Dirt2

It's time for me to go on one of my rants. I read something in another hunting magazine, think it was Bill Winke, crying about every state that
dares to have their rifle season open during any portion of the deer rut. I've had it with some of these ultra-QDM types.

Let me make it clear that I have no problem with QDM in principle, just with the lengths to which some people take it. I mean, here's Bill Winke with trophy hunts lined up in what, six or seven or eight different states and provinces, and he's begruding me my one buck per year. It really burns my hide.

So, rather than rage on forever, I've got a challenge for Bill Winke and any other of you bowhunting elitists out there who hold tags in multiple states, but like to rattle on about QDM. The challenge is very simple - one buck per year. Once you've killed buck numero uno, that's it for the season. If you want to kill does until you run out of arrows, go for it. But you only get one buck, so make it count.

Think of the leadership you could provide for us real-world hunters, by actually putting your money where your mouths are.

silentassassin

Ok the point is that you can't manage the entire country's deer population. So they try to manage smaller units (states). So if a quota is set for a state and I can afford to have tags in several states, and none of the states go over their quota, why do you care who uses the tag so long as it gets used? Now as far as the no rifle season during the rut, I don't necessarily agree with that. What, in your opinion, does me killing a buck in Arkansas have to do with the buck to doe ratio or the number of bucks in Pennsylvania? I am not sure that I follow your logic or lack there of.

Double Creek

That sounds like a paradise that I have never experienced[:@]

DaveH

Here in MD, we're a "sleeper" for some really nice bucks. Much of the reason for this is directly because there's very little gun hunting during the rut. There are 2 early 3 day muzzleloader seasons starting during the pre-rut and a kids gun hunt during the peak of the rut, but the major gun hunts take place after the rut.

If I had my way, there would be NO GUN hunting for deer at all, until after the rut. If you want to hunt the rut, get a bow and get close.

DaveH

BTW--I only hunt here in MD and would be happy with one big buck a year and a ton of does.

silentassassin

Double,

I don't gun hunt anyway but I certainly wouldn't be upset if they didn't open gun season until after the rut or even if they closed it all together, but I realize that is being selfish on my part, so I can't honestly say that I think it wrong. I really don't even mind it's just that I would prefer the hordes of gun hunters didn't flock to the woods and send the deer into the whitetail version of anaphylactic shock, but again that's my problem not theres and quite selfish of me to wish they didn't also have their time in the woods. But, I thought Mississippi gun season was open during the rut? I have killed a few bucks in central Mississippi in late Dec and early Jan., chasing does, with my 06.

Dirt2

I'm talking about leadership here, not the nuts and bolts of deer management. The point is the Winke types want me to forgo some of my hunting opportunity so they can carpet bag in and skim off more big bucks ($$ and the animal).

I'd like to see Winke kill his one buck, in say Kansas, then make a video for his next hunt, in say Montana. But in his Montana video he just shows one big buck after another walking by, but he lets it go, with a big grin for the camera, "Boy that was a dandy, but I got my buck for this year, so I had to let him walk." Then close the video with a doe kill. That kind of leadership would do more for the QDM argument, by showing me that Bill Winke is willing to forgo a certain amount of hunting opportunity same as he's asking me to do.

You hear these types of statements just constantly from the Winke types:

A deer's a deer.

You can't eat the horns, anyway.

I get just as much of a thrill out of killing a good doe as a big buck.

It's the thrill of being out there that counts, even if you don't kill a monster buck every time.

SO BLOODY PROVE IT!

rybohunter

You really have no point with the 1 buck/year deal even for guys who hunt multiple states. That's dumb.

However the rifle during the rut argument probably boils down to hunter density more than it does deer density. In states with tons of hunters, rifle in the rut would seriously slaughter the buck population. So only allowing archers to hunt the rut is the best thing to do.

Most bowhunters aren't elitists, we just have to work harder to get a deer within bow range, compared to gun range.

silentassassin

Those guys are leading by example. The example is that if you want to kill several bucks in one season then you have to put in the time and effort and have the drive and dedication to be able to do it. I am a poor boy but I work hard and pay every dime I can to bills etc and I manage to save enough to go on a hunt or two every year. I don't make much money so if I can do it, anyone can. You may have to pick up a side job or you may have to decide to devote the rest of your career to being an outdoor personality or whatever it takes. To be honest, you just sound jealous. Winke is fourtunate enough to get to hunt several different places and take several different deer every year while following the regulations of the states that he hunts (I assume). I don't see why you have an issue with that.

Double Creek

SA, gun season IS open during the rut here in MS, I was saying that it would be a paradise for us bowhunters if it wasn't. BUT, I agree that type of thinking is selfish and must be restrained.