QDM or not?
 

My partners and I hunt on about 200 acres in central NC. The property belongs to family and I think we'll have the lease for as long as we want it. The property has 50 acres of soy beans, a creek, a pond and a lot of hardwoods. It is also boardered by two neighborhoods. We've had a heck of a time keeping tresspassers on ATVs out. And we KNOW that property owners around us will shoot anything that moves.

Anyway, we're having a debate about whether or not to practice QDM on the property. The rule last year was not to shoot anything that was 4 points or less. I passed up two bucks (one of them twice) that were small 6 pointers. Legal according to NC wildlife regs and according to our club rules.

One of the other guys told me he would have shot either deer and would if he saw them during the remainder of the season. It ticked me off and we started a rather heated debate about whether you can practice QDM and still shoot small 6 pointers.

I say, we either practice QDM or we don't. No in between. I need some expert advice from you guys.

Thanks.

Eric

RE: QDM or not?
 

I think you should but you will have to get your buddies to agree with you. I archery hunt on about 250 acres I let a 6 pt. with no brow tines go 2 yrs ago. I shot the same deer last year as a 10 pt. This area gets pounded during shot gun but to me it's worth the risk. I know some of the deer & turkey that I passed on have been shot.

RE: QDM or not?
 

Tough situation. There are definately benifits to QDM but it can't be forced upon people. If the neighboring properties aren't particpating and others in your club aren't willing to either I think you'll end up very frusterated. If you can get everyone together and get some guidelines established It would be worth the effort.

RE: QDM or not?
 

Man do you ever have that right! That heated argument I mentioned practically ended with a black eye and a broken nose (his or mine - I never found out). The way I look at it is there are plenty of does. In NC you can shoot two does a year any time you want. Why someone would choose a small 6 pointer over a doe is beyond me.

I put a Stealth camera out a couple weeks ago. Maybe I'll see something on it that'll bolster my argument to practice QDM.

RE: QDM or not?
 

The answer to that is NO. One aspect of a true QDM program would be to let those deer walk. In your situation, it's tough. It's really up to you if you want to try, but you need to have everyone in agreement, or it will never even have a chance to work.

Where I live, we have 100 acres and won't shoot anything that's not a wall hanger. All the folks around don't pass em up, but I still do. I'd rather shoot a doe than a small buck. I've also done other aspects of a QDM plan, (food, cover, etc) and it is working fairly well, even though we have a limited amount of property.

RE: QDM or not?
 

Not to set any fires but I agree 100%. I pass little bucks with the hope of being rewarded at a later time. If I want meat I'll shoot a doe.

Some people are of the mind a spike is better than a doe because it's a buck. I don't buy into that at all.

I hope it all works out for you.

RE: QDM or not?
 

Thanks. I'm pushing for at least two or three more years of real QDM.

RE: QDM or not?
 

If you can get everbody on board for qdm Try to learn to tell the age difference in the bucks instead of a point count. Idealy you want to harvest 4 and 5 year old bucks instead of 2 and 3 year old bucks that have 8 or 10 points.

RE: QDM or not?
 

You've got a tough row to hoe if everyone that hunts this piece of property isn't going to adhere to the agreed upon rules (I assume the rules are agreed upon). It's bad enough with a piece of property this small when the neighbors aren't on board but when your own are against you... well...good luck. I like QDM. I think it would be a better world if we all practiced it. You can't force it upon anybody, thats for sure. I wish you good luck.

RE: QDM or not?
 

With only 200 acres that you could potentially control, I feel that you are probably going to be fighting an uphill battle. Deer will be spending more time off of your 200 acres than they will on it and if the neighbors won't contribute to your goal of trophy hunting (as well as the possible dissention in your own core club), everybody is going to be mad all the time. The value of your group as friends is probably worth more than the possibility of growing a trophy buck.