2011 QDMA report MN has big decline in yearling buck harvest!

[lakevet]

I will chime in. Facts about me. Bowhunter, 44, Land owner in Kansas 4 years, last buck shot in MN 2002(many does).

I agree with the statement on stats. If you believe 67% you have to believe 41%. Not so sure I believe either of them.

And finally, it is only 2 more years. If no one likes the law and they get together enough protesters, I am sure it will go back to the way it was.

Hopefully decision on regs will be based primarily on everyone understanding the biologic facts that hopefully are reliable and clear, not based on who protests the loudest or tries to run something thru the political process at the capital.

Again my point in this is trying to have us look objectively as possible, examine data available. So often people state with certainty info that is outdated or opinion and not fact.

And my opinion is that we can have the bigger mature bucks in the population without these regs cause Wisconsin and Iowa are doing it right next door. Hate to admit it but they are doing it better than us and keeping a wide range of hunters/hunting styles happy with party hunts, cross tags, no apr's and more mature bucks. Why do we have to have this big go around?

Anyway, back to the facts, such as they are..., if you trust them...., otherwise just yell louder, cause then it must be true!

lakevet

p.s. Crappie rage, I am glad you chimed in and it is not my intent to offend you. My statement above was applying to the debate in general. Thanks for doing your part in harvesting does.

[nonteepical]

the decision apr's in zone 3 has been decided on at least a month ago, the study will finish out it's term, (2 more yrs.) and after that if it's to continue, it will have to be decided by the legislature, not by the biological experts of the minnesota DNR.

[muskiemanAD]

I just saw this post. I think that the big drop had alot to do with the standing corn in 2009 and the terrible weather last year. As Postfrontal stated, I think 2000-2008 would be a better gauge on the numbers then the last 2 years that were the worst 2 years for seeing deer that I can remember!

[lakevet]

I just saw this post. I think that the big drop had alot to do with the standing corn in 2009 and the terrible weather last year. As Postfrontal stated, I think 2000-2008 would be a better gauge on the numbers then the last 2 years that were the worst 2 years for seeing deer that I can remember!

If you read the 2011 report, it only comments and addresses 2009 season. It does not in any way address or comment on the 2010 season. Yes I know it says that it is the 2011 report, but that only is the year that the report is published. It is yet to be determined if QDMA biologists will draw the same conclusions on the 2010 season. Results of 2010 season will have to wait until they issue the 2012 report.

Also remember QDMA report addresses STATEWIDE harvest, not just corn country.

Also the DNR has set 3 years as a long enough period to determine benefit, not 9 years (2000-2008).

Again I bring up the QDMA stats and reports mainly because they are widely cited and published by those supporting the new regs, esp Blufflands group that was so instrumental in bringing about this regs. So if those stats are used to garner support, why downplay them when they show a potential reversal in harvest of bucks before the regs took effect and thus potentially no need for two more divisive regulations.

If, and I know it is an IF, future QDMA reports show statewide a continuation of the desired drop in young buck harvest started in 2009 (pre regs) thru 2012 ( 3rd year of new regs in SE MN), would that have ANY influence on those of you who are PRO APRs & banning cross tagging bucks? You would be achieving your goals without statewide regulations.

thanks for the good civil discussion.

lakevet

[lakevet]

Just read the most recent spring 2011 Bluffland Whitetails newsletter. They are still citing the 2008 67% of the buck harvest is 1.5 yrs or younger number as the most recent they have. It is info that is 3 years old. I hope they get updated and read the 2011 QDMA report that has the 2008 67% number followed by the dramatic drop of the 2009 41% number that QDMA praises MN hunters about.

lakevet

[PEATMOSS]

The more recent data doesn't fit their agenda as well

[lakevet]

Rum River QDMA chapter has ad in the latest outdoor news about an August info session in Cambridge, MN that will present "the facts" about benefits of APR's and cross tagging. I wonder what stats they will use, esp being a QDMA chapter. Too far away for me to attend. Maybe someone in that area will be the "fact checker" and ask about the 2009 41% number praised in the 2011 QDMA report. Also shows that there is movement to plow ground to expand these regs over more of the state, as Cambridge is well outside the experimental regs area. Is it an agenda that is becoming disconnected from the facts?

Again I am focused on being informed with the best data available before making my decisions, and being willing to adjust as new data becomes available. If we indeed continue to have the lower 2009 rate of 41 % of young bucks in harvest without the regs, then hopefully people (who say that is the reason they wanted these regs) will be reasonable about continuing to allow the wide range of hunting styles Minnesotans have and let these new regs expire .

It still amazes me that these QDMA chapters and hard core antler hunters don't read the 2011 QDMA report and get all pumped up that their education efforts may be really gaining a lot of traction. Why is that? Tunnel vision? Disbelief that they may have had that dramatic an impact with education and not regulation?

lakevet

[fishuhalik]

quote per lakevet: In fact it getting hunters to shoot does may be harder than getting then to pass on young bucks

Bingo. For my first 10 years of hunting I was extremely proud of the fact that I had never killed a doe. however, out of the 12 bucks I had harvested only 3 had been mature bucks. Looking back, there was 3 1 1/2 yr bucks that I harvested with nice basket 8s and one basket 10. oh the potential in those deer! not to mention taking those genetics out of the pool...

I will never get down on people shooting small bucks, it is perfectly legal and congrats to you for harvesting an animal and spending the time in the woods to enjoy the hunt. That's really what it's all about after all. However, and remember this is just our choice and i'm not coming down on anyone that choses to hunt differently, in the last couple of years my party and most of those that hunt around me have finally gotten into the mindset of letting those little guys go and harvesting does/ bigger bucks. We don't need to kill a b&c buck every year, but just passing on anything that's younger than 2 1/2. Our actual harvest of big bucks hasn't gone up yet, but we have been seeing alot more big buck sign in the last couple of years. If you ask me, it's alot more fun going into the stand opening morning when you're hunting over a nice fresh scape line that's ringed with a few rubs on trees the size of your wrist.

With all that said, I have yet to harvest a doe. 2 years ago I ate my tag after passing on 2 small bucks (a basket 8 and a spike, hardest thing I've ever done in a stand!) and last year I harvested a small 5 on the last day of the season right at dusk, it was a tough year financially we needed the veni.

With all that said, don't get so caught up in growing big bucks that you loose sight of what's important in this life-your family, keeping God #1, and good relationships with your neighbors. I've seen great relationships ruined over something so trivial as a deer.

Shoot straight!