I disagree with the 45 year old telling the 12 year old to shoot the spike. When I was 14 my father took me out rifle hunting, a fork came in at first light and my father told me to make the decision on taking him. He said "OK son here comes a nice 4 point, do you wanna take him or let him grow up to be a nice buck next year?" I wanted to take him, butI did'nt. I let the 4 point go and decided to shoot a doe for my first deer. It was tough but I did it, and it taught me alot about being a good hunter and practising QDM has made me a better hunter. That 12 year old would learn patience and good ethics on practising QDM.

If QDM was installed, say 6 or bigger, there would have to be a senior citizen slot and a under 16 slot alsoI think. For those 2 catagories just make it a no spike law? Regardless Im with you on the QDM needs to be instated.

I leave in 3 hours for 2 weeks of gun season and the only thing weighing on my mind is the state land that surrounds my 160. Every year they sit around us and shoot every dam spike and 4 point they see. Pisses me off. We practise 6 or bigger and it better be a hugh 6 if you take it. Whats it matter when I pass up a smaller 6 and it walks onto state land 200 yards away and gets blasted. Same goes for the spikes and forks. These statelanders just wanna shoot something. I work hard all year to better the herd with food plots and selective deer management. For what?! Im starting to think its 100 agianst 1 in the fight agianst these statelanders around my property. I try to raise quality bucks and they try to destroy it! We need, Hell I need QDM instated.

Its so nice to talk to some people that actually understand the benefits of QDM. I kinda disagree with the young kids thing though. Why not teach that kid from day 1 of his/her hunting carreer to practice QDM and herd management. Also, after a couple years of QDM, the young kids will have good opportunities for nice bucks so shooting that fork or spike won't even be an issue. I completely agree that state land is a huge problem with the harvest. The area that we used to hunt was covered in people surrounding our land and every buck that left the perimiter was shot so big bucks were very seldom seen. Now, we have a pretty good setup with lots of land, but the a**hole on the other end of us has decided to be a real pr*ick this year. We are separated by 800 acres and he has decided to post two of his guys about 100 yard from our property line. He is also a trespasser so I think we are going to put up a camera and try to catch him in the act. He guards his property like its the alamo, but coming onto someone elses property is perfectly fine, and he's stupid about it too, driving his 4-wheeler in the mud and leaving tracks. This guy isn't at all interested in doing any kind of management but between the state land, that only we have access to, and the 700 acres between us, that's 1500 acres of prime forest so I know that we could get some real pigs on it, but that's not going to happen without mandates from the DNR and stiff penalties for breaking the laws. Michigan needs to get with the times and see what other states are doing, PA is a great example. Alot of guys are bitching about it, but they are also seeing bigger bodies and racks than ever. I wonder what it will take to get it done in MI? Good luck on the opener gentlemen, lots of snow coming up by me! I can't wait!!! Hopefully there will be pics to post soon.

I hunt the Iron River area in the UP... my family has hunted the same area for the last 50 years... used to be that all 8 to 10 people could shoot a 6 or bigger years ago *late 80's or so"... we have neighbors with a 160 next to us... elevated blinds, big bait piles.. if it's brown it's down... they hunt all of bow, gun, muzzle loader, late seasons, etc... rotate family and friends in and out... so in the last 10 years since they bought the place hunting has gone down hill in a bad way... lot of does, no bucks... small fawn crops... skittish deer cause 4 wheelers and stinky hunters are all over the place and have them spooked by the 2nd week in september for gods sake... we only have a 20 but we boarder about 25 sq miles of CFA land... it's been pretty quiet since there are no more deer here and fred trost isn't touting it as being the big buck mecca... the last 4 years i've hunted i've seen literally 3 spikes, one 3 pt and a decent bruiser i couldn't get a shot at... i keep walking further from camp looking for that hole... btw we practice QDM.. 6 or larger.. someday it'll pay off...and it has to be a good 6 at that... since i am from the southern lower it's not worth shooting small deer when you can shoot a yearling here that rivals a 3 year old up there... i prefer doe if i can from the UP vs small bucks... but i am in DMU 36 and i was a day late getting to buy my private land permit... so i guess we'll have to hunt hard this year, pray to the good lord to let ole mossy horns gray ghost come out of the swamp for me and enjoy the time spent in the woods... i am outta here saturday for 2nd week...

I agree with all of you. It is nice talking to people with the same feelings as you. This spike/fork/young buck crap is unbelievable. QDM is needed, plain and simp