Here on Long Island we are alowed two bucks. I give myself some leeway on the first and only shoot a 6 pointer or better. The second buck has to be 3-1/2 yrs or older.
I do this for pure selfish reasons as I just don't get much satisfaction out of shooting younger bucks. Meat is not an issue because I really don't eat it.

I hunt public land that has very little pressure from hunters and it is strictly bow only.
We can pick and choose what we get if we see a cull buck then it is culled
The herd has good numbers in it now with some good size bucks so next season should be a good one for us.
In fact I only know of 4 other hunters who go to this spot and non of us are letting on where it is and when we take some one new there they better get used to a blind fold lol

It must be different here in Kansas, about this topic. First, if a non-youth person shoots a doe rather than a little buck, he'll gain a lot more respect. The mentality around here is if you bring in a small one, most people wonder, why didn't you just shoot a doe? Does are around every corner and taste better.

I practice QDM, because I don't really care too much about a small basket sized rack. It's no problem to have several opportunites at does in one day, at my hunting spots. So why not just take a doe, if you don't really care about that little 14" 6 or 8 pt. rack? With there being more and more hunters these days, QMD is starting to go by the road-side in some places especially on public. I'm just lucky enough to know that the deer I passed up will most likely be there next year, because most everybody around my hunting areas do the same as me.
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Edited by - kshunter on 01/23/2002 11:48:45

On our farm in WV...I've been doing what I can to pass on young deer, and am starting to get others to buy in. Ten years ago an 8pt with a 14" spread was a nice deer.

This past year we took an 8pt that has 7+" brow tines, and a 9pt with a 19" spread. I also saw a couple other hogs while bowhunting.


As far as letting them walk...I did miss a 5pt with my bow this year that I probably shouldn't have shot...I did kill a mediocre buck with my bow and a doe.

I think the important thing is to kill does and to NOT overkill young bucks.

Here in Arizona I haven't had many opportunities to pass up deer. If I manage to stalk within my confortable range of a small buck I am going to take it personally. I am hunting Kaibab for the first time in September which has a much higher population then the areas I hunt so my thoughts may change then. As for rifle the areas I usually get drawn for are low success rate (since I would rather get drawn in an area like that then take the chance of not getting drawn in a better area), so I would also take a smaller buck if the opportunity presents itself.

North Jeff,

I can't agree more. I think if we all put the health and quality of the deer herds first, then we would rarely harvest young bucks. Special circumstances....like for first year hunters and or teens would be serve as an exception. Instead we would take does and mature bucks only.

Education of QDM is the key. The thing that bums me out is the fact that here on the public land I hunt, very few people understand the basics and importance of QDM. They shoot the first deer they see with antlers. Which is usually a 6 month old button or a 1 1/2 year old spike or forky, and there are five or six does standing there with them...???? Unless state agencies change their managment plans from a revenue motivated adgenda and begin implementing education of QDM....nothing is gonna change, especially in a state like mine that has so much public land. If I bring up the topic of Quality Deer Management ....lets say at the local Cafe... people would look at me like I was speaking Afgan!

Shed

I dont shoot many bucks anymore,Cant phyiscally get where they are.So I shoot all the mature doe i see with the permits I have.I have beeen setting my own standards at least 4 pts.Where I hunt I will see maybe 25 or 40 hunters a day and 1/2 dozen bucks a year in Pa.If I want a chance for a big buck I will go to a big buck state.I enjoy the meat so I shoot alot of doe the past 5 years and I'm happy

Some day Shed, some day. Someday the deer herds in our states will hopefully be managed with scientific, biologically based principles. For the time being will have to except management based on tradition, hunter opinion, and personal bias.

And for all those who think hunter opinion should matter, does public opinion matter in the management of N.A.S.A? There is some point at which the management of a company, forest, or animal, becomes scientific enough to rely on professional management only. Hunter opinion should matter in conveniance topics, whether it be an issue of keeping your bow in a case until legal shooting hours, or treestand use, but scientific management of the overall health and quality of the herd? I'll rely on the professionals for that.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

Pa is about to have it's first Antler restricted hunting season in 2002. When the subject first came up I figured it would never fly in PA with 1,000,000+ hunters that have been raised to shoot the first deer with bone on it's head but it appears more and more that our hunters are at least willing to give it a try. Personally I have been passing anything under the 120" range for several years and am glad to see the change . Lets hope the other part of the challenge, killing more does, is also embraced by our hunters.

Our state requires a forked horn or better in the area I hunt ,but I try for a more mature deer than that . We only get one buck and I want as much venison as possible .I guess in that sense you could say I practise QDM on my place to hunt .What my neighbors do I couldn't say , I don't believe many of them even hunt .