I agree completely .
I don't need the state to tell me that I have to trophy hunt , I can choose or reject that all by myself .

I have argued with people until we're both blue in the face that proper deer ratios and proper cattle ratios are two different deals entirely. I wouldn't mind ifTPWD would double the number of doe tags. Right now, a lot of people take bucks, but not that many take does. So maybe they should let the people that do want does take more.

My whole point in the Louisiana deer study, is while antler restrictions help, taking more does will benefit deer quality even more! As I said, many leases don't even take the number of does allowed, so the buck/doe ratio stays bad!
To a point, I can see PK's frustration with public land! There are virtually no doe permits for public land. There should be some type of lottery system for public land doe permits! There may even be one already, but the general public doesn't see many public land doe permits!
As far as private land goes, its a supply, and demand situation! Unfortunately, many of us will be out bid for better lands! If I were a land owner, I'd want to be paid accordingly too!
However, I've been on many cheaper hunting clubs, that have plenty of deer. So the opportunity is there! Just many of the managers, think they are helping the deer by protecting the does, and they won't even let you have the minimum allowed by the state! Which again, in many places the legal doe limit is STILL TOO LOW!
Bottom line, take them does IF you can!

I like the idea of a lottery for does tags on public land...

For the folks that don't like the state telling you what you can shoot (managing the herd as it were....) what if I wanted to shoot spotted fawns in March? I mean they taste better then anything else and if I am just a meat hunter then why not? I really have no problem with the restrictions because IT DOES NOT REDUCE THE HARVEST. It just helps to correct the age structure of the population.

-john

I don'tthink anyone has insinuated there should be no
game laws and so if you shot any deer in March that
would make you a poacher.Shooting a fawn while in
season would be considered an antlerless, which would
also be illegal ina large number of counties (poaching)
but in those that are allowed antlerless I'm sure it happens.
I would not do it unless Iknew the population was out
of handandI (in my dreams) had already filled but one
last anterless tag and it was the lasthours of my hunt.

Sorry, I know I said I'd back off butTPWDplays a large
part of what I enjoy, much more than just deer hunting.
This isin no way the best way to mangage the deer
population. Sorry to be a broken record (skipping CD for
you young guys) but the intent of this is to me blatantly
aboutforcinganyone who wants to hunt deer, even on
thier own property, into TROPHY ANTLER GROWTH REQUIRED
whether you like it, want it or care about it or not.
Adding another "undesireable" buck to the bag limit will
no doubt give us common "meat hunters" some hope to
hang on too but don't think this is some great gift from the
generous folks above to the great unwashed. This is the
only way to eliminate those dern "culls" from the herd. Just
imagine, someday maby we won't have to worry about
them contaminating the gene pool at all.

OK, now I'm just ranting, I'll really try to stop this time.
I mean it.
I hope.

God bless and happy horn hunting,
PK

Now I am not just a hunter of horns....I have probably shoot more does/spikes then most. If the changes decreased the harvest then I could agree with you, but the facts are the havest is only affected for one year and then it bounces back. Even on public land you wuld have the same oppurtunity to harvest deer they would just be older and would be coming from a herd that is overall healthier.

-john

P.S. I am sure most folks are tired of this thread by now so I will try to stay out of it.......LOL

Frank,
I think you are absolutely right about the does. It is a common thing on many of the leases around here to have old guys who have a big say-so in the 'Lease Rules' and limit the number of does that can be shot. They make their own rules outside of even the states rules, and deep down some of these old guys lived through the years where I think they really thought it was a sin to shoot a doe. What is funny about those old guys is that I don't ever see them kill many of thedeer they are talking about producing.

I don't think that the problem here is a lack of big (antlered)bucks.

Frank, you know this country in East Texas. I have always said that the big older bucks are here, it is just easier for them to hide because of the thick piney thickets we have.When you do finally catch up to one of them theyremind me of dark antlered ghost. They are like the'old men of the forest.'What better way to get these big guys out of the thickets and on the move than to reduce the number of estrous does inhisarea.

C. Davis

Our lease only allows one doe per lease. Some members have two leases so get two does.
I've seen about 4 does to every buck this season. That's pretty typical. Most bucks I've seen are spikes or very small 4 or six pointers. 1 1/2 year old deer.

I'm not really against the new regulations but having lived under stricter ones for nineyears nowI haven't seen where it helps the harvest.
I think my lease should open up and control more by killing does but we're on the LAMPS program and can only kill what they give us, one permit per membership.
I put my doe in the freezer this past weekend. Shoulda done it sooner I suppose but I like to hold out till after the second rut in Dec.