jerseyhunter

I hunt not only for the sport but also for the meat. Where I hunt we have whats called earn a Buck. You have to shoot a Doe before you can shoot a Buck W/3pts or Better on One side. This year I had some nice 6 & 8 pointers (one would have gone on the wall) under my tree browsing for a half hour. I couldn' t shoot cause I hadn' t taken my doe yet. I seen no less than 20 Different Bucks Before I finally got the Doe.it Took about 3 weeks and 3 days before the season changed from reg Bow season to Permit Bow season.No shooters for wed. thur.and fri. Then the season changed on Sat. and Here comes the Bucks But first I have to start over again and get the Doe first. Sometimes it just isn' t right.But thats Life.I talked this over with the game warden and he said this was to get hunters to shoot a doe first then the buck so the harvest would be 2 deer instead of just the 1 buck and stop. I told him I would be glad to harvest the Buck first and a doe latter for the 2 kill harvest and he said most hunters are just satisfied with the one deer.(Unlimited Does) I guess my appetite is bigger than theirs. Many of us Hunters complained about this to the Fish Game &Wildlife and he said there going to change the rules this year. We' ll See. Good Luck & Good Hunting

bogobble

Ar went to a 3 point rule a few years ago. the deer has to have 3 points on one side. I wish they had done that years ago. the definition of a legal buck is: a legal buck has to have at least 3 points on one side, or antlers 2" or shorter. that' s a little confusing to me![8D]

Jake Styles

Here in Massachusetts, you' d better take just about the 1st deer you see. The numbers just aren' t there for this type of hunting. The hunters in MASS want to see deer numbers, not particularly big antlered deer. My personal opinion is that if you' re so concerned about " monster" bucks, then spend the money and go hunt on a ranch that has restrictions as to what size deer you can shoot. Many people here in MASS only have one day off a week and we can' t hunt on Sundays, so I really don' t think it' s the state' s job to decide how big a deer you can take. I think it should be the hunter himself/herself that decides what is a shooter deer to them.

Lilhunter

quite frankly its a joke!

Is the state working QAM or QDM, I know the answer do YOU! [:' (]

kc_bowhunter

There should be antler restrictions on just about every state. If you are hunting ' just for meat' , then shoot a doe, and give that 4 pointer an extra year in order to make someones' dream come true to bag a trophy deer in the next 1-2 years.

Big Country

It may not work in PA for numerous reasons. The biggest reason being shear number of hunters.

Is it a sound management practice, considering PA`s situation? YES

What I am getting at, Lilhunter, is that it may not work in PA, but it is right.
I disagree when you say you know the answer. I know you don`t have any sound facts to prove your point.

Lilhunter

Answer me this, what does ones antler size play in the health of a deer.....not a dang thing ! Its numbers that people are more interested in and one need not look further then posts on this thread to see that. P&Y this, B&C that for what this hole QAM has started and quite frankly its a dang shame! (notice i DID NOT say Quality DEER Managment, there is a huge difference!) Sure we all have dreams of ole mossy horns and making these dreams come true for yourself ya it would be a nice thing, but in all reality this QAM is not what the wildlife departments should be worrying about. Antler size, horn size/length, skull size etc etc. Its health and numbers period! If you want big racks, grow them on your own leased or private property but dont judge what I may be able to shoot on the back 40!

Dont get me wrong, seeing big bucks is a nice thing. I dont however have the need/desire to allow the state to manage solely for the size of ones headgear.... I have and do shoot does when the situation presents itself. I will also shoot a good size spike if the situation so presents itself. Heck I shot a nice 4pointer that even the game biolgist said never had the genes to be much biggerhigh 150' s filed dressed is what the biologist guessed his weight during registration, not bad for a " small" buck. Did I regret shooting him, nope. Would I do it again, Yup. Do I care what he scores, quite frankly I could care less! one either sex tag, one doe tag, the buck was just the first to walk by (at 5 steps mind you while sitting on the ground, try and pull that one off in wide open country). If I was worried about size you' d see my name in the Dall sheep catagory in the mid 20th standing but you never will! Actually you' d see it twice as my first ram would just barely qualify. But in my opinion the " book" does not stand for what it used to when St. Charles started it back in 58. He will say so himself if you take the time to listen.

btw, you might be a lil more surpised about who I am then just referring to my handle Its that hole dont judge a book by its cover deal but I wont insult your intelligence there [>:]

Lilhunter

btw, for the record you never did state just WHY its right........humor me, better yet, convince me!

Big Country

OK, I am lost? I don`t see in my post where I was judging you by your username?
I was not judging you at all.
I simply disagree with you asserting that AR is not a viable QDM tool.

Lilhunter

bummer I was editing while you posted this


You see you are already a slightly mis guided sole on this " QDM" program.

its not Quality DEER Management that was instituded at all! This is where the average sole looking at the antler/horn restrictions of any state has gone astray. There are in some cases viable reasons for it. In whitetails, I dont see it.

btw, you never did give me an answer.....convince me this is such a good thing other then you' d like to see yourself with some beautiful heavy tall and wide 10 pointer that you or your hunting camp may never have seen otherwise...

and I should add

sure sounds like passing judgement to me.