MNRut

I'm from Minnesota and I think our deer herd is being mismanaged in that the population continues to rise beyond optimal levels and buck to doe ratios are far from normal.

I realize that in some states there is an imposed minimum number of points to a harvestable buck and think this could be beneficial to Minnesota's deer herd.

I also wish gun season would be moved out of the rut like in Iowa and Wisconsin.

What are all of your impressions on these types of management?

Kanga

Maybe earn a buck program should be brought into place to get the ratio back in check.

Washington Hunter

Here in Washington we've got the three-point minimum or antlerless restriction, and while this may not lead to a high number of trophy caliber bucks, it does stop folks from shooting the 1 - 1.5 year old bucks.

adams

I think EAB is a much better idea then AR's. Reason being is you run the risk of elimination the best gene's from pool if you base harvest on AR's. For instance a 1.5 year old basket 8 pointers may be a legal deer when a 3.5 year old 6 pointer is not. The 1.5 year old 8 pointer has much more potential to be a trophy animal then the 6 pointer. I guess it also depends on what your goals are. If you're just trying to keep bucks from being harvested the AR's will do the trick but it will just likely be counter productive for producing trophy class animals.

rybohunter

Honestly, unless you can convince people out of thier own free will to pass up young bucks, there is no 'best' solution to state imposed limits that will keep everyone happy. I like that some states try where the mentality is too skewed one direction, but they are only band aids.

i shoot stuff

i think 6 pointers and above. unless its a huge buck with 5 points. and i can understand u wanting gun season moved out of the rut. here in ohio we got gun season the last week of november. so it all works out good here except for everyone takin all the little bucks (i myself have tooken a button buck but it was my first deer and didnt know it was a buck, thought it was a doe.)

micdundee

I live in Nd an we have gun season right in the middle of the rut as well. I wish they would change that.

High Tine

I couln't agree more as a fellow Minnesotan, WE need to copy what works like what Iowa has for seasons and what Wisconsin is doing with earn a buck. Both are working well for them, they could also work well for us. There is too much B.S. trying to recreate things that may or may not work to improve the deer heards, I'm in favor of a copy what works kind of mentality.

Double Creek

Don't complain boys, in MS we have a firearm season(either rifle or Muzzleloader) from November 20ish through Mid January. In my area the bucks rut around December 15-30. So we have gun ALL of prerut, rut, and post rut.

Those states with a bow only rut don't realize how good they've got it.

As far as AR's, we've had a 4pt or better restriction in place for several years. Not sure if it does much good other than on state lands.

High Tine

Well our opening gun season is the during the first days of chasing phase of the rut and continues through breeding phase. then we give them two weeks off then blast them again for three weeks with muzzle loaders.

So I think We are in the same situation as far was that goes.