Late doe season anyone?

[Jameson]

How would you feel about a late doe only season where needed? Kinda like our early doe season only after regular firearms season.

Describe your own season if you want one. Mine would be the last 9 days of muzzleloader season opened up to all hunters with a regular firearms license. All unused tags from earlier seasons would be good for anterless deer only. Archer/Muzzleloader hunters would still be able to either/or hunt during this time, following all regulations for their season.

[96trigger]

My perfect season would begin on the 2nd weekend in November, it would be a 5 day buck only where no spikes, forks, or yearling bucks could get shot. No APR, no EAB, you just have to shoot a mature buck over 1.5 years old. The Deer season would close for two days, and then a 9 day management season would run the week of Thanksgiving. Then 5 days closed, and ML season starts and goes until January 1st. BTW, this is just my wishful thinking and I know that it is not at all a reality, its just what I would like to see in my perfect hunting world. Also, youth under 16 could shoot whatever they wanted the first season, buck or doe.

[Jameson]

not much interest huh? I guess that's why we don't have a late anterless season.

[picksbigwagon]

I could see one in SE MN, 346 and 349. I would like to see it like Iowa does in the southern teer of the state, rifle season for does, I believe it is one weekend only. I would be all for a January doe season in SE MN with rifles, it would give a chance to rifle hunt where I slug hunt

[jabug]

were i hunt by the end of muzzy season the bigger bucks are droping their antlers. could be alot of nice bucks shot as does. not a good idea atleast were i hunt

[finsNfeet]

Good thought. hadnt thought of that.

[Jameson]

If the area to have a late season is overpopulated with deer does it really matter if it is a buck or a doe? Sure it would be better if it was a doe, but a 200-300 pound buck still eats and effects it's surroundings. I don't think anyone is suggesting a late season state wide, but rather only in areas with overpopulated deer. These hunts would not be conducted to get the buck to doe ratio back in check, these hunts would not be conducted as trophy hunts, these hunts would be conducted to lower the deer population. A dead doe or a dead buck still lowers the population, just a doe is more significant in the long run.

Perhaps if a late anterless season isn't popular a late earn-a-buck season might be. Anyone with a remaining buck tag would need to shoot a anterless before filling their buck tag during the late season hunt. Just an idea.

[jabug]

so you are saying lets take out a high quality buck from the gene pool and leave a small less quality one that still may have horns. i think it does matter if it is a doe or buck. shooting does will lower a population shooting a buck that late is just one less eating winter food and that same doe will be around to have two more fawns that next year. what have you really accomplished except taking the chance of a trophy from someone. is it not the goal of most to get higher quality of deer in the state. just my .02

[Jameson]

jabug, do you have a proposal for any kind of late season anterless hunt?

You mention that the bucks are dropping by you by the end of muzzleloader season. Do you then think that bow season should close at the end of muzzleloader season? How about we move the muzzleloader season up some how and replace it with a anterless season?

C'mon jabug, don't just sit back and be a critic, let's hear some constructive ideas.

[jabug]

i don't want to see a late season hunt. bow hunting takes so few deer that late it is not an issue. i think the muzzy season should have been left alone with either sex not this doe permit stuff. if there is an area that is that populated let the intensive harvest rules go and mother nature will take care of the rest. sorry that you seem so irritated that i didn't jump on the late season bandwagon

[lakevet]

If guys aren't dropping does during earlier seasons, why would they be out there shooting does when first ice fishing is firing up, holiday parties are going on, the deer are spookier than all get out, and it is just plain cold. I would be out there, but not many will. It is not going to be very effective as a population control tool.

lakevet

[Jameson]

jabug, Sorry if I came off as being irritated, but it is frustrating to put forth an idea, ask others for ideas, and then have people be critical of anothers idea without offering up their own idea to fix a problem. Thanks for your responses. I see now that either you don't think their is a problem, or are unwilling to do anything to fix the problem.

lakevet, I see your point. During the regular season the whole state is open for hunting and hunters spread out. If a late season hunt was implemented only in certain areas it would force the hunters to only hunt certain areas. Like you said, you would be out there, I may be out there, and some others would be out there. If their are not enough willing hunters if it was a anterless only season than perhaps change it to an Earn a buck season. That might entice a few more participants. Or maybe if a person tags a doe during the late season they are allowed to apply for some rare hunt in a State Park that takes place before the next regular season. Or for each doe they harvest it counts as a point for the hunter for the Lottery areas. Just some ideas.

