Beating an old subject..........

[Rippinlip]

Pondering a question here......

Since there in an antler restriction in Zone 3 now.

What's the chance the meat hunters (some like to call us) take out such a stock pile of fawn's (next year's non shootable buck population) that we have new restrictions on anterless deer?

I know I think into this too much............but, has anyone pondered this?

[Archerysniper]

I don't know the rules for zone three if it's a intensive or managed deer area, thought it really don't matter because if someone want's a deer they will shoot one if they are looking for antlers they will have to count points before shooting wich will get more of the 1-1/2 year bucks a pass. It has never mattered to me what anyone else has taken it's thier tag.

[Jameson]

...

Since there in an antler restriction in Zone 3 now.

What's the chance the ...hunters ... take out such a ...pile of fawn's (next year's non shootable buck population) that we have new restrictions on anterless deer?

...

33%

The areas switch between Lottery, Managed, and Intensive quite often. The only restriction I can think of on antlerless deer is antlerless permits given out in Lottery areas. So, the "new" restriction you speak of would be changing an area to Lottery that has been Managed or Intensive, not really "new." Are their other restriction possibilities on antlerless deer?

[nonteepical]

I think even the members of the MMHA are a little embarrased when they shoot a fawn, it's all about knowing and identifying what your going to shoot. unless your a young/new hunter, every hunter should be able to identify a fawn let alone a buck fawn before they shoot.

[Musky Buck]

Stockpile of fawns, I think people should hunt a bit according to the deer numbers in your area, all I know about fawns is you'll need a stockpile to have a stockpile of meat.

[mabr]

Rippin its actually a very good question and one ive thought of also.From what Ive read in order to satisfy a majority of hunters under any QDM you need a sizable deer herd. Yeah you can do it without #'s but not have the majority of hunters happy.

Your going to need a pretty good doe population for this to sit well with the meat hunters. And I am worried about what you asked. Not just the fawn bucks but over harvest of the does as well.

I know ive seen it in an area I hunt near Alexandria where doe tags were plentiful a few years ago and now were paying for it IMO. Well see how long it takes for the deer to catch up again in numbers but like Musky buck has said the numbers just arent what they were only a few years ago in certain areas. Whether because of longer seasons, to many doe permits, coyotes or whatever it doesnt take long to hurt a deer herd if not managed correctly.

[jeffreyd]

can i ask a dumb question? how much does hunting bring in to the dnr vs fishing/non hunting sports? any thoughts?

[bobbymalone]

can i ask a dumb question? how much does hunting bring in to the dnr vs fishing/non hunting sports? any thoughts?

I'm pretty sure it's quite a bit less.

I don't hunt deer or know much about QDM, also not trying to start some DNR competency argument but:

Wouldn't the DNR factor in a larger number of fawns being harvested because of the antler restrictions when making management decisions? Has anybody asked the question?

[schmoe147]

nonteepical hit this one right on. You should now what you are shooting. If you are a meat hunter you will not waste your tag on a fawn, very little meat from them. Besides if you hunt for meat only and not the sport, you could save some money and buy a quarter or half beef it would be cheaper.

[Big Dave2]

Besides if you hunt for meat only and not the sport, you could save some money and buy a quarter or half beef it would be cheaper.

This is a very disingenuous statement IMO.

First of all you can hunt for meat and ALSO for sport.

Second of all, I can not buy a quarter of beef for what I spend on deer hunting. I buy nothing each year except a license. I already own a 12 guage that I would own anyway and have some orange warm clothing that I wear for other activities as well that I purchased 10 years ago. Not all hunters spend a lot of money to hunt.

Third, deer hunting for food is just like a lot of activities such as fishing or gardening. I could certainly buy fish sticks at the grocery store but I would rather have freshly caught crappies that I caught myself. I can also buy tomatoes in the grocery store but there is just something about tomatoes that are freshly picked from the vine right in my own back yard. I also enjoy smoking meat, sure I could head off to famous Dave's and have a rack of ribs but there is a much greater sense of accomplishment from doing it myself rather than just hopping in the car. I also enjoy woodworking and all the things I have created I certainly could have went to furniture store and purchased for less money than I have into building them but that just wouldn't be the same.

[merkman]

Third, deer hunting for food is just like a lot of activities such as fishing or gardening. I could certainly buy fish sticks at the grocery store but I would rather have freshly caught crappies that I caught myself. I can also buy tomatoes in the grocery store but there is just something about tomatoes that are freshly picked from the vine right in my own back yard. I also enjoy smoking meat, sure I could head off to famous Dave's and have a rack of ribs but there is a much greater sense of accomplishment from doing it myself rather than just hopping in the car. I also enjoy woodworking and all the things I have created I certainly could have went to furniture store and purchased for less money than I have into building them but that just wouldn't be the same.

+1

[BLACKJACK]

The areas switch between Lottery, Managed, and Intensive quite often. The only restriction I can think of on antlerless deer is antlerless permits given out in Lottery areas. So, the "new" restriction you speak of would be changing an area to Lottery that has been Managed or Intensive, not really "new."

I think Jameson hit the answer to the question, if too many fawns/does get shot, the areas will just get changed to Lottery zones for a few years until the deer population is built up again.

I think this is also the reason that the DNR picked the SE to implement APR, its an intensive zone, hunters are able to shoot all the does they want, so restricting them from shooting small bucks is not much of a hardship. Can you imagine the uproar from deer hunters in a Lottery zone if APR was also implemented?? Hunters that didn't draw a doe permit and also couldn't shoot a small buck for their freezer would be PO'd.

[schmoe147]

Apparently bigdave you didnt read my whole statement very good. It clearly says in there if you hunt for meat ONLY. not meat and sport. I do agree but there are very few people that dont spend much on hunting. Gotta consider driving distance, shells et... All I'm getting at is there any very few if any that do it just for meat, and by that I mean survival.

[Big Dave2]

Apparently bigdave you didnt read my whole statement very good. It clearly says in there if you hunt for meat ONLY. not meat and sport. I do agree but there are very few people that dont spend much on hunting. Gotta consider driving distance, shells et... All I'm getting at is there any very few if any that do it just for meat, and by that I mean survival.

Well for those who only hunt for the rack, wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a fake one and hang it on the wall and let the deer go? Isn't that what we are supposed to do with big fish?

[Rippinlip]

There is so many conversations about this subject in these forums, I am not sure who has wrote on which one now.

I would like to say now that this law is in place, we will have to wait and see what happens.

I personally do not like it for multiple reasons to which I have stated in one of these articles...

What's next can only shoot a doe on Saturday if she has ears longer than 4" and with no fawms.

Never seen a form of government that ever got a leg in somewhere and made a rule/regulation to where the restiction was ever TOTALLY abolished, good luck on retractions or non expansion with this new rule.

Maybe some fishing rules have been dropped or redone, not much on the hunting for what I can recall.

[schmoe147]

WOW nothing like beating a dead horse.

[psepuncher]

I think pennsylvania just made a rule that

the brow tines must be 3" tall.