Earn a buck
 

i live in wisconsin and where i hunt is in earn a buck. (have to shoot a doe before a buck) i was just wondering your opinions on this topic...personally i hate it....?

RE: Earn a buck
 

hate it! hate it! hate it![:@]

RE: Earn a buck
 

Stupid rule... but done with a good thought and purpose in mind... to reduce the baby factory in over populated areas. If you have more than one doe permit... fill one out and send it in the first day.[8D] It's really become a rule because many people refuse to shoot a doe... or at least did dig in their heels for years. I think at the time most of the "Earn a BUck" laws were put in it was probably needed. I think we're past that in hunting now. I don't know people who won't shoot a doe anymore.

RE: Earn a buck
 

It doesnt work, to many loop holes.

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In area's where the ratio's are way out of whack it makes a lot of sense to me,for a lot of reasons.

RE: Earn a buck
 

i really wish we would go to that here. Too many guys taking really young bucks just to say that they killed a buck while thedoe pops are exploding. We get 2 either sex tags and a doe tag, 95% of the people take 2 bucks and a doe rather than vice versa or 3 does. To me it just doesn't make sense to me why some hunters in my area would take a basket buck over a doe. Having them take a doe first will probably not stop them from taking young bucks butby having themtake a doe down alsowill balance it out a bit more. They do this down in the south on the cwd hunt and you must turn in the head of the doe with tag attatched so no gettin around it easily.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I agree. We need a way of taking some does here too. I honestly wish we could take does throughout the year but it's only during archery, a week in muzzleloader, and juvenile hunts. Something needs to be done, the buck to doe ratio is crazy because we can't seem to put restrictions or kill more does. Who knows.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Eastern NC could use this rule - big time.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I like it...or at least I like the concept.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I also live in Wisc. Southern Wisconsin where we had earn a buck and at first I wasn't fond of it, but in the second year I began to see bigger bucks as result of it.So I actually like it.Last year they had earn a buck during certain periods and no earn a buck at other times which just was more confusing. I hope this year they resort to earn a buck for the whole season and allow no bucks to be taken in the four day October gun season.
The problem with earn a buck was people would take a road killed doe into register it as a bow kill for the buck tag. And registration stations would allow a doe to be registered numerous times by different hunters to each get a buck tag. This I have no proof of, but heard the stories. BUT, what I do know is that I killed a doe, took it to a registration station which happened to be a bar, I filled out the paperwork inside, they handed me the tag and I was off. Not once did anyone see the deer and I could have very well registered the deer once more or give it to a buddy to register for his buck tag. But I didn't.

Dan

RE: Earn a buck
 

Exactly. Hopefully, most would be honest. But there is so much room for people to not be. I've never had anyone nor my friends have anyone come out to their truck to even see if they had a deer at the registration stations, usually a gas station or surplus store.

RE: Earn a buck
 

So could Western NC. But....we'd have to change our check-in procedure. If a hunter is taxed with the responsibility to take his kill to a check station....I don't see how the rule could be taken advantage of.

I'd be ALL for it, here. We need to get the pops into a manageable number. I think the mindset amongst hunters is changing....but this wouldn't hurt a thing in my eyes.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Any system can be abused. What about computerized check -in or by phone? You could pretend to have killed a doe. Most people are honest.The tags and check ins are for research purposes and not an enforcement procedure.

RE: Earn a buck
 

We have had that rule here in NJ for a few years now and i personally like it alot. THat along with the 3 points on one side rule has made our hunting alot better. I personally try to take ATLEAST one doe for every buck that i take and make anyone that hunts my property do the same. Taking does makes the bucks bigger and it also makes them more active looking for the does that are left. Only positives in my book.
Now for the negatives, which arent really negatives in my book, but ways around the system. Most of the check in stations around here dont do much other than look at the deer real quick and pat you on the back. That being said i know alot of people refuse to shoot does around here saying it will hurt the hunting, and to get around the rule they simple pick up the first road kill doe that they see or simply dont check their deer. I dont agree with it at all, but it happens.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I like the idea, but not sure about it.

Maryland has something a little better i think... Your allowed 2 bucks and pretty much unlimited does in my area.
(Remarkably its that way for each weapon, so I could kill six bucks, 30 does, before buying any bonus tag, and you can get unlimited bonus tags)


Anyway, you can kill a buck first, but you have to kill 2 does before you can kill your second buck.

Thats why this year I plan on killin my two does on opening morning (Even if they are still on the teet...[8D]GMMAT).

Cause I hunt 3-4 different farms and If i get my two does outta the way I can concentrate on the bone!

RE: Earn a buck
 

I agree and see the "earn a buck" program as a much needed step in many areas.If you can't educate sportsman to practice QDM than we must legistate them into it. It seems that far to many folks would rather have that yearling buck to brag about. :(

RE: Earn a buck
 

The only problem I see with this is if you see "the monster" 10 minutes into the season and you can't take him cause you haven't killed a doe yet. I would change it to having to take a doe (or 2 does depending on the buck/doe ratio) the previous year to be able to get a buck tag for the coming season. This would allow hunters to be able to kill a buck every year as long as they took a doe the previous year.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Who is we? Thats the part of QDM I don't like, people like you try to tell others what they can and can't shoot. I agree with shooting does, but to make it mandatory in IL isn't needed IMO.

RE: Earn a buck
 

BB...

