Minnesota Deer Hunting...

[flipper]

What do you think is the average age of a butchered beef steer? I would say about 18 months would hit it real close. Guess what, the old bulls go into baloney or dog food.

[creepworm]

Natures respect, you are right hunters have become competition minded. They want the biggest horns possible. That is the only reason for APR's. We are true meat hunters and shoot everything that comes by, except for really small fawns so everyone should be happy with what we do. Every year, despite shooting small bucks and anything else, we have a crack at a trophy deer. It is amazing that happens because according to you guys that say they all get shot but yet these deer survive. Doesn't make sense. By the way, this is also in Ottertail County and all the neighbors are also meat hunters and shoot everything they see.

It is funny how deer hunting has changed. It has went from being fortunate to see a deer to complaining about not shooting a trophy every year. In some ways it would be nice to see the deer population drop so people realize how fortunate they are to have decent deer populations and decent hunting.

[flipper]

Good post there creepworm

[CANOPY SAM]

I think I'd qualify as both a trophy hunter, as well as a meat hunter. I definately want venison in the freezer every fall, and I have a nice trophy on the wall, but I really prefer to shoot large, mature animals.

After many years of butchering my game alone, I've learned that it pays huge dividends to shoot larger deer - be it bucks or does. Shooting 1 1/2 yr. old anything doesn't really provide much meat, and butchering a small deer vs. a large deer equates to roughly just about the same amount of time and effort to finished product.

I'm impressed at how civil this conversation has remained. There are roughly 25-40 of us that regularly contribute to these conversations. Now if we can just get the other 499,950 MN deer hunters to read along maybe we'll finally get somewhere!

It would be nice if we all waited on mature deer - doe or buck. Not only would we see a healthier herd, but more commonly heavier racks.

Ya' know, even if we did have more 2 1/2 - 5 1/2 yr. old bucks runnin' our woods, it only raises the bar higher. A 150" buck might become commonplace. Then we'd all be complaining that there aren't enough 200" bucks around every corner! I think it's a MN thing. We just like to complain about stuff.

[DHost21]

Maybe in certain parts of the state I dont think that would be good at all for the deer herd but in the metro and intensive harvest areas I think the deer herd would either stay about the same or grow. I know a lot of people who take more than 1 doe in those areas. And after 2 years there would be tons of 2 1/2 and older bucks running around that would have 8 points or more that people would be taking plenty of bucks still but bigger ones and then the ones that dont take a buck will take a doe but not too many does. I dont see a problem in that deer license in taking too many deer and starving out the herd but thats just my opinion too. Its been said before by other people that the state is so diverse that the dnr has a very tough job cause certain parts would be bad to restrict the hunters to certain deer like up north i think a lot of hunters would get discouraged but i think down south or the shotgun areas they could do something different forsure. I dont necessarily think APR is the answer either even though i would be for it but i have heard the arguements against it and understand too i dont know the answer but im just saying i would like to see more people passing on small bucks and taking does if all they are out there for is meat and if a big buck walks by well there is more meat for them and then the people who are out there for big bucks would see more cause of people passing up little bucks. Like i said APR might not be the best thing i think education on deer and letting deer grow to 3 1/2 years old or older is the best and some of them dont have 8 points but i am not great at it and i know a lot of people who cant judge age on foot so APR is the easiest way to do it for the most part.

[chirodoc]

This is a complicated issue and one thing's for sure, there is no one answer that will work across the whole state. I hunt in SW MN (shotgun slug only of course) and I would not be happy to see APR's put into effect in this part of the state. Most deer around here are shot on drives of sloughs, waterways, and groves. There's no way you're counting points on a deer you jumped up 50 yards away and is now on a dead sprint.

I think one of the best things we can do is encourage people to shoot does. I still think there is a stigma that if you "settle" for a doe you're not as good of a hunter as the guy who shoots a buck. How many of you trophy hunters in an intensive harvest area would pass on a big buck to shoot a doe? One could make an arguement that the more big bucks are passed up the more there will be next year and maybe another year for him to pass on superior genetics.

[surewood]

Everyone talks about the quality of the hunt. Some say that it's a great hunt to harvest a small deer. It is a thrill no doubt, no matter what the deer. Thing is I have never saw bigger smiles when someone harvests a mature deer. It feels good knowing you took an adult. I do see them smile when they take any deer, but nothing like when they're holding on to a mature deer. I prefer to pass on the small ones so I can wear that smile. I would love to see MN bring up our age class of deer harvested. Just my opinion, but I also think I am the minority on the topic, but I feel like that is beginning to sway my way some.

[gr8icefishinmind]

Better yet, if you apply and get a doe licensce you have to shoot a doe!!

[koonie]

Better yet, if you apply and get a doe licensce you have to shoot a doe!!

ABSOLUTELY AGREE 100%

[ANYFISH2]

REDICULOUS!! Some of us like to eat venison.

I saw 2 deer(bucks) I could shoot this season both 2 1/2 year olds (my best guess) I shot the first passed on the second (no need to kill 2 small bucks IMO). I hunt in a lottery area, in your theory I should have no venison. BTW my buck would have passed with APR's. Lottery is so we limit the harvest of antlerless deer not to force the harvest of them.

I guess I will be happy to see it back into a managed area if a few more does survive, then maybe I will see some does to harvest instead.