[jabug]

state wide earn a buck would be a good idea. then along with that put a points restriction on. i for one hate to see all them forks and sixes shot up and then the same people complain there are no nice bucks. try it for a year or two and i think you would see some nice racks out there

[bigbucks]

If you think the whole state needs to be EAB you need to educate yourself on some of the areas other than where you hunt. Parts of the state easily could be, much of it's now doe lottery & should be, there's a chunk where the populations now about right. This state is definitely not a one size fits all state.

[helpme]

If we were to move the season back a week or two, what would this accomplish? This is a pretty loaded question, so answer with care? Ideal season would leave it where it is, educate hunters on what the ramifications are from taking the 1.5 year olds. The early anterless season already increases the doe harvest significantly.

[96trigger]

Is there a problem with taking 1.5 year old does? I think they are mighty tasty.

[lovebigbluegills]

Mighty tasty indeed....Mmmmmmmmmmm

[Jameson]

...try it for a year or two and i think you would see some nice racks out there

I currently see some nice racks out there. No need to try anything like that statewide.

Maybe if you aren't seeing big racks it might be from degraded habitat caused by overpopulated deer and a late doe season might help in your area?????

[jabug]

in the area i hunt we have some real nice racks. i personally have four on the wall over 140. that is a result of leaveing the smaller bucks go. it all boils down to if you want to manage for big bucks or numbers. where i hunt there is a very good population of deer that have a good buck to doe ratio. i understand that not all areas of the state are the same. going back to the original post i do not favor a late hunt atleast not in the areas i hunt for the reason i stated earlier, i have seen to many nice bucks shot even during the early part of muzzy season that have dropped their horns. i would hate to see how many would go down if it was a all out rifle hunt.

[Jameson]

...atleast not in the areas i hunt ...

So..............In an area overpopulated with deer; An area ripe for disease outbreak (TB, CWD, etc.) In an area with very evident browse lines; In an area with high car-deer collisions; you could maybe be for a late season hunt, even if it meant some bucks got shot with out their antlers? Or are you so protective of those antlers that you would rather risk that same buck die a winter-kill, or a car-deer statistic, or of disease?

[jabug]

you really seem mad that i do not favor a late season. to throw another bone out there for you i don't like the early hunt either. if an area has that high of a population it should be intensive harvest already so go shoot your five deer and be happy. with bow,rifle,and muzzy season you have 3 1/2 months to do that. if you can't get them in that time a few more days won't help. when all else fails the dnr will come in and kill off what they feel is neccesary.

[jerkbait]

There is already a late season in the TB zone. Or should I say there has been the last 2 years.

[Jameson]

wow jabug we agree on something. I don't like the EA season either. IMO it has the potential to screw up opening day of firearms.

jerkbait, whoops your right! I guess I looked into hunting that and wrote it off for various reasons so long ago that I just overlook it. Thanks for pointing that out!

[96trigger]

Quote:

if an area has that high of a population it should be intensive harvest already so go shoot your five deer and be happy. with bow,rifle,and muzzy season you have 3 1/2 months to do that. if you can't get them in that time a few more days won't help. when all else fails the dnr will come in and kill off what they feel is neccesary.

The DNR won't come in and kill them off unless there is a disease threat. They will use us as to reduce the population, that could come in the form of EAB if we can't do it without it. Wisconsing needed to do it. I would hope though, that they would learn from Wisconsin's mistakes and only do it for one year, and then reevaluate.