december deer hunt

[kato wall guy]

what does everyone think about a december deer hunt. (post rut)

just wondering

do you think it would help to have bigger deer

they would not be in rut think of how many bucks are taken because they are in rut and stupid.

[Jameson]

not really sure what your talking about. MN currently has deer season from mid September to the end of December.

Do you mean only allowing deer hunting in December?

[kato wall guy]

the slug season there are less bow hunters and usally they put in more time and effort in harvesting a nice buck. Where slug season there are more people that go and alot dont do there homework they just wonder out there and a big stupid horny buck comes along. At least bow hunters need the deer in a closer range. Its more challenging

[harvey lee]

If your asking if the gun season would be moved out of the rut and the hunting done after the rut, yes, it would help with the bucks becoming larger.

If we eliminate hunting during the rut, it would be much harder to harvest the bucks and the buck size sure should grow. Iowa I believe doesn't allow gun hunt untill after the rut.

The only other way to improve rack size would be to controll the size deer shot or hunters themselves controlling the buck size shot.

many deer hunters are ok with hunting and harvesting any deer and that also is fine as they have that choice.

Move the season out of the rut and all hunters can still go, yet the bucks would have a much better chance of survival and could grow.

[jlm]

This question has been asked by the DNR for years in the hunter surveys and overwhelmingly, hunters are not in favor of it. I just don't get the logic to this idea? If deer are prone to becomming larger if we hunt post rut because they are no longer chasing the ladies around, how will they EVER get harvested. Afterall, they made it through the previous post rut hunt, the odds of him being taken when larger...again post rut, are very slim. The only way to get bigger bucks in MN (I am not complaining, I think MN has done exceptionally well over the last several years) is to stop shooting small bucks. Its that easy! MN is not ready to do that YET. The tides are turning however. Many QDM chapters and hunters deciding on personal choices to grow larger racked deer are becoming more and more every year. By the way, one of the major factors to Iowa's success is mostly private land and I beleive shotgun only hunts. Plus its the prefect environment! Thats spells big racks!!!

[jerkbait]

BIG RACKS! I think they are whey to chewey for my taste. People hunt ducks to shoot ducks, they hunt pheasants to shoot pheasants, thay hunt grouse to shoot grouse and son on. I hunt deer to shoot deer. My family loves vension. I think shooting a trophy buck is supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience, otherwise shooting a 10 pointer every year would be no different then shooting a fork or a spike every year. Then we will have to stop shooting the 10 and 12 pointers so we can let them grow to 20 pointers. When will it stop, we have a great deer population and you see tons of trophy buck pictures in the outdoor news every week. We have a great season now IMO. Besides let em go, let em grow so the sharp shooters can shoot em or mother nature gets em. My 2 cents.

[tedl]

A Dec. gun hunt would keep the fair weather hunters and some of the older ones out of the woods because of the temps. What do most hunters feel is important, keeping your aging father in the woods hunting or bagging a big buck?

[harvey lee]

Yes, shooting a trophy is and always will be a once in a lifetime deer. To shoot a true Boone & Crocket deer will be a feat that almost all deer hunters will never do in this nation. A 170 point class buck is approx. a 1 in a million buck. Yes, its great to shoot a 10 pointer but that may only be a trophy in some eyes.

All hunt for different reasons, some families getting together for tradition, some for the meat and some for the true trophy.

I usually have the chance to shoot a 10 pointer every year if I hold out but, a Boone & Crocket buck is a totally different animal and they are in a class of their own.

I do believe that many are looking for QDM but in Minnesota, the majority are happy shooting a deer for tablefare, which is fine and thats why I don't see anything changing for a long, long time.

I have no idea how to satisfy all deer hunters in this state and I'm glad I do not have to make the choices the DNR does.

I would prefer the December season to help increase buck size as we could hunt them out of the rut and it would help increase the size of many bucks.

[surewood]

I really think that the earn a buck will be in the regs within the next five years. Really how could you argue it. They would say we need it in place to cut down on the does to bring the heard to acceptable levels so they don't spread disease. How could QDM people who want bigger bucks argue when it would definately produce older bucks. The only arguement we would have is we could lose that once in a lifetime oppurtunity at the trophy. But that should'nt be an arguement since so many people say they are out there for the meat and the tradition. Just seems to be the one that makes the most sense to me.

[Jameson]

 Originally Posted By: surewood

...Really how could you argue it....

So, in lottery areas of the state hunters would only be able to shoot does? Or a doe than a buck? Sounds like a population crash waiting to happen.

Now, in intensive harvest areas of the state, earn-a-buck might have it's place.

Every time someone suggests restricting deer hunters, like not allowing firearms hunting during the rut, I am reminded that the MN DNR has a hard enough time getting deer hunters to shoot enough deer. Sure certain parts of the state that isn't an issue. However, has anyone noticed the ever increasing number of early-anterless areas? In many parts of the state hunters are allowed to take FIVE deer per hunter during the regular season. If the firearms hunt would change to December, it would only be the start of changes...maybe an early-anterless season statewide, maybe bow hunting would become more popular than firearms hunting, maybe the muzzleloader season would be done away with, maybe...

I think we would be O.K. pushing back firearms season a week, maybe two. Moving firearms season back a full month, is too much in my opinion.

[surewood]

Of course it would not include lottery areas. Sometimes restrictions are better for hunters and hunting. I'll bet back in the day when everything was law-less people were pretty upset with bag limits and regualtions. Some changes are for the better.