Your right, in your orginal post it doesn't sound like your trying to cram it down anybodies throat. But after Atlasman spoke up and gave you his reasons why he doesn't agree, then its starting to sound like a condescending(spelling??) arguement where in your sounding like your better because you don't shoot young deer etc, at least thats the way it sounds to me.

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I took your original post as you meant it and I appreciated it. I think past conflicts on this forum are tainting peoples perceptions. Personally I'm for persuading non "strictly meat hunters" to let the little ones pass. On my farm, that's my rule, nothing 6 or under (unless it's a huge 6). Even if you're killing a doe try to shoot the bigger older one. I have people tell me it probably won't survive the season and that if I don't shoot it someone else will. Maybe, but if I shoot it it's certain that it won't survive the season. Personally, we have enough deer and I've seen enough and shot enough smaller bucks that I don't have an interest in shooting them anymore. It's like catching bluegills. I'd rather just watch them and be amused. That's just me. I enjoy the filler between bigger bucks to have the others as entertainment. The thing is when you start to legislate these attitudes. I know this wasn't the point of BOW's post, but for some people it is. The problem is defining what is satisfying to a person. BOW sounds like the type that enjoys the challenge. The more difficult the challenge, the more rewarding the payoff. Others sound like just the experience is what makes it fun. Just to be out in the woods and relax and see deer and maybe even shoot one, whatever the size. I'm a little of both. I like a challenge but after a certain level it becomes more work than I want to invest in a recreational activity (sort of like the drag vs. pickup debate on another thread). When you start legislating what is a quality hunt it's hard to satisfy everyone. I would have rebelled strongly against QDM restrictions my first several years of hunting and I'm coming around to more that thinking now that I've had lot's of opportunities to take the smaller bucks. The exception being for kids doesn't sit well with me either because what if I didn't start hunting until I was thirty? I have a friend I introduced into hunting a few years ago and he was thrilled to kill anything and he was in his twenty's. So I'm not for strict legislating of size limits. I think you have to cater to the minimum expectations because you can always enjoy higher self impossed standards but if you raise the standards than those who enjoy lower requirements are left out. The key is to do what BOW is doing and try to PERSUADE as many as you can through reason and discourse. I think BOW's only fault was putting any defining guideline (4 1/2 years) in his arguement. People will always be able to find fault in the details, but you can usually sell them on the concept. Where I hunt, I would be happy to shoot 2 - 3 1/2 year old deer all the time with the occasional older buck. Just encouraging people to shoot 1 1/2 year old or older deer raises the mean age limit for the area, thus increasing the number of deer at the higher end of the spectrum. It's kind of like size limits for striped bass here in the Chesapeake bay, it hurt at first but now the overall quality of bass caught is so much better. Everyone just remember that not everyone has the same motivation or requirements of enjoyment as you do. And isn't it great they don't? Think how crowded the woods would be then.

Sound like some pretty good reasons to me.

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Come on now BOW, that maybe taking it a little too far

I totally understand what you are saying and what you mean. Don't let Atlasman get to you, he has always resisted any type of QDM. And that is ok, hunting can be all things to all people.

I understand, but as I said; details give them something to take exception too. If you can just convence them to stretch their own personal benchmark this year then maybe in a few years they'll raise it again. It's a path we all travel down and everyone drops off at different spots along the trail. Not everyone will enjoy every style of hunting but they may be encouraged to challenge themselves a little more, or just try something different. In VA you can dog hunt (let the flames begin). I enjoy dog hunting, occassionally, but I prefer stalking and stand hunting. I don't expect, nor do I want, everyone to enjoy the same things I do. I'm glad there are people who love living in a city, keeps them out of my woods. I know that wasn't your point, but I typed it for the benifit of others who don't seem to understand things as easily as others. LOL

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In a perfect world we would all pratice QDM [8D][8D]

I dont see why everybody doesnt practice some sort of QDM, or even better TDM. I cant understand why a grown man cant watch a 1 1/2 year old 4 pointer with out shooting it, its kinda pathetic to me. I have only shot one buck in my entire life that was 1 1/2 years old (my first) and I can count on one hand the number of bucks I've killed that where 3 1/2 or younger. Different regions have different standards I suppose. I'm just glad that I'm from a region that has high standards........