new hunting regs

[CSTPETER]

help me, what you are advocating is QDM...mature bucks will be a byproduct of this.

[96trigger]

Quote:

We all know what needs to happen, how we get there is the real issue. I stated before, until we get the herd in check, meaning a more 1-1 buck doe ratio

Quote:

When you have an over-populated area and they take days away from people to hunt how are you going to reduce the herd????

Your second quote totally contradicts what your first quote says. You have too many DOES, adding days to the doe season and taking away from the buck season should have helped promote your 1:1 ratio. Adding those two days and making the whole season APR or EAB in intensive harvest areas would have helped the ratio much more. Their is no longer any incentive to hunt 3B. I beleive, having bow hunted during 3A, that a lot of young bucks will get shot during the first 7 days like they have the last couple of years, maybe even more if 3A hunter numbers continue to increase.

[candiru]

What about a Dec. antlerless only season in the SE. (after muzzleloader). Maybe some more land would open up. I would also look into centerfire rifles in this season. Don't they do that acroos the Miss. River after the first weekend?

[jtoast]

What am I missing here. Too many people are concerned about everyone trying to manage for "trophys", yet all I have seen is groups (including the DNR) advocating for a quality herd. Which seems exactly what all of those concerned people also want. A 1:1 sex balance is arguably an ideal herd. Nowhere have I seen anyone promoting what is defined as trophy management. There are fewer trophies shot because we don't have a balanced herd. Are you a "trophy" hunter because you noticed and want to do something about the imbalance? If you think so, you probably just beat down the hunter that makes all hunters look good and is the one that is fighting to make sure your kid has something to hunt in the future. I agree with a previous post, a balanced herd (by the way, is QDM) will create it's own trophies.

[helpme]

What I am hearing from my co-workers and neighbors are there are too many deer. When you limit the amount of days you get to hunt you are eliminating the days in the field to shoot the deer. The DNR needs to come up with a plan to reduce the herd to an acceptable level. How this is achieved?? is by utilizing the tools available, including education by the deer hunting groups and the DNR. I do see a significant improvement in the numbers of does that are being shot over the last couple years due to the early anterless season. Maybe all we need is some time to see the affects of this season. I do like candiru's comment about a December anterless season.

[Jameson]

Let me quantify this by saying that I have never hunted zone 3, and I am trying to remember some study I read a number of years ago.

For the purpose of managing deer numbers, the only day that matters is opening day of firearms season. So goes that day, so goes the harvest numbers for the year. What I mean is that such a huge percentage of our total harvest happens on firearms opener, that it is the only day that statistically matters. So maybe the problem occurring down in some areas of zone 3 can be attributed to having the firearm hunters split into two seasons. This problem gets compounded when hunters opt out of the regular firearms season all together and choose to only hunt bow or muzzleloader seasons. It seems it is best to try and fill the woods with as many hunters as possible, so the deer can't hide. Maybe having more hunters all hunting on one opening day will actually increase the overall kill, if limits were kept the same.

Again go back to my first sentence, I could be totally wrong here.

[96trigger]

I have no doubt in my mind that there will be a record number of deer shot in 3A. There will be more hunters, the bigger questioin is how much the harvest will decreasse in 3B. In the rest of the zones. I feel that this year, the 3A might be the best ever, the problem will be how many immature bucks will get taken on opening day. That will do nothing to help balance the herd. Like I said, if overpopulation is a problem, then they should go to EAB in those zones. Evidently that is not the problem as only a small area in MN needs to be intensive harvest. The other areas (in zone 3) seem to be doing fine for harvest and herd size. I think most hunters would be just fine with a 1 or 2 deer a year. Very few people that I know actually kill and eat 5 deer.