One other thing for me is this. I love a challenge! The better hunter I think I am the picker I get. However, if I am meat hunting I go with the if it' s brown it' s down theory. (As long as it is legal.) Whatever I choose, I knock noone for what they want to do as long as it is legal.

GOOD HUNTNG EVERYONE!

In PA you shoot the first buck you see, or you don' t get a buck that year. Most people don' t like shooting does. Now with Alt' s new plans, you can' t shoot a deer that doesn' t have at least 3 points on a side. So we are shooting a lot more doe, and the population is being affected greatly.

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Just to clarify a few things, I hunt in west central MN where the deer are abundant and one may see 30-40 deer in a 2 day weekend. Of the say 40 deer 35 would be does and fawns and 5 would be bucks, maybe only one mature buck, usually no mature bucks. If you are after meat in my area, shooting a buck doesn' t cut it in my opinion, you can shoot 4 does legally. In fact, my family tries to shoot doe fawns, we have gotten two of them this year and they taste great.
We also allow kids who have never shot bucks to shoot a buck or whatever they see.
I understand those of you in tough hunting zones shooting whatever you see, but if you see many deer, why would one shoot a little buck?
Lastly, I realize anyone who has a liscense has the right to shoot whatever they want, this is America. But it is also my right to disagree with those Americans.

I guess I would like my two cents into this thread...

Like someone said...it really depends on how you were raised and who you hunt with. There isn' t anyway I can get my dad to change his ways, because he is pure and simply a " meat hunter" and is " old school" . He likes to see deer in pure numbers. Not the quality of deer, but quantity. Not that there really is anything wrong it that, but... I used to shoot anything that walked by me until I really got into the sport and started reading tons of material on it. Now this isn' t meant to offend anyone and anyone has their own right to shoot what they want, but this is the reason why I don' t. It' s called QDM. The word itself to many people means one thing and only one thing.....big bucks and that' s all this guy cares about. Well in a way yes, but in many ways no. QDM is understanding the herd in your area, what the doe-buck ratio is, how many deer can the land afford to hold(vegetation speaking) and the over-all health of the herd. I have seen it work 1st hand on a piece of property I hunt. Over the past 3 years, we have probably taken out 15-20 doe and letting the little ones(spikes, forks, basket 6' s and 8' s..all 1 1/2 year old to 2 1/2) go. The hunting(in my eyes) has gotten to be awesome. Sure we see a little less doe, but the probability that your going to see a " good" buck is much, much better. Getting the doe-buck ratio closer to 1-1 or 2-1 makes for a more intense rut, bigger bucks, the deer you see will stay on the land longer because the vegetation will be able support them and the more mature bucks will be doing the majority of the breeding. Which will result in a healthier, stronger herd.

I have heard..." Well if I let that little one walk, someone down the road will shoot it. Why should I let him walk?" To me, that sounds like we/me have a little educating to do with our fellow hunters.

I guess that' s how I look at it, but I also believe that a youth hunter that is new to the woods, older gentlman/women or people that need to shoot whatever because their family needs it....is a totally different story. I am lucky enough I guess to not need vension although I love it, to have to be able to shoot anything. Sorry about the long post. Good luck to everyone this hunting season.

Stump_MN_Hunter
I am very interested in starting a QDM like you talked about. Do you have any ideas? I thought about getting all the neighbors together and talking about why deer need to be managed and aboiut how successful management can make it easier to get mature bucks. Educating the neighbors and making some sort of a club is our idea. I have heard of some clubs even offering prizes for the biggest doe shot. What has worked for you?

I am new to this forum but I am sure glad I found it, there is a lot of good info and good people here.

My father-in-law took me hunting for my first time 4 years ago and all I wanted was a " big-ole-buck" . I shot the 1st one that walked out which happened to be a 9 point (5 and 4) looked big from where I was but once I got it to camp I was told that it was only about 1.5 years old and it was pretty small. I don' t have a problem with that, I had a great time and enjoyed the venison.

Now when I go I either want a very impressive buck or I will take a doe, but I will not take a small buck.

This is better for the population where I hunt. Last year I watched 9 doe and 2 small bucks for several hours and I finally shot a large doe. Who knows, maybe this weekend I will get that " big-ole-buck" , but either way I will have fun and come home with venison and a greater respect for the outdoors.

Quality Deer Management..QDM isn' t really a new thing. Years ago, I subscribed to Deer and Deer Hunter magazine and that' s pretty much where I got all my info on the topic, plus a few others. The only thing that I have done, is gone to my neighbors, sat down and discussed how we want deer hunting to be. Kind of knowing my neighbors and knowing what they would say was a bit easier in approaching them about it. Cause I knew what they would say.....heck ya. I would suggest doing the same in your area. Try to do some research as get some reading material for them if they have never heard of the concept of QDM before. The more acres of land being hunted under these restrictions the better off you are. Set goals for everyone on what you want to shoot and what not to. But be realistic. A buddy of mine hunts in Iowa and they don' t shoot anything unless it' s a 10 and well outside the ears...probably a 140 class or better buck. We couldn' t do that....yet. ha, ha I like the hunting club approach. Make up some t-shirts or blaze camo hats and it might be a fun little thing to do. Have big doe, most doe for a season or big buck contests. Really doesn' t have to have $$ involved, but maybe make up some goofy looking trophy or something. Hope that gives you some ideas.

Thanks for the tips. We have about 6,000 acres (highway to highway and from town to a river being our proposed borders) 1500 of which we control (mostly cropland though, not much woods) Would like to make it into a party sort of atmosphere and have everyone register there deer at one site for record keeping. I know all the neighbors and some will go for it and some will be tough to convince.

That sounds like a very, very nice chunk of land to manage. We are doing it to about 400 acres. LOL I bow hunt more than I do anything else. If you need some help with deer irradication....let me know. LOL