Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
12-22-2008, 07:13 AM
#41
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
Also....It's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for a deer herd to have more than a 1:4 buck:doe ratio (and they won't be able to sustain THAT).
12-22-2008, 08:27 AM
#42
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West MI
Posts: 408
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
ORIGINAL: rybohunter
It is my belief that the Dept of wildlife for the particular state should structure the seasons and bag limits such that a balance is maintained that accounts for deer herd health, habitat health, hunter desires, and human/deer conflict. (I won’t discuss what defines each of those as that is meant for another debate) Now, once the Dept of Wildlife structures that system, it falls ultimately to the hunters to execute it. In some circles, I believe the hunters traditional mindset is counterproductive to reaching these goals stated above. Some places are worse than others, and honestly sometimes the dept of wildlife should share in the “blame” for those beliefs for allowing that traditional mindset to perpetuate for too long. Through results over time and education these ways of thinking are slowly changing for the better (IMO), but there is still a long ways to go in some areas.
Now back to my original statement, the large scale practice of shooting bucks only (and even worse of shooting EVERY buck) and allowing populations to explode is irresponsible on both parties account. BUT when it comes down to an individual’s choice of what to pull the trigger on, I’m all for letting it be solely up to them. BUT, I would hope they make that choice with the grand scheme of deer management taken into consideration and not just their own narrow minded selfish views.
It is my belief that the Dept of wildlife for the particular state should structure the seasons and bag limits such that a balance is maintained that accounts for deer herd health, habitat health, hunter desires, and human/deer conflict. (I won’t discuss what defines each of those as that is meant for another debate) Now, once the Dept of Wildlife structures that system, it falls ultimately to the hunters to execute it. In some circles, I believe the hunters traditional mindset is counterproductive to reaching these goals stated above. Some places are worse than others, and honestly sometimes the dept of wildlife should share in the “blame” for those beliefs for allowing that traditional mindset to perpetuate for too long. Through results over time and education these ways of thinking are slowly changing for the better (IMO), but there is still a long ways to go in some areas.
Now back to my original statement, the large scale practice of shooting bucks only (and even worse of shooting EVERY buck) and allowing populations to explode is irresponsible on both parties account. BUT when it comes down to an individual’s choice of what to pull the trigger on, I’m all for letting it be solely up to them. BUT, I would hope they make that choice with the grand scheme of deer management taken into consideration and not just their own narrow minded selfish views.
12-22-2008, 09:22 AM
#43
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
Yes BUT, someone has to set the rules and regulations for the betterment of both herd and recreation. That's the DNR's responsibility. If in fact they need to lower deer numbers they have to tell people what and where they can shoot it. If the current rules don't do what they want, then they should change them. It's not that big a deal to tell someone you can only shoot one buck for the next couple years, and OH, by the way, here's a free doe tag, shoot a doe for us.
12-22-2008, 10:20 AM
#44
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West MI
Posts: 408
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
ORIGINAL: davidmil
It's not that big a deal to tell someone you can only shoot one buck for the next couple years, and OH, by the way, here's a free doe tag, shoot a doe for us.
It's not that big a deal to tell someone you can only shoot one buck for the next couple years, and OH, by the way, here's a free doe tag, shoot a doe for us.
12-22-2008, 10:28 AM
#45
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 7,208
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
It's not that big a deal to tell someone you can only shoot one buck for the next couple years, and OH, by the way, here's a free doe tag, shoot a doe for us.
While we are already limited to one buck, the Antler restriction they imposed was met with FURIOUS opposition and 7 some years later many people still hate it. The doe numbers have been knocked down in many places and there is 10x as more complaining about thatas well. Guys in this state want to shoot that 4" spike over a doe so bad it ain't even funny.
12-22-2008, 12:29 PM
#46
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
RE: Shooting only bucks irresponsible?
Does anyone out there think shooting only bucks is irresponsible as a hunter in your area?
Guys in this state want to shoot that 4" spike over a doe so bad it ain't even funny.
