gzg38b

Germ,

I would HATE it if I couldn't be in the woods with my bow during the rut. I can't think of a more cruel and unusual form of punishment than to tell a bowhunter he can't hunt during the rut.

It's the week that I spend the other 51 weeks of the year waiting for. I agree with 99% of what you say, but you're on your own on that one bro!

Germ

I know, LOL

My Season would be this

Bow
First weekend Sept to Nov 15th

Nov 16th-22th No Hunting

Gun
Nov 22th-Nov 30th
Muzzloader
Dec 1st - 7th

Back to Bow Dec 8th Throw Jan 15th

I would also throw a couple gun weekend in Sept for doe only

DannyD

Hi qzq38b,
I would hate it too. Some are saying however that people that have the same passion as you but only hunt with a gun shouldn't get to be out there

gzg38b

Nov 16th - 22nd isn't really what I consider the rut, at least where I hunt. The first 12 days of November is when I see most bucks chasing does. I think that's when they are most vulnerable. Shutting down for Nov 16-22 won't save too many bucks IMO.

And after the heat we had this year in October, I don't think I'd hunt much in September. Although it would be nice to hunt them in their summer patterns. The soybean fieldsare like clockwork in early to mid September.

Germ

This member isand a lot of QDMA guys would go along with it, as long as data showed it would help deer herd. There is not magic forumla QDMA follows. It's a case by cases bases, what ever works for the state or your area.

Example a state with low hunter numbers could have an archery season in the rut.
A state with high numbers it might be better to not.

HuntinGUS

I think it's kinda funny how some people rationalize their stance by saying they don't want the gun season during the rut for reasons 1.2.3. The reason is never..........."so all the big bucks are not killed" Get real people. We all know the reason.Bowhunters wantmoremature deer to bowhunt. What's worse is somefeel like bowhunters deserve it more than gun hunters. I see the same principles practiced by the so-called QDMers.

FYI. for the past 5-6 years I have killed more deer and more bucks with my bow than with a gun. Gun season lasts 2 weeks and bow season lasts 2.5 months in WV. Gun season always starts the Monday prior to Thanksgiving. Usually at the tail end of the rut.

Germ

Check and see when the biggest bucks fall in MI It's the 15th through the 22nd. The goal of not having gun season in the rut is not to protect young bucks, it's to protect mature ones.

Germ

I was a post short

HuntinGUS

Doesn't QDM want you to kill mature bucks? Shouldn't the goal be to protect the young bucks based on the the basics of QDM? I am not following you here.

Dubbya

Very true Germ, very true... antler restrictions are imposed to protect the small bucks. The only way to increase the number of mature deer (IMO) is to protect them during their most vulnerable period. "Mature" deer is obviously subjective...