GMMAT

I also agree with this statement......or...I agree that the "season" would be MUCH more liberal. Money would not flow as it does (I just don't see people traveling from NC to kill "Big does".....when we have plenty of does, right here).

It's a good conversation subject.

HuntingBry

The way I look at it if deer didn't have antlers, but were still as prevelant as they are in this country, I wouldn't know any different so I'd still hunt them.

huntingson

People travel the country to fish for big bass. What is the real difference?

brucelanthier

Why would the length of the season change? If I am not mistaken hunting seasons, and the amount and sexof animals allowed,are set up to help manage the size of the herd. Without antlers would those goals by DNR change?

GMMAT

Fair question, Huntingson....and I don't know the answer. I only posed a "maybe". I could be totally wrong.

Bruce.....I think deer are viewed by MANY, MANY people as a pretty nuisance. Kinda like the difference between a rat and a squirrel is a pretty, bushy tail. I can legally kill squirrels in my yard all year long....because they're a "nuisance" (if I deem them to be). I know it seems a very antiseptic view....but I don't think the general public views deer any differently. Right now.....(IMO) it's not "PC" to think of deer in this light. Take away their attractiveness to each state's bottom line.....and the fact that they are a nuisance to the driving public in many areas.....and I think the seasons on deer would become fairly liberal (or, at least a lot more liberal than we now know them to be).

It's just an opinion.

brucelanthier

Well, I can shoot 30 does and 6 bucks from Sept 15 to Jan 31 here. I can go into 4 countys here and shoot unlimited does. This is all to meet DNR's goals for the MD deer herd. I am not sure it could get too much more liberal than it is. That is why I believe that their attractiveness or antlers really have nothing to do with the states bottom line. Effective herd management (size of herd)is their bottom line.

Germ

Let state this first, this is all just a guess. Not saying what I wish to happen. Just how I would see it.

Not enough Lic sold to support season, keep habitat. We have over population areas now. Here in MI we have a county 105% above goal. Now say we have 30% less hunters in MI, now what?

Right now in ILL they just passed a bill in house and senate to give local control managing deer herd to local goverments. They can use other methods other than hunting and trump the DNR. Do you think they are going to do what is best for deer or their property values?

In the above world(no antlers)what happens when hunters lose control of managing the deer herd in area's? I watch a video on you-tube of a deer in a urban area. It was a buck, the lady with the camera did not know if it was a boy or a girl[&:] Now you have people with 0 education on whitetails making the management decsions. Our they going to do what is best for the whitetails or for their pockets?

I say "Antlers make whitetails worth to hunt", not about the antlers on one deer, but about why we have the money we do in hunting. Supports this huge industry we have. Take a walk through Cabela's, how many thingsdo you see support doe hunting? How many advertisements?

Where Atlas is correect we have entire groups to help grow bigger antlers. say what you want about them, but they do great work to support habitat for all whitetails. Without antlers wheredoes this lost revenue come from?

I see it as a domino affect. It would not be over night. I think we would lose deer hunting over time. Leave the management of whitetails to local goverments who are not hunters or outdoorsman. I see that as very bad.

Again guys all just what I see IF

Was that enough

GMMAT

Bruce:

Fair enough. But....do you think the number of people hunting deer in MD would go down if deer didn't have antlers? Do you think the harvest numbers would go down?

If the answer to either of those questions is "yes"....then you would need a more liberal season. That's all I was thinking....and again....it's just an opinion.

Germ

You are right, like shed33 said "Would we even know" We are looking at ourselves or die hard fisherman.

How many causual fisherman drive 4 counties? But they still buy a Lic. I think we would lose the causal hunters money.

Carpmaster

Definitely not! I enjoy all aspects of hunting, thats why i spend a LOT of time waterfowling and fishing throughout the year!