If it isn't needed in IL.....I don't think anyone here is suggesting it be mandated.

Let's just say that .....in the states it IS mandatory.....there's likely a valid reason.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I agree GMMAT....but like most threads, it went from shooting a doe, to passing on young bucks in the blink of an eye.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I know. It's inevitable. It sometimes seems that most all threads head that way....especially this time of year.

have a great weekend, BBM.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Earn a buck sucks when you have that monster walk out on opening morning and you don't have a doe. BUT earn a buck is most likely the reason you are able to see monster bucks. I have seen it put into practice first hand in NJ and I can tell you that it works. Last season the no. 2 biggest buck in state history was taken from public land, and then surpassed by another buck in the same season. When I started hunting there 6 years ago there were a lot of 120" and lowerbucks being shot. Earn a buck has contributed to this improvement.

RE: Earn a buck
 

That is what I think as well. The problem I see is that thinking a big "buck of a lifetime" might come out some guys take REAL bad shots at does just hoping to get it so they can have a buck tag. WAY too many poor shots taken and the result is wounded deer. Take the entire year to get a doe or two with good clean shots to earn your buck tag(s) for next year is a much better way to do it.

I have also seen the taking in of road kill. Where I go they cut the ear of the doe so that others know it has already been registered. Problem is not every station will check for that or even do it.

RE: Earn a buck
 

From a guy that calls himself "buttonbuckmaster" I wouldn'texactly expect a strong support of ANY restrictions. ;)[:o]:D

I never said that it should be mandated in IL but in certain areas it probably woud be a good idea though. I know we personally try to take atleast 4 or 5 Does for every buck harvested on our own properties. I think overall, most landowners I know here in west-central IL do a great job of keeping Doe numbers in check but it's certainly not like that everywhere.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Ouch :D

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This reminds me of...

"better to have it and not need it - than to need it and not have it..."

I wish that were the case in VA...

Stupid redneck hunter' "I sat there and watched 35 starving doe pass by before seeing that one little forkhorn... But I kilt that sumbich... I don't shoot doe..."

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No need for it here in PA. These guys just shoot at every deer they see anyway - willy nilly wanton gunfire. If it weren't for the residential areas where the deer can hide and be relatively safe and unmolested, I don't know if we'd have any stinkin' deer left.

These guys will shoot a fawn right off the tit, wipe the milk off it's face, and take it to the taxidermist for a full body mount.

RE: Earn a buck
 

I am on the fence on this. There is certainly a need ot reduce the does where I hunt, but having to shoot a doe first just does not make sense. I like the idea of having to shoot a doe before a second Buck can be taken. That makes a little more sense to me.

RE: Earn a buck
 

Reminds me of an old joke:

From PA Hunter's Handbook: "No shooting at random."

Redneck PA hunter, "Who the heck is Random and why can't we shoot 'im?"

RE: Earn a buck
 

Seeing a monster without having your doe down yet does suck i agree. I had it happen to me on a cwd mulie hunt down southwhen we saw a group of 2 180 plus bucks hangin together but no buck tag yet, hurts a bit but you know you are still doing the right thing. For us here does are not difficult to kill at all,they could be taken with a hammer if it were legal so i do not think anyone would have much difficulty filling a doe tag within the first hour of the season. I guess it is different for everyone as we live in different areas and have different deer ratios.

RE: Earn a buck
 

There does need to be more Does taken in most areas, but I am not sure what the answer is. Whatever the DNR attempts to get a higher Doe kill, Hunters usually don't like it;)

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I try to take a doe in the first couple days of the season every year. I then start buck hunting, but this year there is only one weekend before muzzleloading season. I may have to change my plans.

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I'm a farmer, hunter, and a butcher in the great state of NJ. We've had EAB for several years now. It's a great management tool if used the way it was intended. However, here's some of the problems. In NJ a button buck (antlerless deer) will count as a doe and fill your EAB requirement. Rediculous but true. So what happens, alot of guys will shoot a BB over a pile of corn and now there good to go on a buck. Defeats the whole purpose. When EAB first started every road kill doe or BB was being checked in. Not only being checked in once but multiple times, by multiple people. Here's how it works. Someone picks up a road kill or actually shoots an antlerless deer, checks it in, then calls his buddy, throws it in the back of his truck and back to check station it goes. Now his buddy's good to go. The F&G got wise to this so they started marking the hind quarter with a black X, but that easily wiped off. So now they put the metal possesion seal through the ear. So now that deer has a cut in the ear signifying it has been checked in. But if the person working at the check station doesn't feel like walking out to the truck and cutting the ear for the tag, who knows what's going to happen.

RE: Earn a buck
 

In a state like mine where the herd is expanding and already a bit overpopulated it makes sense to have EAB, and it's our responsibiity as a vital part of our state's game management program to help where needed to maintain a healthy herd. Hunting is a privelege, and priveleges are earned, not automatic.

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I like the EAB rule. I wish they would implement it here in MN.But as a few others have stated, there needs to be some stricter enforcement, espescially at the registration areas.These Deer need to be inspected, and the taking of B.B.'s needs to be eliminated.

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Where I live in SE Pa, WMU 5-D,they just added four more weeks (antlerless deer) to the already liberal seasonwhere you can take unlimited does. I think EAB would help the over population / buck to doe ratio andallow bucks a better chance at maturing!;)