everyone shares the same goal". We don't, and its time for the QDM,AR,PBS or whatever advocates to accept it and stop trying to push their value on others. It's also time for them to stop the arrogance and assuming the only reason many of us oppose these things is not because we are ignorant of there benefits its because we believe there benefits don't out weigh the negatives.