Just looked at the Minnesota DNR site tonight and read that "lottery" areas like the ones I hunt have moved to a "simpler" bag limit system this year. Whereas firearms hunters could take one buck and enter a "lottery" to take an additional doe, bow hunters - through an all-season license which allows you to hunt bow, gun and ML - could take up to three deer (one buck and two does).

Buuuut, in a move to make things simpler, the state has moved "lottery" areas to a one deer bag limit period. No matter what seasons you hunt or what combination of weapons you use.

No more tagging a doe early and holding out for the big buck. It's do you want the sure thing when you see that big mature doe that would fill your freezer or roll the dice for later season and chance no deer at all.

I realize its a chance worth taking but you didn't used to have to make that decision.

I think its a fairly radical move, especially when by looking our particular area, the doe bow harvest has been relatively minimal in comparison to the firearms numbers.

Woe is me. Still looking forward to the season! And may have to do some more traveling.

Welcome to my world.

Here in Oregon the regular season only allows you one tag and then you can try and fraw for an antlerless/antlered deer hunt. I got lucky and got drawn so this will be the first time i get to hunt for 2 deer.

My thoughts exactly.

Im glad Wi doesnt have the lottery system. Too much of a head ache and hassle.

Here in Maine 1 deer total with bucks only except by lottery during rifle season in certain areas only... Archery 1 deer either sex and this is the same as above 1 deer total reguardless of how it is taken...

Then we have a special Archery Season in around some of our city areas where you can buy up to 10doe tags and only 1 buck tag this is excluded from the above.. The season is almost a month early and runs through and after the seasons for regular Archery and rifle season..The special season is in areas with no guns allowed and a heavey problem with deer issues.

Wow, I don't think I'd like any of those laws. In previous years in Alabama, you have been limited to 5 bucks and unlimited does. Now they changed it to 3 bucks and unlimited does. So we can basically hunt all we want, just might not be able to shoot a buck in the last few weeks. I killed 3 bucks last year but my best friend and hunter killed 4 bucks and 6 does. I geuss AL's deer pop is just that high? We still see gobs of deer on our property.

I'm not bitter or anything and will await to see if perhaps our area has changed to "managed," which allows you two deer. And if anything, I'm happy the DNR is trying to manage the deer herd locally and by areas instead of blanketing regs across the state.

The management tactics they've used so far have resulted in a statewide deer population estimated at well over a million deer every year and record harvests the past several years.

They must know what they're doing. But with a new little one, I was hoping I could take two deer if offered the opportunity on my home hunting ranges as I won't be able to travel much up north.

Wow, those are some screwed up regs. How do they expect to effectively manage the herd with such limiting regulations?