Man that really sucks, hearing that the uneducated guys are shooting you guys in the foot! I get tired of seeing the best intentioned management plans shot down simply because to many "hunters" just want to get out there and "whack" the first thing they see! Like you guys mentioned, these folks wil be the first one's sittin' around and crying that there are NO big bucks around! You serious sportsman need to contact and try to seriously assemble your sprotsman foundations such as the QDMA, ALL your states Bowhunting orgs, your NWTF and DU chapters. These guys WILL help you organize and educate locals and fight the good fight. Please don't give up. The QDM concept is just like the Catch & Release concept was..... folks just need to hear it over and over and over again before it finally soaks in! I wish you guys the best of luck. I have a couple of good friends in MI, Fishslayer and Michman and they have expressed the same concerns you guys have. Best of luck

I would love to see our DNR step in and turn WV into a QDM area. Right now we can shoot 8 or 9 deer a year on our license and extra tag's. The deer population is going down fast....but I hear this is the last year of all these extra tag's bs.

Hopefully the next big dnr move will be QDM with the 4pts on one side or more.

And any wolf or coyote I see...is a dead one.

I, myself, have no complaints here in Southern Michigan (St Joseph County) about the herd numbers. However, I have friends that go to the UP for firearm season and they have said the last couple years were really bad. They were lucky to see a couple deer each the entire time they were there. I have heard nothing but bad things about the deer herd in the UP and same goes for the wolves - that is the number of wolves is increasing beyond control. Something needs to be done but I gurantee you our DNR will be the last to do anything.

As far as QDM - I don't understand why anyone would disagree. For that, who gives a damn what everyone thinks. If the DNR knows that it will do nothing but good things (which it would) make it happen. Either way they're going to make enemies so they might as well make the change for the better. The private land that I hunt is only about 140 acres. However, our property and the property surrounding ours practices QDM - 4 or more points on one side, wider than it's ears, and try and not shoot one that qualifies if it is obvious the deer is only 2 1/2 years old. In the last 6 years we have been doing this, every year at least one 150 - 160 class buck gets taken. The other thing is 2 does need to be taken for buck that gets shot.

AMEN! That is indeed the way it should be done!

Well finner I agree I feel that the DNR wants to do away with the herd!!! It is almost as if the Farm Bureu has taken over the governing of seasons, and has been estimating herd numbers, I dont care what any poll says, our herd is DOWN and bad in my opinion. This area used to have tons and tons of deer i have seen only 20 deer all season, it is rediculous when i used to see upwards of 40 a day at times. I am getting to the point where I feel sick when I think about it. But they still say we have way too many deer, whack a deer a day.....pffft.....bologna IMO!!!!!!!![:@]

i would like to see new york with 4 points on one side

I too would like to see QDM up here, but there is a problem with what has been proposed. This is directed to you especially Finner because we are in the same general area. I have read some stuff on the proposed UP wide QDM. The problem I have with the proposal is it says nothing about taking more does, via doe tags, in the northern side of the UP. They are saying there are not enough does up here, so no antlerless tags. Are they nuts? I personally see does all the time. There are just too many of them and QDM will not work without removing some. Yes, I would like to see it, but it has to be done right, take some does. How can you take the does without tags? Someone please tell me where I am wrong or if the proposal has changed?

Your absolutely right bownuty! I was starting to wonder myself if some of these folks want a bigger deer herd or just bigger bucks?[&:]

There has been some discussion on this in New York, but it appears to be at least a few years away. The average hunter just can't force himself to be discrimiate in his buck hunting. I had a friend tell me he wished the state would enact antler restrictions, because that was the only way he wouldn't shoot the first small buck he sees, which he doesn't want to, but can't help himself. It sounds rediculous, but I think it's true that many simply get too excited by any juvenile buck, to pass on them unless forced to by law.

In the long run, I believe antler restrictions will hurt the herd, genetically. However, I am getting kind of weary with the fact that only 3 or 4 bucks out of a hundred, make it to 3.5 years old. A mature 4.5-6.5 year buck is almost unheard of in many of the high pressure areas of New York.