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[:'(] (not to QDM but to overly preachy threads like this - come down off the soap box and enjoy reality with the rest of us.)

That is the key to qdm. That and giving back to the herd.

For me you are preaching to the choir. IMO education is the key to good managment policies. It wasn't until 2 years ago I started to see the light and now when giving the opportunity to explain about qdm and the benefits I jump on it. QDM can't be jammed down a persons throat but it can be planted as a seed to grow with the individual hunter. Its up to each hunter to decide how and if they want to participate. I'll just continue to plant seed (literally and figuratively) for the better of our herd.

Well, I'll say this. I shoot a recurve and I'll take that little 1 1/2 year old buck and consider it a hell of a trophy.

What defines the challenges of a hunt isn't always the size of the rack. Would I love to have 180" bucks running around ? Yes, I would, but I wouldn't sacrifice filling my tags every year so i could kil a "big one" every 2-3 years.

Size of racks are important ............ but not nearly as important as the Hunt itsself and I think QDM loses that in overall perspective.

Just a question

If there is to many deer in your county and you see a Poacher killing does for food. ARE they helping ?


It is not most of the hard core hunters on here that shoot the babys it is a lot of weekend hunters that shoot on 1st sight. I dout you will ever get to them.

To many times I see a perfectly good and serious management thread like this attacked by a bunch of "brown downers" and turn it int a pissin' contest. I agree with you totally though. It's all about educating the sportsman out there and not giving up until changes in peoples attitudes are made. Many of these folks that shoot anything and everything they can yet they will stand at the check-in station and Shops and complain about how their are no big deer in their area??? I just don't get these people

IL-Cornfed - noactually, people who shoot the first deer they can because they want meat, or because its fulfilling their personal challenge NEVER complain about lack of big deer. They're VERY happy to have filled their tags - which was the goal they had in mind.

Guys who look for huge racks and end up shooting a dink ....... they're the ones complaining

I see QDM a bit differently. QDM is not always about point restrictions and bigger racks, its about a healthy deer herd. Unfortunately one has become synonomous with the other one.

I rather take the approach of the F&G biologist are there to look after the herd. If they say we can't shoot does, or we have to shoot more does, or whatever, great, lets do it. I have no issue hunting here in NH and shooting the first legal deer that comes by, be it a small doe, big doe, spike or big buck. I also have no issue with my trip to PA where I have to pass on bucks until the get to 3 pts/side.

This attitude is somewhat naive because politics enters into it. However, I will side with the biologist recommendation. I hunt because I enjoy it and because my family likes the meat. Any LEGAL deer that walks by is fair game. If I am in the mood to pass because its a button or a doe or a small buck or whatever, that's my decision an nobody else should have any say over that.

--Bob

As a individual I do what i can. Several years ago I stop shooting small bucks.I only take a doe in a over populated area. But the problem these areas are usually posted and the owner might let a handicapped person hunt only. I plowed up my back yard this spring and am trying to plant a plot ,not to hunt it ,but to feed the deer and create a safe zone for the deer ,since the pop is down in my little area.
To my own concern is there is no place for handicapped people to hunt in Pa that is not expensive to get access.The game lands are to rough and I know few disabled people who can afford ATV;s,trailers and So forth.Most their money goes for medical needs. The State of Pa could open many of the parks just for disabled bow hunters. NO they hire hit groups to slaughter the deer at night under lights. There is one Sportsmans shop here in New Holland Pa that puts a hunt on for the disabled. They talked a power company and camp ground in to having a 1 day hunt. Need more of this done.Lots of places not open for no good reason. I went on that hunt and they did a nice job. One private land owner with way to many deer did leave me hunt,but would not allow anyone even to help me. And then ask for a small fee of 100.00 a deer. I bet the guy has 200 deer on his 75 acres. He wont let no one else on.

datamax,

Weren't you just complaining in a thirty-page thread that compounds were too easy? Maybe you should start passing on those "easy" 1 1/2-year-olds and holding out for something more "challenging?"