Earn-a-buck zone
 

How many of you hunt in these zones? I agree with QDM but this is rediculous! I hunt in Jersey and during fall bow you have to take a doe first then your buck. Then when extended bow comes around you have to do it all over again and by now the deer know they are being hunted. Saturday I had a nice shooter 9pt under me and couldn't shoot it. It would be nice if Fish and Game would let you harvest your does at the beginning of the season, then you could concentrate on getting that shooter come the rut. That makes too much sense though.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

[&:] Man i feel for you;;; Did you read the post from baggin Bigguns?? This guy got creamed by the laws in Wisconsin.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I don't like it either...But it has improved the quality of bucks I have seen. I took my doe for exteneded already. Now I'm waiting on a good shooter.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I think this would be a great suggestion and you should submit it to your states dnr. The earn a buck makes complete sence if you think about it. You may not like it but it forces you to do your part to thin the herd. If it wern't for earn a buck most people would be content with just shooting a buck and there would be no herd management.

I hear you point though. I could see if you had to tag a doe to "earn your buck" for the early season and a second to "earn your buck" for the extended season but I agree you should be able to get them both out of the way early in the year. If I were you and wanted to get the laws changed I'd email the director of the DNR. There are no guarentees that they'll act on the suggestion but it certainly can't hurt.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I live in NJ and agree 100%. Thank God this is the last year of it. I don't mind only shooting one buck and I don't mind having all of September to kill a doe. Just let the darn thing count for November. Once the rut starts, we have to start over and it is just plain stupid.

My biggest problem is my son. NO youth hunter, here 10 to 15 yrs old, should not have to earn a buck. I doubt the number of youth hunters taking a buck will impact the herd in any way.

I have written all of this several times to any member of the fish and game council who I could find and they politely write me back saying thanks for the input but their reasoning is sound.

I hunt zone 8 and 5 mostly and 5 is no longer an earn a buck zone. I harvested two doe in the early season but will not hunt in the EABZ for extended because I can't afford another permit.

They make it hard not to break the law don't they? So many I know do. I'm still holding on but when my son had to pass up a nice eight point piebald last season at about seven steps, I started writing letters.

Greg

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

What would happen if you see a deer get struck by a car, was still alive and you finished it with your bow. Could you check it in as a kill? Would you do this? Just thinking out loud.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

Not here. They (DNR) spray paint a stripe and cut a slit all the way up the ear on road kills to prevent anyone from trying to register them to earn their buck tag. How anal is that?[:@] Hit one with your vehicle and cause a couple grand in damages to your vehicle and you still dont earn the right to shoot a buck.

I always seem to hear how EAB is a good thing , but the majority of time it's from folks who aren't in a EAB unit.[&:]
It sucks!!! The area I'm currently hunting is farm land. The zone I'm in is one of the highest for crop damage permits which means the doe have been hunted all year. It's pretty diffecult to harvest an adult doe to begin with , make them nocturnal from being hunted all year and it's just icing on the cake. I dont bait and I wont shoot a fawn , so that leaves me the option of waiting until the rut in hopes of a buck chasing a doe from her bed my way.
Now that I'm done pi$$ing and moaning , you can bet your arse I'm going to try and kill as many doe as possible this year so I dont have my season ruined next year!
Sorry team #14 ;)

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

They used to paint the deer here in NJ too. I don't see it any more. I wrote that in one of my letters to the state. How arsinine to pay someone to ride around and paint deer. What do I have to major in in college to get that job?

A lot of guys here tag road kills. I have adopted a philosophy of killing the first thing that strolls by, spots or no spots.

Like I said, I don't mind shooting only one buck per season. Just let me make the call, first deer, fifth deer or tenth deer.

Greg

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

Perhaps it was a union job and they went on strike for union wages.:eek:

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I am in the WI earn a buck zone. What I would like to see is them allow you to carry over 2 unused buck tags for 1 buck tag the next season. That way you would have a buck tag to start the season. Anytime during the season just kill 2 does and that is earning your tag for next year. As it is now I don't want to shoot a second doe because I want as many left for next year as possible since I will continue to be earn-a-buck. This would be a win/win as I see it. The herd will benefit because I will be taking out up to 6 deer from next years herd (if both does had twins which is common here). This will make the DNR happy. I also will be happy as I will start the season with a buck tag. Also takes off the pressure of HAVING to shoot a doe early and making a bad shot because you just HAVE TO take it. JMO.:D

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I love the earn a buck idea. it's drastically increased the number of nicer bucks. more people are using their buck tags on large bucks, passing up the little ones. sure, its a pain for bowhunting, and as in the New Jersey case, taht sounds pretty bad. next year i'll be bowhunting in an EAB zone and im really looking forward to it.

slayer

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I do agree with the earn a buck program, and I have seen lots of big bucks since we started it but when you have to start hunting for the does just before the rut that really stinks! I wouldn't really call myself a trophy hunter but I can tell you this, if it wasn't for earn a buck, I would have at least 4 hanging on the wall.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

I do not want to start any trouble here in NJ, but I heard of guys doing this:

First, let's say a group of 5 hunting friends exists. As soon as one guy nails a doe...he checks it in. Then, he drives the deer to his buddy's house...removes his tag...and his buddy tags it and then checks it in. Etc, etc, etc...one guy to the next.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

yea, I've heard that too. I've also heard of people picking up fresh roadkill

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

Game wardens are not idiots. Depends on the conidition of the road kill.

RE: Earn-a-buck zone
 

Thats why they slit the ear all the way up here when you register it. There were guys doing the same thing and the DNR caught on pretty quick.