I've been saying it over, and over, and over, and over......QDM is NOT about a healthy deer herd. It's about money, plain and simple. Now, I'm talking about legislated QDM, NOT the guys that practice QDM on their own land. What someone does on their own land I support 110%, and if ever allowed to hunt said land, would adhere to any and all of their wishes. States are wanting to grow big bucks to get out of state dollars. Healthy deer herd my ass. MO instituted AR's a few years ago, stating they wanted more does being killed, and less bucks. MO also has an antlerless only season, in only PART of the state.....Oh, the AR's were only for 19 counties, btw.....AND, there are AR's in counties the antlerless season is closed. Thought they wanted more does killed????

Oh, did I mention, the aforementioned counties are already known for big bucks??? Yeah, QDM my ass, it's about money. Period. You need look no further than Illinois for that.

I have to agree,until 4 years ago i only gun hunted and didnt really care,but now i only bow hunt ,you make a valid argument, when the rut starts my neighbor has at least 4-5 people hunting on their land and it sounds like a war going on,very tough to get the job done.
If remember right it said Oklahoma has 110,000 registerd bow hunters,only problem is their also registerd gun hunters....i really dont seeing it changing we just need to hunt smarter and forget about big ol bucks....

Well there's more to play here than just growing macho bucks. Hunting is a tradition and gun hunting in particular that started long before archery became popular. It's traditionally been done at this time of year since forever. On top of that, when's the best time to get a big old mature buck? During the rut. Move the gun season to an earlier time or a much later time and the old boys are in seclusion. So after a week of banging around the woods with no big buck showing all the firestick hunters would start unloading on the little guys to fill their tags. Time of year isn't the problem if you want to grow big bucks. Antler restrictions would be more effective. November is the perfect time of year to be hunting deer. The weather is more suitable for comfortable hunting, meat preservation and visibility to cut down on accidents. You want to take away the best time of year for hunting simply because you want bigger bucks. That's a pretty selfish wish I think.

Dave very good post... butyou forgot a few things. The State uses the rifle/slug hunters to manage the deer population since it is the most effective way to manage them.If bowhunters were effective, wouldn't we be the one with 9 days seasons, 2.5 week seasons and ect... ?? Out of all deer hunters... what percent bow hunt?? What percent bow hunt only?? Look at the big picture.

What are we complaining about ?? We have long seasons. We shootyoung bucks also. Most of us don't know what we are talking about when it comes to managing a deer herd at a state level. Heck the majority of the hunters only see the deer woods during hunting season. What about the rest of the year ?? Managing for a state is just a tiny bit different thenQDM on100 acres. Hate to say it but I would rather the State manage the deer herd then hunters. We've been down that road. Remember the buffalo ??

And yes you are right. We tend to be selfish for our own goals and over look the bigger picture when it comes tomanaging the deer herd.

Tim

I agree - wish more states would move firearm seasons outside of prime rut... Would also like to see more states go to shotgun/muzzleloader only (no rifles)....

Yup, we agree. I thought it was a universally acknowleged truth that gun hunters control the population.

Wow! as i read that first sentence i was getting really pissed! haha then i read the rest and saw that you really weren't screwed up in the head. I see what your saying too

I agree, another reason IL has good deer, our slug gun deer season, may open at the tail end of the rut, though usually its over or coming to an end, 2nd gun season may be prime 2nd rut, though less hunters this season and less does that are hot too. I think if any season should be during the rut, it would be muzzleloader, not gun/rifle season. Most states bow/ muzzleloader hit the rut, and rifle is well out of the rut. Personally a rifle wouldn't have helped me my last few seasons, maybe id hunt differently if i had a rifle vs a bow in my hands, though I just havent seen shooter bucks, during bow. I agree though, and also because I almost exclusively bow hunt these days that Id rather the rut take place during bow than any other season. If it is going to be rifle or muzzleloader, shorter seasons sound good. Here in IL we have a 3 day slug/gun 1st season and 4day 2nd season. Bow lasts for months......we have a late muzzleloader season, or can use muzzleloader during 2nd gun/slug season. I wish states would let the pros handle these matters, or at least take more input from hunters.

I dont understand it either. This past weekend I drove up to Mount Ayr Iowa to visit my wifes family......holy crap there were tons of deer. I mean tons!!! I saw more deer on the side of the road in 40 miles than I have seen my whole life in Oklahoma. That got me thinking about why Oklahoma dosent have a big population. I couldnt come up with a good answer. I think that what you are proposing would be a great step in the right direction, but I doubt they would ever do it. Most of the folks in Oklahoma would be pissed about it. Maybe we should go to these meetings that they have from time to time and voice our opinions. I think they may be having on soon. I recieved an email about a meeting to discuss letting bowhunters take all thier deer with archery equipment instead of having to use the rifle and muzzleloader seasons. Ill check my work email to see when the meeting is supose to be

Why??? he says: without reading any of the posts before him...

Because if we don't band together friggin Obama or Hillary are going to be knocking at our doors soon asking for our semi auto rifles and pistols and shotguns...You think it's gonna stop there?>?? What happens when some nutcase goes to college and off's a few folks with his Bow??

So suck it up you greedy, elitests...huntin is huntin..you don't like it.. stay home!